What is the cross?
So often in Christianity, truths become phrases, phrases
become sayings, and sayings become clichés.
We’ve formed a whole set of “Christianese” thanks to the process. Just imagine
how foreign it sounds to someone outside the church to hear about “being born
again” or “being washed in the blood”. And yet, we Christians are so used to
our Christianese that I wonder if we really stop to think about what we’re
saying. This might be true of the cross.
Sayings about the cross are pervasive in our church culture.
How often we sing about it in our worship songs and reference it in sayings
like “That’s just my cross to bear”. Jesus himself mentioned the cross a few
times. The first time we see him do so in the Gospels is Mathew 10:38:
“And he who does not
take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.”
It’s so clear that a cross, then, is central to our
relationship with Christ! A cross is at the very center of our Christianity.
Taking it up and following Christ is what it means to be a Christian!
So again, what is the cross?
It’s not the cute little ornament that dangles from our tiny
chain necklaces. Nor is it the pinnacle atop every church steeple. It’s more
than a symbol. In the disciples’ day, it was the reality of the most brutal
execution imaginable. There was nothing cute about it; it was hell on earth. As
John Macarthur notes about the cross:
“To [the disciples]
it would have evoked a picture of a violent, degrading death. [Jesus] was
demanding total commitment from them—even unto death.”
The same is true for us. Jesus
perfectly demonstrated this violent, degrading death when he submitted to the
Father’s will in bearing his own cross. His flesh was torn to shreds. He was
beaten beyond recognition. He collapsed under the weight of the cross as he
bore it to the very place where he would be stretched out and crucified on it.
His own blood stained the cross where his hands and feet were nailed to it.
This is what he suffered as he denied himself and was terribly persecuted by
the world for his perfect righteousness.
And this is our calling as well.
Kind of takes the wind out of the
sails of those “health and wealth” prosperity preachers, doesn’t it?
It would seem at first blush with
this understanding of the cross in mind that true converts to Christianity
would be few and far between. Who in the world would ever want an ending to
their lives like Christ? Who in their right minds would even want a taste of
the tortures of crucifixion?
But here’s an even more troubling
thought. What if this cross—this terrible torture, this degrading death—cannot
be escaped by anyone, believer or non-believer alike? You see, what else do we
know about the cross? It’s the just punishment for sin. It was the death Christ
bore for us when he became sin and was forsaken by God so that we in exchange
could be righteous. The cross is a microcosm of hell.
It is a sample of the eternity
unbelievers will spend apart from God.
If that is true, then the cross
is something each and every soul on earth will have an individual encounter
with, one way or another. So now, from a completely logical view, which version
of the cross would we rather bear? Would we rather take it up and follow Christ
in this world, or take it up and bear it in eternity apart from Christ? This is
where the good news starts, because as we compare the two, bearing our cross now far outweighs putting it off till
after death. Believe it or not, it can actually be a joy!
You see this theme of the benefit
of suffering now for Christ as opposed to suffering for living in sin throughout
First Peter. There’s almost too many verses on the topic in that book alone to
list, but the highlights include:
“For what credit is there if,
when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when
you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds
favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also
suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.” 1
Peter 2:20
“But even if you should suffer
for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed.” 1 Peter 3:14.
“For it is better, if God should
will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what
is wrong.” 1 Peter 3:17
“Therefore, since Christ has
suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he
who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.” 1 Peter 4:1
“But to the degree that you share
the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of
His glory you may rejoice with exultation.”1 Peter 4:13
This is one of the amazing
paradoxes in the Bible. It is in taking up our cross that we can rejoice,
because this suffering is for our good!! It helps cleanse us of sin. It drives
us to rely fully on Jesus, who loves us and offers us a new, abundant life if
we keep crucifying our old life and submitting to his will. We truly are
blessed, even if we have to physically endure a cross! Have you heard the amazing
stories of martyrs praising God even as they were brutally murdered? What kind
of amazing life is this that even in torture we can rejoice?
It’s real, friends. Accept Jesus
Christ as Lord and go ahead and shoulder that cross. It won’t be too heavy, I
promise. It won’t be too hard. Look at Paul! He describes our afflictions as
momentary and light in 2 Corinthians, the same book of the Bible where he lists
his own afflictions, including, “Five time I received from the Jews thirty-nine
lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was shipwrecked, a night and
a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers
from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the
Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea,
dangers among false brethren. I have been in labor and hardship, through many
sleepless nights in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and
exposure.”
Sheesh, if Paul can look at his
own life and shrug his suffering off as light and momentary affliction, I don’t
think we have anything to worry about. Put that in mind the next time you are
tempted to complain about your “hostile” work environment or that nasty
Facebook comment slamming your faith.
It’s time for us to faithfully
surrender our lives to Christ. No more putting off the cross. Accept what Jesus
has done for you on that cross and cheerfully follow his example in bearing
yours! Let’s lose our lives so that we can find them. It’s the only way to live
a truly worthwhile life!
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after me,
he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wished
to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake will find
it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his
soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mathew 16:24-26
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