Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction (show slide 1)

Introduction

Just Do It (stylized as JUST DO IT.)[1] is a trademark of shoe company Nike, and one of the core components of Nike's brand.

The slogan was coined in 1988 at an advertising agency meeting.

The founder of Wieden+Kennedy agency, Dan Wieden credits the inspiration for his "Just Do It" Nike slogan to Gary Gilmore’s last words: "Let's do it."

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American multinational corporation, Nike has become a subject of controversy ever since it unveiled its new “Just Do It” ad campaign featuring former NFL player Colin Kaepernick.

Several Americans shared photos and videos of them burning Nike products in protest.

The company’s stock was also down by 2.5 per cent on Tuesday, a day after the controversial ad was unveiled.

American multinational corporation, Nike has become a subject of controversy ever since it unveiled its new “Just Do It” ad campaign featuring former NFL player Colin Kaepernick.

Several Americans shared photos and videos of them burning Nike products in protest.

The company’s stock was also down by 2.5 per cent on Tuesday, a day after the controversial ad was unveiled.

Why is Colin Kaepernick a controversial figure?

The former NFL player had triggered a political firestorm back home in 2016 by kneeling during the US national anthem to protest racial injustice.

The former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers was dropped from the team after repeating the act and has not played in the NFL since early last year.

I. A Commitment to Self Denial (Allegiance)

(By: Manas Tiwari)

Just Do It (stylized as JUST DO IT.)[1] is a trademark of shoe company Nike, and one of the core components of Nike's brand.

The slogan was coined in 1988 at an advertising agency meeting.

The founder of Wieden+Kennedy agency, Dan Wieden credits the inspiration for his "Just Do It" Nike slogan to Gary Gilmore’s last words: "Let's do it."

In the context of the sermon…Jesus has just foretold his death and resurrection…

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Just Do IT show slide 4

(CIT) The central idea of this text is Luke’s account of Jesus’ first discussion about the cost of discipleship.

The real deal is there is indeed a tremendous cost involved with being a disciple.

(MOS) When we leave here today, the goal is for each of us to recommit to this phrase — Just Do It — in relation to our level of our being disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.

From the outset, contextually, Jesus has just foretold his death and resurrection (ref.

21-22)

If -- (a conditional conjunction) – if expresses "a condition, thought of as real, or to denote assumptions" (i.e.

viewed as factual.

for the sake of argument) (BAGD).

Accordingly, (if) should not be translated "since," but rather always "if" – since the assumption may only be portrayed as valid (true, factual).

I.

A Commitment to Self Denial (Allegiance)

● Deny -- to deny i. e. abnegate, abjure; τί, to renounce a thing, forsake it; to deny utterly, i.e. disown, abstain…

● Deny thyself -- The essence of saving trust in God is self-denial, a recognition that he must save because disciples cannot save themselves, that life must be given over into God’s care and protection.

Disciples do not respond to their own personal wills, but to God’s.

There is a fundamental recognition of allegiance that says, “God needs to direct me; I will not and cannot direct myself.”

Disciples who follow Jesus will follow him in this attitude.

For Paul, when a person in faith asks God to save through Jesus, the petitioner recognizes that Jesus must save from sin and that he imparts life, because the petitioner’s life needs redeeming on God’s terms.

Salvation does not come on one’s terms or on one’s own merits ().

Jesus calls this self-denial.

Paul’s words are no different from Jesus’, just less pictorial.

Salvation is a gift that God bestows to the one who knows the need for it, who knows one cannot provide it for oneself.[1]

● Three conditions of discipleship are laid out.

The first condition involves a need to deny oneself.

This is much more radical than simply a denial of certain things.

This mandates a rejection of a life based on self-interest and self-fulfillment.

Instead a disciple is to be one who seeks to fulfill the will and the teachings of Christ.

Another metaphor to express this act of commitment is to hate one’s own life (14:26).

The opposite response can be seen in 12:9; ; .

II.

A Commitment to Take Up a Cross (Endurance)

● Cross -- 4716 staurós – the crosspiece of a Roman cross; the cross-beam (Latin, patibulum) placed at the top of the vertical member to form a capital "T." "This transverse beam was the one carried by the criminal[1] " (Souter).

