• Take up your cross…

    March 24, 2005

    Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.”
    Mark 8:34-35

    We had a viewing of the Passion of the Christ this evening at our building. I have seen this once before and it was no different the second time.

    During the scene where Jesus was carrying his cross, the above verse popped into my head (for obvious reasons). As I reflected on it, it made more sense than it ever has. It’s not really too profound of a thought, but at the same time it truly is.

    We are called to take up our cross, and follow Jesus…follow Jesus to death. Follow Him towards the hill where he hung and died. I think I have made “taking up my cross” something VERY much smaller than that. I will carry a cross that means giving up a few comforts. I will carry a cross that means trying to “be good.” I will carry a cross that means going to church on Sundays. Basically, I will carry a cross that means so much less than what Jesus called me to. He calls me to forsake myself. Give up my life. Perhaps literally. Am i willing? Perhaps this means I make decisions in my life based on following Him rather than what makes the most sense to the world. Perhaps I make decisions and allow this calling to direct the seemingly small decisions and very big decisions.

    I wonder, as I look back to my life, what examples are there of me forsaking myself to follow Jesus? Perhaps there are more examples of forsaking Jesus to follow myself…

  • Comments on this Post:

    Comment by: Matt Heerema


    1

    John 12:26 “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”

    Where was Christ headed that his servant would follow him to? The Cross and death.

    I think he was pretty serious about this…

    03/28/05 12:21 PM

    Comment by: todd


    2

    totally. my point exactly. most of us, most of all me, need a great redefinition on what it means to carry our cross, “follow Jesus” or however you want to say it.

    thanks for another great reference matt…

    03/28/05 12:24 PM

    Comment by: Dan Benson


    3

    I recently heard a good definition of what it means to take up your cross. To put it in a modern context, the cross was a means of public execution. The modern equivalent would be an electric chair. So we should each strap an electric chair to our back and every time we are tempted to act selfishly and not as a servant, we should turn the electric chair on, put our Self to death, and act as a bond servant who has no life of his own.

    Easier said than done, I’ll admit.

    03/30/05 6:14 AM

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