Following Jesus Involves A Cross

When Jesus was talking to his disciples about who he was and what was going to take place during his final days in Jerusalem, Peter couldn’t understand it. “Die? Messiah? You are the victor! You’ve got this wrong.” But Jesus didn’t have it wrong. The cross awaited him. And not only did the cross await him, he told his disciples that if they were going to follow him, they would have to “deny themselves and take up their cross” as well (see Mark 8:27-38).

Following Jesus involves a cross. What this means is that our allegiance is to him and him alone. And as a result, suffering by the hands of this world will ensue. In fact, Jesus actually promised it (John 16:33). And Paul told Timothy he could count on it (2 Timothy 3:12). David Garland in his commentary on 1 Corinthians reminds us that “the Christian life is not a fast track to glory, but a slow arduous path that takes one through suffering.”

Now taking up your cross doesn’t mean you seek suffering and persecution. It means that as you follow Jesus, your life is bound up in sacrificial living for the sake of God’s mission in the world. Will this sometime involve pain and heartache? Yes! Might it be dangerous? Yes! Will you be mocked? Possibly! Will some see your commitment to Jesus a bit silly and prudish? Most likely. Will the pressure to give up come knocking at your door? Definitely! But keep going! Keep following!

The funny thing about all of this is that picking up our cross and denying ourselves is really the path to life. It’s the paradoxical nature of the Christian life. You want to be great? Become a servant. You want to be first? Get in the back of the line. You want to save your life? Then give it away for what good is it to gain the whole world and yet lose your soul (Luke 9:24-26).

I’ll have to admit, this is hard for me to comprehend. I’ve been so conditioned by our “avoid pain at all costs” world that to think of life being found by sacrificing it sounds a bit ludicrous. You might feel the same. If you do, then like me, you will do well to continue to meditate upon the economy of God.

To start, just read through the Beatitudes in Matthew 5. Blessed are the poor in spirt. Blessed are those who mourn. And of course, let’s not forget the last verses: Blessed are you when others revile you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matt. 5:11-12).

Now once again, I don’t believe that we as Christ followers go looking for persecution. We are to be peacemakers, not those that stir up senseless trouble. Nor do I believe that if you are not being persecuted that you are spiritually inferior. What I think is at the heart of taking up your cross is that we as Christ-Followers must do just that…follow Christ. This might mean that you do in fact face serious difficulty and persecution. But for many of us, this means that we give our lives for others in Christian service.

Jesus, while on the cross, was being mocked by the the rulers and soldiers saying to him, “If you are the king of the Jews, then save yourself!” Even one of the criminals crucified next to him said, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” (Luke 23:35-39). But Jesus denied himself and took up his cross. His sacrifice brought life. And that is what it means for us to follow Jesus! Save ourselves? Yes! But we do so by giving our lives away in loving our neighbor as ourselves.

Following Jesus involves a cross!!

Photo by Ja’Corie Maxwell on Unsplash