"Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 'If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.'" (From today's Gospel reading, Luke 14:25-27)
"....bear his cross," here is, "bear His cross."
Our, " cross," is not our suffering; it's nothing other than the Cross of Jesus. We must never, ever confuse this. Do not be cliche in your walk in Jesus. You know as well as I that most of the time when people say, "Well, it's just the cross I have to bare," it is a "disconnected cross." The cross you and I are to, "take up," is Jesus' Cross, no more , no less.
The context of, "bear his cross," is Jesus' command to forsake all to follow Him. Nothing can rule in my life but Jesus Christ, loyalty to Jesus, His Church, His Kingdom. According to verse 26, such surrender, such obedience, such a life style of bearing the Cross of Jesus will seem to others like a hatred for all else, everyone. The emphasis here, however, is not "hatred" of others, but love, surrender, total identity and obedience to Jesus. Our text speaks of identity with/in Jesus, not my identity, nor discovering myself, nor attempting to figure out myself, nor my pain and suffering, whatever form it may take. Besides, isn't it, "Take My yoke upon you"? If it is "my cross," it is more than I can bare, heavy, a burden which will ultimately destroy me. Ah, but if I bare the Cross of Jesus, I triumph over, "the principalities and power that were ranged against us." And unmistakably, I do this only because Jesus, "disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in [the cross]" (Col. 2, Amplified Bible).
If I withdraw into some "cross" theology that sees me pitted against the world, against life, a "woe-is-me" cross, then nothing but a self-serving, self pity life manifests. But if, on the other hand, my cross is Jesus' cross, then victory is mine; We are, "the light of the world," and, "salt of the earth." If your "'cross' is more than I can bare," then I invite you to consider this: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed (quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good-- not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne" (Matthew 11:28-30, Amplified Bible). If this does not "resonate" with us today, we desperately need a spiritual health check. Personally, I'm good to "consider" these things today. "In the Cross of Christ I glory, Towering o're the wrecks of time."
Father, in Jesus' Name, You have just spoken so much to me in Your Words. I pray they are mine. Amen.
************************
* Please remember to pray for Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech before the US Congress, March 3, as well as the Israeli Election, March 25.
* New articles at: jhs58.blogspot.com
* March Mission, March 9-31-- If you would like to contribute to this mission, let us know.
"....bear his cross," here is, "bear His cross."
Our, " cross," is not our suffering; it's nothing other than the Cross of Jesus. We must never, ever confuse this. Do not be cliche in your walk in Jesus. You know as well as I that most of the time when people say, "Well, it's just the cross I have to bare," it is a "disconnected cross." The cross you and I are to, "take up," is Jesus' Cross, no more , no less.
The context of, "bear his cross," is Jesus' command to forsake all to follow Him. Nothing can rule in my life but Jesus Christ, loyalty to Jesus, His Church, His Kingdom. According to verse 26, such surrender, such obedience, such a life style of bearing the Cross of Jesus will seem to others like a hatred for all else, everyone. The emphasis here, however, is not "hatred" of others, but love, surrender, total identity and obedience to Jesus. Our text speaks of identity with/in Jesus, not my identity, nor discovering myself, nor attempting to figure out myself, nor my pain and suffering, whatever form it may take. Besides, isn't it, "Take My yoke upon you"? If it is "my cross," it is more than I can bare, heavy, a burden which will ultimately destroy me. Ah, but if I bare the Cross of Jesus, I triumph over, "the principalities and power that were ranged against us." And unmistakably, I do this only because Jesus, "disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in [the cross]" (Col. 2, Amplified Bible).
If I withdraw into some "cross" theology that sees me pitted against the world, against life, a "woe-is-me" cross, then nothing but a self-serving, self pity life manifests. But if, on the other hand, my cross is Jesus' cross, then victory is mine; We are, "the light of the world," and, "salt of the earth." If your "'cross' is more than I can bare," then I invite you to consider this: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed (quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good-- not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne" (Matthew 11:28-30, Amplified Bible). If this does not "resonate" with us today, we desperately need a spiritual health check. Personally, I'm good to "consider" these things today. "In the Cross of Christ I glory, Towering o're the wrecks of time."
Father, in Jesus' Name, You have just spoken so much to me in Your Words. I pray they are mine. Amen.
************************
* Please remember to pray for Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech before the US Congress, March 3, as well as the Israeli Election, March 25.
* New articles at: jhs58.blogspot.com
* March Mission, March 9-31-- If you would like to contribute to this mission, let us know.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
