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Some of you may remember that in 2016 the UCC Board of Directors endorsed a boycott of Wendy’s Restaurants due to the chain’s failure to join the Fair Food Program that protected its workers from unfair practices for their labors. These workers were enduring difficult and dangerous conditions in the fields, very low pay, and few benefits, and many were dealing with sexual harassment, racial discrimination and even slavery. Bruce and I joined the thousands of UCC members who felt strongly that this is part of what BE-ing the Church is all about. The Be The Church Sign that we have recently posted on our front lawn here at Christ Church shows the many ways we strive to live up to the vision of the UCC: “United in Christ’s love, a just world for all.”
Recently I was surprised to learn of another boycott being proposed by podcaster Joey Mannarino. Mannarino took a poll on whether to boycott Chick-fil-A Restaurants. He accused the chicken sandwich chain of pushing an offensive political agenda. More than 110,000 people responded to his poll and almost half of them clicked, “Yes, boycott!”
The response was nothing new. Chick-fil-A has been shunned repeatedly since 2012, originally by progressives for their position with LGTBQ+ individuals, and now, interestingly enough, by conservatives.
According to Fast Company magazine, “Chick-fil-A now has the unenviable distinction of being perhaps the only major U.S. brand to be simultaneously boycotted by the left and the right.”
The fast-food chain is drawing fierce criticism by conservatives for hiring a vice-president of DEI, (which stands for Diversity, Equality and Inclusion) and adopting a corporate policy on its website that details the company’s focus on “ensuring equal access,” “valuing differences,” and “creating a culture of belonging,” under the title, “Committed to being Better Together.”
If you are a fan of Chick-fil-A, you probably know the company’s story. The Atlanta based chain invented the fast-food chicken sandwich in 1967, using a business philosophy based on the Bible. One of the core principles is that they are closed on Sundays. According to the chain’s website, the founder knew the “importance of closing Sundays so that he and his employees could set aside one day to rest and worship if they chose.”
Not being open for business is a way to keep the Sabbath, as the Bible commands, and it probably cuts into profits. But despite being closed one day a week, Chick-fil-A has recently out earned every fast-food competitor except McDonald’s and Starbucks.
Maybe you think the company deserves a boycott for its politics. Maybe you don’t. That’s not really the point. Chick-fil-A has discovered that it cannot please everyone, nor should it.
What’s the saying: “You can never please all of the people all of the time.”
I propose there is a connection between the chicken and the cross.
In the eighth chapter of Mark’s gospel, Jesus is traveling with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi, politically dangerous territory in a Gentile region north of the Sea of Galilee. On the way, Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They give a variety of answers, and then Jesus makes it personal by asking, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter offers the correct answer: “You are the Messiah,” the Christ. But Jesus tells them “not to tell everyone about him,” because he is not convinced that they know what being the Messiah is really all about.
As they continue to walk along, Jesus begins to teach them that he must: “undergo great suffering and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes and be killed and after three days rise again.” He knows that the Messiah is going to get criticism from both the left and the right and be subjected to a punishment far worse than a chicken sandwich boycott. In fact, he is going to be killed.
Peter finds these words to be outrageous, so he takes Jesus aside and rebukes him. But then Jesus turns the tables by sharply criticizing Peter with the words, “Get behind me Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things!” Peter cannot imagine that the Messiah should ever have to undergo suffering. He sees the Messiah as being so close to God and God would surely protect him from any pain or distress. We get this, don’t we?
According to New Testament professor Pheme Perkins, “Christians frequently think that if we pray enough God will remove all trials from our lives.” Some think that prayer alone can cure a drug-addicted teenager or prevent an asthmatic child from having an allergic reaction. “Prayer is important in healing,” Perkins says, “but prayer is an opening up of ourselves to what God wills, not an exercise in FORCING God to do our will.”
Sometimes the will of God includes time in a drug treatment center or a trip to the hospital. Sometimes, the will of God involves the suffering of the Messiah.
Fast Company magazine reports that Chick-fil-A’s greatest periods of growth have come out of times of crisis. Back in 1982, the economy was tanking, and the company’s annual sales were in decline.
Instead of focusing on a corporate turnaround plan, the executive committee adopted its official mission statement. It said that the company would “glorify God by being a faithful steward” and that it would “have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.” The next year, the company experienced growth of almost 30%.
