S2 E41 - What Would You Do For A Klondike Bar?

What would you do for a Klondike bar? It's such a great slogan, isn't it? Some of the funniest or craziest things have been done all in the name of being given a free Klondike bar in return. "I would hug a cactus" or "I would walk around Times Square like a monkey", and things like this. They've even made a game out of it, which I'm dying to play. Well...I have a different question. What would I do for eternal life? Throughout Jesus' ministry, he continues to ask hard questions, calling for us to decide, "would I do this for Jesus?" Would we be persecuted? Love our enemy? Give up our things? Deny ourselves? These are questions that we have to answer - and so I ask you - what would you do for eternal life? 

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Transcript

Hey everybody, and welcome back to the Set Your Mind Above Podcast! I’m your host BJ Sipe – I’m a Christian, a preacher, a husband, and a father. In this podcast we take everyday, ordinary events and explore how they can teach us extraordinary, eternal truths. I’m so glad that you joined me for this episode. Now, let’s open up our minds, our hearts, and our Bible’s together. 

Today’s podcast starts on a serious note, but then will take a different tone in just a little bit. I want to begin by thanking each and every single one of you for the overwhelming amount of love and support that I have received from you over the weekend after our last two podcasts. I really opened up about my current state of mental health and my need for some changes, and not only have you embraced the upcoming changes with grace, but you have gone above and beyond to affirm that I’m taking the right steps and doing the right things to care for myself. The way that you have encouraged me leaves me at a loss for words, and I truly am grateful to every single one of you. For the first time in a while, I have some clarity going forward. I know that things do not fix themselves overnight, and it’s going to take some time, but we have a good plan put into place going forward. 

And speaking of moving forward, let’s get on to what we’re here for – taking everyday, ordinary events and exploring how they teach us extraordinary, eternal truths. And today we have a fun one, and so I have to ask: what would you do for a klondike bar? I am a stress eater, which I am sure many of you can relate to, so over the weekend as I was figuring some stuff out I had gone out to CVS to pick up some things, and just happened to pass the frozen section on my way out. Right there, taunting me in the clear display case, was a small box of klondike bars. Naturally, those ended up coming home with me. If you’ve never had a klondike bar, the originals are much like a “dilly bar” that you would order at a Dairy Queen – it’s vanilla ice cream covered with a thin, hard layer of chocolate. So simple, and yet so delicious. While the company dates back to the 1920’s and has changed hands in ownership many times, the slogan & marketing campaign that began in the 80’s has stayed strong. In 1982, the company launched the add campaign by asking people on the street, “What would you do for a Klondike bar?” People would then respond by doing something silly or challenging in order to get one – like cluck like a chicken, do a backflip, or things like this. Over the years, the answers have gotten funnier and even more crazy. You can look up the hashtag #4aklondike and find all sorts of things that people have done for a klondike bar. “I would hug a cactus” said one person, or, “I’d walk like a monkey around Times Square” said another. Even celebrities, television shows, and comedians have flocked to using the tagline in their own shows and routines. In fact, my favorite adaptation of this slogan is how it has been turned into a hilarious family game, simply titled, “What Would You Do For A Klondike Bar?” (I’m looking at you Hal Hammons, this is one you’ll want to add to your collection of fun games).  But what I have found most fascinating is the crazy kinds of things that people have done all for a simple ice cream treat. People have jumped out of planes, scaled the sides of mountains, drank the most disgusting concoctions, or did the most embarrassing things all while posting about it on social media with the hashtag #4aklondike. Obviously, this is a fun trend and people do it simply for the fun of it all, not necessarily for a klondike. But if you go back to the original commercials and slogans, it’s pretty hysterical what people were willing to do on the spot all for the simple pleasure of a something as small as an ice cream treat. 

It's a great slogan, isn’t it? But it really got me thinking about the following question: what would you do for eternal life? Now, that’s quite the question, isn’t it? Something as simple as a klondike bar is not something that we would be willing to do anything for, but something as important as the destination of our soul? Now that’s something worth doing anything for, or so you would think. Following Jesus is hard, and throughout his ministry Jesus essentially asks the question: would you do this for me? Let’s look at several statements of Jesus back to back, as we examine the kind of things we’re called to do for him. 

Would you suffer persecution for Jesus?  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught, “You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12) Do we see life to come as worth suffering for in our present lives? I’ll be honest with you, my faith is challenged when I read of what Christians have historically suffered in the name of Jesus. They’ve been crucified. Tortured. Thrown to wild animals to be devoured. Dipped in tar and lit on fire. Sawn in two. The list continues, but I think we get the picture. For centuries, Christians around the world have suffered great atrocities on account of their faith. And yet, they did so willingly, because it did not matter what it took – their reward in heaven was worth any suffering in the present. 

Would you love your enemy for Jesus? Again, in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus taught, “You have heard that it was said, love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Children of God are to be known for their love, but not just in the way that they love others that are of benefit to them. They should be known for the way they choose to love even those who hate them. It is one thing to be willing to suffer for the sake of Jesus, but to then turn around and love those who cause that suffering? That’s even harder. But Jesus makes it clear – if we want to be children of God, we must be willing to do even this. 

Would you give up your possessions for Jesus? Jesus taught in Luke 14:33, “In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” Ultimately, we are called to make a choice – who will be our master: God or money? You cannot serve both. If we truly want to follow Jesus as his disciples, we will be willing to part with any and all possessions if we are so called to do so. We need to ask ourselves, am I the kind of person that is willing to follow Jesus so long as I’m comfortable? Or am I willing to do the hardest things, even give up my possessions to further his kingdom? 

Would I deny myself for Jesus? Jesus taught in Luke 9:23-26, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it. For what does it benefit someone if he gains the whole world, and yet loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and that of the Father and the holy angels.” To summarize all of these things, Jesus simply makes this statement about discipleship – to follow him, you must be willing to do…anything. Discipleship is not about my wants, my will, my plans, or my wisdom. It’s about denying all of those things. It’s about putting myself aside and raising Jesus up in my heart, my mind, and my actions. I no longer live for myself, I now live for him. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer famously stated, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” 

That is a hefty price tag, but in comparison to what we are attaining, it should seem like nothing at all. As Paul wrote in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.” It doesn’t matter what we are called to do in this life, in view of what is waiting for us, it will all be worth it. So again, let me ask you: what would you do for eternal life? 

Thank you for tuning in for this week’s episode, and I would invite you back every Tuesday for a brand-new episode each week. If you haven’t already, be sure to find us on Facebook for occasional announcements and special video sessions. If you have benefited from this podcast, please if you’re able to be sure to share it with someone else that you think could benefit from it as well. Until next time, know that I love you, that God loves you, and may we all each & every day set our minds above.