The Idol of Comfort
The Idol of Comfort
Main Verse: Matthew 16:21-27
Key Thought: We love comfort. Our daily lives are saturated with it. We have climate controls in our homes, heated seats in our cars, and beverage options galore at every point in between. We spend most of our waking hours pursuing some state of comfortableness. Comfort by itself is not necessarily sinful. But if we build our life around constant convenience and ease, we will find our souls shrinking and our idols growing. Of all the idols we have discussed this is probably the one most difficult to see. And yet Jesus’ words about being a disciple demand that we rise above our desire for a smooth, relaxing life. By listening and following Jesus, we will certainly tear down this idol that plagues us all.
Consider:
Continual comfort is not good for you. Here is what one author says about the matter.
Our genome has not changed for thousands of years, but the world has changed enormously and there are multiple mismatches with modern life. Our ancestors thrived because we hunted down prey with the tools we made, ate a range of natural foods from the environment and led highly physical lives necessary for the proper functioning of our bodies and brains. Now, most of us spend most of our day sitting on our backsides, and more than 50% of our diet is made up of ultra-processed foods that hijack our brains’ rewards systems while making us overweight and sick. Exposure to cold and heat caused our ancestors to upregulate critical stress response genes, which made us more resilient. Now, our thermoneutral environments are making us soft. We used to live in small tribal communities where everyone had a role and purpose. Now we are digitally connected and physically disconnected. Modern humans are the most overweight, depressed, medicated and addicted cohort of adults that has ever lived, yet life has never been so good! What is wrong with us?
You are made for more than just comfort. You are made to carry a cross.
Supporting Points:
- Jesus explains his mission (16:21)
- Peter rebukes Jesus (16:22)
- Peter believed in Jesus
- But Peter misunderstood what Jesus was all about
- You can believe in Jesus and still misunderstand what Jesus is all about.
- Jesus corrects Peter (v. 23)
- Peter, the rock, is now a stumbling block
- This selfish view is Satanic (the very epitome of idolatry)
- Pete’s view of life with God was misguided and worldly
- Then Jesus presents us with true discipleship (vs. 24-28)
- Deny self
- Take up THEIR cross
- Follow Jesus
- Losing your life for Jesus will actually save it
There are moments we must choose between the idol of comfort or the cross of Jesus.
Application:
- What comfort keeps you from following Jesus? Is this often tied to a misunderstanding about Jesus?
- What is your cross you are bearing? Are you following Jesus with it?
