My Cross... Your Cross

“Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me. He must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.’”
Luke 9:23-24

Generations before Jesus walked on this planet, talking about the kingdom of heaven, a man called by God picked up a “cross” and carried it – he had no idea the example he was setting. We first meet this man in Genesis 12 when God call Abram to go to a place God would show him and he went. He left behind all that was known to him, what was comfortable, what felt safe and secure when responded to God by going. Sometime later, God would change his name to Abraham and promised a son to him in his old age. God was faithful to keep the promise a beloved son Isaac was born. Then another “cross” was presented for Abraham to carry. A more difficult one than the first. A call to take his promised and much loved son and make him a burnt offering to the very God who had given the son. Abraham willingness to carry out God’s instruction resulted not only in Isaac’s life being spared, but a blessing upon the descendants of Abraham that reaches into present day. 

This week’s passage from Luke’s Gospel comes as Jesus is trying to make it clear to his disciples what is coming, what He himself will face and what they too should expect. This particular narrative is also found in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, and share something Luke’s version doesn’t. Jesus is telling His disciples and those in ear shot what is going to happen to him in just a little while and before he can continue Peter who suffers from acute foot in mouth disease – tries to rebuke Jesus for saying such things. Jesus gives a harsh rebuke in return telling Peter to “Get behind me Satan… you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men” (Mark 8:32-33). This rebuke of Peter by Jesus is important in understanding Jesus’ call for us to pick up our cross daily and follow after Him. You see Peter was being selfish in his rebuke of Jesus, he didn’t want to hear of suffering and death – he wanted his friend, his Christ to be with him.    

The Amplified Bible brings some additional clarity to this week’s passage about taking up the cross. Stating that in denying self, we are to set aside our selfish interests and that in taking up the cross we are expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come, so that by following Him we will make clear that we believe in Him, that we are ready to follow His example in living and if need be in His example of suffering and dying because of our faith in Him.   

A Roman cross was a brutal form of execution that no one would willingly take up, no one except Jesus that is. In the midst of the brutality of the cross of Christ, there are somethings that are not so brutal and yet in our world are likely perceived with almost equal fear because they are so against the current of how the world works. The cross of Christ, is a brutal instrument of suffering and death yes, but it is also a cross of grace, it is a cross of mercy, it is a cross of forgiveness, it is a cross of restoration, it is a cross of selfless love and powerful compassion, it is a cross that leads to life.

We are in the season of Lent, a time of looking deeply at our lives in light of Christ’s cross. What is keeping you from picking yours up and following after Him? It won’t be easy – He never said it would be. But what you will face as you carry it will seem like nothing in the light of eternity and the blessings He has in store for all who like Abraham will walk by faith.

A Prayer
Father – It seems so difficult to pick up the cross you have for each of us. We humans want life to be easy and safe and yet you call us into a place where we might suffer, where it is not safe, where we are meant to put You and others first. In our self-centered and selfish world that is hard and frightening sometimes. Yet Your Son willing laid down His life for us on a brutal Roman cross to show us that we too if our hearts are open to walk in faith with Him, can carry whatever cross you have for us. As we do Lord help us to show others the grace, mercy, forgiveness, restoration, selfless love, compassion and life that is present there also. In the name of Jesus, who teaches us how to take up our cross – Amen.