There's No Amazon Prime in Heaven

          

            America is a consumer nation. As the holiday season approaches, one need look no further than Black Friday for an example. Years ago, the day following Thanksgiving was the best and busiest day for holiday shopping. Families flocked to malls, shopping centers, and local stores in order to get the best prices. Retailers reveled in the sales surge that accounted for the bulk of their annual revenue. Looking back to the days that marked my childhood, I recall Black Friday being a somewhat fun adventure replete with family and friends. It was a time that ushered in the Christmas season and its enduring spirit. But things changed. Stores began to open earlier and earlier, competing with one another. Instead of sitting on the sofa and watching football with a loose belt to allow for easy digestion of the day’s feast, consumers headed out to wait in line, sometimes all night, in order to get the early bird discount (now called door busters) on the limited quantity of in-demand holiday gifts. The news is full of stories of pushing, shoving, fisticuffs, and arrests. In fact, in 2011 a woman doused fellow customers with pepper spray in order obtain a video game. Yes, we are indeed a consumer nation.

            Although Black Friday held the title for many years, she lost her crown due to the advent of technology. The Internet spawned e-commerce, now a global industry. Further advances allowed consumers to shop from the convenience of their mobile device wherever they happened to be – at home, the office, or stuck in traffic. With just a few touches of the screen, the perils of navigating malls and shops could be avoided. Cyber Monday was born and took her rightful place upon the throne. Amazon came along and sweetened the deal by offering Prime service, which provides unlimited, free two-day shipping for an annual fee. While Federal Express will go down in history for brining overnight shipping to the forefront of the industry, Amazon will be remembered for introducing Prime service and feeding American’s addiction for instant gratification, which has only intensified. In December 2017, CNBC reported that more than four million Americans became Prime members during the holiday season. For Amazon, business was good. Morphing from a mere online bookstore to a mega e-commerce giant, Amazon stoked the desire of Americans to consume in greater amounts and with increased frequency. In 2017 Amazon accounted for over fifty percent of ALL holiday shopping – not just online, mind you, but ALL holiday shopping.

            So, what’s this go to do with Heaven? Good question. In my Sunday school class this past week, we read from the Gospel of Mark (8:27-38). In verse 34, Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves…” The Greek word is aparneomai, which means to “deny utterly, i.e. disown, abstain.” In other words, Jesus wasn’t telling his disciples to simply put others first and practice humility. He was telling them to disown themselves, which is a far greater requirement. Disowning is a refusal to acknowledge something. In this case, if we are going to follow Christ and be His disciple, we must not acknowledge ourselves. This concept transcends humility. Its simplicity delineates a life that is completely dedicated to God and is not focused on, or concerned with, worldly things. As Matthew wrote, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (6:19-21).

            The American culture is one of self-centeredness. Not only do we focus on ourselves, we’re encouraged to do so. Decades ago the term selfie did not exist. Cellphones didn’t exist either, let alone smartphones and social media. While technology offers many advantages and conveniences, like all good things there is the potential for abuse. Social media can be a wonderful tool for spreading the gospel and providing live church service feeds, but it can also be – and often is – the medium for self-glorification. Social media is littered not only with selfies, but also with pictures of food, people engaging in various activities, opinionated videos, political rants, and the ubiquitous check-ins – just so everyone knows how much we are enjoying our lives! In 2 Timothy 3:2, in regard to the last days, Paul wrote, “People will be lovers of themselves…”

Perhaps he was referring to selfies and society’s growing obsession with itself. Regardless of his intention, Paul’s words describe our quickly devolving society. Ironically, for Christians in this country, it’s the society in which we must adhere to Christ’s command to deny ourselves. We must disown ourselves and abstain from indulging in the ways of the world.

As Christians, we are called to be set apart from the world. What does that look like? Is it serving in the church, volunteering in the community, or leading a Bible study? Certainly those things are admirable and necessary. However, as good as they are, they lack sufficiency. Denying oneself involves much more than just service. Jesus reveals the extent of our denial in the succeeding verses when he states, “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.” Denying ourselves, the refusal to acknowledge ourselves, is a commitment to a lifestyle that is the antithesis of that epitomized by American culture. Characterized by a lack of consumption, frugality, and near disregard for own welfare, discipleship is a long, hard road. As my pastor noted in a sermon about Jesus’ words in Mark, Jesus was on his was to Jerusalem, where he would be tried, sentenced, and crucified. At the time of his teaching, He and his disciples were in Galilee, where life was easy and carefree. Denying oneself required little effort and did not portend of future suffering or a difficult life. When we accept Christ and agree to be His disciple, we commit to living a life of non-conformity, one that is distinct and disparate.

It’s true, there’s no Amazon Prime in Heaven. We can’t have our treasures delivered via two-day service. They must be stored there while we live our lives as Christ’s disciples on earth. Denying ourselves is not the refusal to indulge. Rather, it is delayed indulgence based on things to come, which are far, far greater than anything we can imagine. When Jesus instructed his disciples to deny themselves, He wasn’t telling them they were not important, that their lives had no significance or meaning. Quite the opposite, He was telling them the things of this world had no value in His kingdom and that preoccupation and regard for them was something they must eschew deliberately and willfully. It wasn’t a recommendation or suggestion. No, Jesus made it blatantly clear. By denying ourselves we accept our humanity – the frailty of this life with all of its hardships and trials – and embrace the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, who was not of this world.

Americans spend and consume at increasing rates. Many attempt to keep up with the Jones’. We build bigger houses, drive expensive cars, and wear name brand clothes. Status is pursued behind a façade of modesty. Comparison is private and low-key, whispered between friends. Glorifying oneself, boasting, and pride are part and parcel of American culture. And here we are stuck in the middle of it, called to deny ourselves, commanded not to acknowledge ourselves in a sinful world preoccupied with itself. Christ’s edict presents a challenge for all Christians, particularly those living in the United States, yet it is what we are to do in order to be His disciple. Denial is not a one-time action; it is a way of life and discipline we must practice daily as we make our journey to Jerusalem and answer Christ’s calling.