40 DAYS in the GOSPEL Sample

SPIRITUAL SURGERY

Hearing the story of Aron Ralston is hard to stomach. He was the young man who while hiking, truly found himself between a rock and a hard place. Alone in the hill country of Utah, he accidentally dislodged a boulder and became trapped with his wrist wedged under the rock’s massive weight. With no evidence of help on the way, he made the difficult choice to amputate his forearm with a dull pocketknife. Then he rappelled down 65 feet (20m) and hiked 7 miles (11km) to safety. It was a radical choice but without it, he would have likely died there. The decision was costly but worth it.

There is no other way to hear Jesus' words in our text without similar shock. Cut off your foot? Gouge out your eye? “Jesus, this sounds radical.” It is. Jesus means to shock us. But not just for shock value.

Jesus wants us to realize the value of the kingdom compared to what we value most—our health, our comfort, and the temporary pleasures of this life. These cannot compare to the priceless value of the kingdom of Jesus.

What He shows us is that the obstacles to receiving the kingdom aren’t out there somewhere. I am my own worst enemy. It’s my desires, the sin in me, that if left unchecked will cost me the kingdom. It’s my eyes, my body, that is the problem.

The solution Jesus called for here isn’t literal physical surgery like Ralston’s but to hopefully shock us into the reality of spiritual values. It’s death to what we think is valuable to embrace what is priceless.

Jesus says this in other places, in other ways:

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matthew 13:44)

Did you catch it? It isn’t just about sacrifice for duty’s sake. It’s about joy! The man isn’t calculating his losses. He’s counting his gains—with joy!

Will you sell your soul for temporary pleasure? For porn, wealth, and sex? For the pleasure of a grudge, or power, or fame? What a foolish trade! Rather, you should sacrifice those temporary pleasures for the priceless treasure of the gospel. Such decisions are costly but worth it.

PRAY ABOUT IT: Is it time for spiritual surgery? What desire or temptation are you toying with rather than dying to? Crucify it. Turn to Jesus in worship. Trade those temporary pleasures for the beautiful treasures of the kingdom of Jesus.