Watch the contrasts and similarities in the following verses …
Matthew 10:38 … “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.”
Mark 8:34 … “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
Mark 10:21 … “Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.”
Luke 9:23 … And he said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Luke 14:27 … “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”
In three of these Instances Jesus is personally teaching His Disciples. In two of them (parallel accounts) our Lord is preaching to an individual who apparently wanted to be saved, the “rich young ruler” we often call him.
But all of these Texts involve cross bearing!
Two are negative … if you do NOT take up your cross, consequences follow.
Three of them are positive … simply bold, sacrificial commands! “Take up thy cross.”
In my opinion, the Gospel of Mark uses the most stringent terms. (Mark being the Gospel of the servant, the Lord “ministering unto” others!) The second Gospel uses the indefinite pronoun “whosoever!” No exceptions! Then “one thing thou lackest,” a ponderous requirement!
But they all (a total of five New Testament references) involve the Christian and a cross! Four times “his cross,” once “the cross.” (And “her cross” would apply as well.)
But what does it mean, this cryptic command?
Do note that every verb concerning our “cross” is framed in the active voice!
This “cross” is not something hard you’re enduring with no choice! That’s a burden, a hardship! The Cross the Gospel writers is presenting us here (Jesus really is presenting the Idea) is a voluntarily decision and resultant action on our part! (Just as the Cross was a Choice for our dear Lord Jesus!)
Listen to Paul longing, praying … “That I may know HIM, in the fellowship of HIS SUFFERINGS.” Philippians 3:10, surely a “taking up one’s cross” kind of thought.
By the way, Jesus’ Cross saves sinners, redeems … because of the Power of His sinless Blood. Our “crosses” do not.
But our “crosses” do identity us with our Leader, our dear Lord and Saviour!
Have I chosen an area in life where I plan to willingly “die to self?” To, as it were, “take up my cross?”
Not with a martyr complex! Self-pity and gloom!
But solely “for Jesus’ sake!”Joyfully so!
Sure sounds like a disciplined life, doesn’t it?
This idea may be linked with a difficult statement Paul made in Colossians 1:24, about his desire to “fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church.” Sounds like some kind of “cross-bearing” to me!
(I suspect there’s so much about the Christian life we have not yet experienced. Not yet practiced! And cross-bearing is one of those “blind spots.” At least for Christians in America. So far, anyway …)
Paul lived such a cruciform life … knowing personally the truth Jesus proclaimed in John 12:24 … “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” There’s that cross again, certainly in a measure!
Am I bearing any kind of a cross for Jesus’ sake? I wonder!
Something to ponder this Friday morning.
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
Colossians 1:24, cited above, is the Text for our next Evening Meditation Bible Class. Watch it on our social media Page.
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