● Christ was crucified on a literal Roman cross; ("cross") is also used figuratively for the cross (sacrifice) each believer bears to be a true follower-of-Christ[2] (, , etc.).

The cross represents unspeakable pain, humiliation and suffering – and ironically is also the symbol of infinite love! [3] At the cross, Jesus won our salvation – which is free but certainly not cheap!

● The "cross" () is not a symbol for suffering in general.

Rather it refers to withstanding persecution (difficult times), by the Lord's power, as He directs the circumstances of life.[4]

As Christ's disciples, believers are to hold true – even when attacked by the ungodly.

● Take up his cross -- The figure of bearing the cross is much discussed (Fletcher 1964; M. Green 1983 lists over a dozen views; J. Schneider, TDN[2]T 7:578–79, notes six views).

The background of the image is clearly a Roman picture of a criminal sentenced to die for a heinous crime.

The criminal not only was crucified, but carried his own cross, a picture enacted in Jesus’ own death (Fitzmyer 1981: 787 lists contemporary passages: Josephus, Antiquities 13.14.2

§380; 17.10.10

§295; 11QTempl[3]e[4]a 64.10–13; Hengel 1977).

Cross-bearing publicly displayed a person’s submission to the state.

The criminal rebelled against the state, and so bore the penalty of punishment from it.

Cross-bearing was a visible, public affair that visualized a person’s humility before the state.

Thus, the fundamental idea is of submitting to the authority of another—in this case God[5] .

● When the image is tied to following Jesus, an additional nuance is suggested: disciples are following Jesus, who although innocent will bear the shame of rejection and death ().

Thus, submitting to God and following Jesus means walking the road of rejection.

People may reject and react to the disciple’s commitment to God.

Ellis (1974: 141) relates the image to Paul’s filling up Christ’s afflictions () and his being crucified with Christ ().

This association suggests another element in the picture: cross-bearing means that one’s independent life is at an end, an element that reinforces the picture of self-denial and submission (Marshall 1978: 373).[5]

● The second condition involves the need to take up one’s cross.

This need not be a vaticinia ex eventu, or a prophecy after the fact, but Jesus’ own crucifixion reveals more fully to Luke’s readers that this call is for a commitment unto death.

There needs to be willingness to suffer martyrdom if need be.

(Cf.

and 23:26, where Simon of Cyrene takes up the cross and follows Jesus.)

Luke added the need to do this “daily.”

Whereas Mark emphasized the initial act of denying oneself once and for all (), in Luke there is an emphasis on the need to make such a commitment each day[6] .

III.

A Commitment to be Loyal (Perseverance)

● …and follow me… -- The final command is the call to follow Jesus continually.

One can go the route Jesus goes if one recognizes the need to place oneself in God’s care and submit to him.

Such submission includes a willingness to enter into the suffering of rejection.

Jesus makes it clear that the essence of discipleship is found in this attitude.

To follow Jesus is to recognize this commitment to him.

It is to obey him and share in the world’s rejection of him.

There is no need to deny the authenticity of the statement.

The imagery is common, even in a Jewish setting, and the realization that disciples share in the fate of their teacher is also common (Marshall 1978: 374; S[6]B 1:587; Midr.

Gen. 56.3 [36c]).[7]

● The final condition is the need to follow Jesus.

In contrast to the other conditions this verb is a present imperative, indicating that following Jesus must be continual.[8]

Conclusion: Be prepared for afflictions.

To this end would Christ have us reckon upon the cross, that we may be forewarned.

He that builds a house does not take care that the rain should not descend upon it, or the storm should not beat upon it, or the wind blow upon it; there is no fencing against these things, they cannot be prevented by any care of ours; but that the house may be able to endure all this without prejudice.

And he that builds a ship, does not make this his work, that it should never meet with waves and billows, that is impossible; but that it may be light and staunch, and able to endure all weathers.

A man that takes care for his body does not care for this, that he meet with no change of weather, hot and cold, but how his body may bear all this.

And Christians do the same, not so much to take care how to shift and avoid afflictions, but how to bear them with an even quiet mind.

As we cannot hinder the rain from falling upon the house, nor the waves from beating upon the ship, nor change of weather and seasons from affecting the body, so it is not in our power to hinder the falling out of afflictions and tribulations; all that lies upon us, is to make provision for such an hour, that we be not overwhelmed by it.

(T.

Manton, D. D.)