A quarter of a century later, during another terrible economic slump, the president of the company saw that they needed a “radical service makeover.” He drew inspiration from the challenge of Jesus to love your enemies and serve them. Having some fun with the Scriptures, he joked that “Jesus also said in this same chapter, ‘Let your light so shine among [people] that they may see your clean parking lots and taste those hot waffle fries.’”
Those changes made during the pain of the Great Recession, led to four years of double-digit sales increases.
The point is NOT that God always rewards faithfulness with economic success. No, that would make God into a cosmic drive-through restaurant, one in which you say a prayer into a speaker and then receive a delicious blessing. No, the lesson is that suffering is a part of life, and that even the most faithful among us will face undeserved pain and anguish. Our challenge is always to remain faithful in time of suffering, and to believe that even death is followed by new life.
Remember: Jesus predicted that he would undergo great suffering, and be rejected, and be killed. But after three days he would rise again. (vs. 31)
At this point in our text, Jesus tells what it means to set our minds on divine things, instead of human things. Speaking to the crowd and the disciples, he says, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.”
All throughout history, people have denied themselves, taken up their cross, and followed Jesus. They have offered courageous service to others, with some even losing their lives in the process. David Rhoads, professor of New Testament, speaks of the countless “missionaries who have left home and country to bring the gospel to remote parts of the world.” Their numbers “include those who risked their lives to rescue Jews in Nazi Germany,” as well as people “who joined Martin Luther King Jr. in the struggle for civil rights.” In all nations, they are found “where people take courageous risks to bring life to others in the face of persecution.”
They are not chicken. Far from it. No, they take courageous risks when they pick up their cross and follow Jesus.
Such followers of Christ know that there is really no profit in gaining the world and forfeiting their lives. They would rather risk for others than take actions to save themselves. And while their sacrifices strike us an extraordinary, they are in line with the sacrifices that we are asked to make each day. When we give up status to help another person, we are taking up our cross. When we sacrifice money to make a charitable contribution, we are taking up our cross. When we turn down a position of power to serve our family, our church, or our community, we are taking up our cross. Any loss of status or wealth or power can feel like a step on the path to the cross.
Professor David Rhoads says, “These are the ‘death-like experiences of everyday life. They cause us to ask ourselves: “How often do we avoid speaking up because we wish to avoid embarrassment? How many actions do we avoid taking because we wish to avoid rejection or loss? In what ways do we fail to give to the needy because we will not risk financial insecurity?”
Don’t be chicken, says Jesus. Instead pick up your cross.
The stakes are very high, according to this passage from Mark. Jesus says, in conclusion, “Those who are ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
So, do not be ashamed to sacrifice status or money or power as you walk behind Jesus on the path to the cross. It is better to feel badly about your generosity than ashamed that you did not sacrifice enough.
Jesus tells us what kind of Messiah he has come to be and therefore what kind of life we are called to live: A life of service and sacrifice. Discipleship is not for the faint-hearted!
Here at Christ Church we’ve committed to “take up our cross” by living out what is stated on the BE THE CHURCH banner we have posted outside. Each of the statements is backed by a scripture reference.
*Protect the Environment: Psalm 21:1 – “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it;”
*Care for the Poor: Matthew 25:35-36 – “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you gave me clothing. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.”
Forgive Often (or live into Forgiveness): Matthew 6:12 – “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
Reject Racism (or dismantle racism): Romans 10:12 – “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him.”
Fight for the Powerless (or fight with the Marginalized/confront the powers): Psalm 82:3-4 – “Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
Share Earthly and Spiritual Resources: Luke 3:11 – “In reply he (Jesus) said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.”
Embrace Diversity: Genesis 1:27 – “So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
Love God: Luke 10:27 – “Jesus answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.’”
Enjoy this Life: Philippians 4:4 – “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice.”
A life of following Jesus is certainly going to lead to criticism from others. Jesus’ question to his disciples is still appropriate for us today, “who do YOU say that I am?” It’s a question each one of us must answer in our lives. Once we, like Peter have made our confession of faith (whatever that may be), we have only taken the first step. The second step is the lifelong journey of living our confession fully and authentically.
Jesus tells us what kind of Messiah he has come to be and therefore what kind of life we are called to live: a life of service and sacrifice. Discipleship is not for the faint hearted! But disciples who “take up their cross” and follow Jesus will find that Jesus’ words in verses 34 & 35 of our text are true: “Those who lose their life for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.”
Yes, your life will be saved by taking up your cross. Not by being chicken. Amen.
