It's All About the Cross

"Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men." (Luke 9:44)

Jesus prepares Himself and His followers for the days ahead by not only telling about the events that are coming with warnings such as this, but by alluding to the meaning of the work of the cross.

In a dispute about greatness in God's Kingdom (9:46-48), Jesus concludes with an echo of His own sacrifice: "He who is least among you all will be great." Likewise, countering James' & John's desire to punish those who do not understand Jesus mission and therefore reject Him, Jesus exclaims: "The Son of Man came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them."

The Old Testament allusions of Luke 9:57-62 are impossible to miss. All three would-be followers of Christ are reminded that the Kingdom of God is not bought cheaply. Even the words of the third man, "first let me go and bid them farewell who are at my house (v. 62)," are almost verbatim the words spoken by Elisha who was called to follow Elijah while plowing in a field. Jesus never missed the opportunity to connect the familiar stories and teachings of the Bible to His hearers, who doubtlessly knew that Elisha did not turn back to his plowing when he decided to become Elijah's servant and a prophet of the Most High. He instead killed the oxen he was plowing with and offered them as a sacrificial feast to signify his parting from his old life. He even used the yoke and other plowing equipment to feed the fire, making it clear he had no intention to return.

For Jesus, the cost of following God's will is looming larger as He approaches Jerusalem and He admonishes those who would shrink away from the narrow path. Jesus, the forerunner of our own suffering for the Kingdom of God, reminds us to remember what it takes to follow Him. All other considerations are secondary, including family obligations and comfort.

For us, the future is not as clear as a journey ending at Jerusalem. Though our ultimate Journey is to the New Jerusalem, we, like Christ have to endure what He has set before us in this life. Let us pray we have the will to humbly accept the grace of God that is our only hope of becoming fit for the Kingdom of God.

Readings for the Week of 3/12

Luke Chapters 11-13

Take Up Your Cross...

"And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again." Mark 9:1

These words mark the turning point in the direction of Christ's message and literally in His footsteps. The Gospels make a point of the physical direction Jesus turns toward as He sets about completing the work He must do. For Matthew, Christ's journey to the Northernmost edge of Israel, Tyre & Sidon (Mt. 15:21ff), represents the apogee of a trajectory that inevitably heads for Jerusalem and the cross. Luke, even more pointed, says, "Jesus steadfastly set His face toward Jerusalem (9:51)."

Jesus began preparing His disciples (and Himself, no doubt) for the coming days, days which would include great triumph and great despair. The road to Jerusalem from Mount Tabor, where God Himself visited and blessed His Son, included conflicts with leaders, Samaritans and Jews. It saw the feeding of thousands from the blessing hands of Christ; miraculous healing of demon-tormented children; a resurrection of the untimely dead. It included rejection and attempted stoning. Adoration of welcoming throngs, betrayal in the dark of night.

Thus are we called to toward Good Friday, and toward our own cross. Each year we approach Easter, but first we must pass through Lent. Each day of our lives, whether in the Lenten season or not, we awake to again take up our cross and follow Him.We are asked to imitate Christ, who knew what awaited Him in Jerusalem, yet still set His face toward that
path. I must take up the cross of repentance, of self-denial, though I know the road will be difficult, though I know life will be complicated, filled with ups and downs, I must choose this path.

Our Lenten study will follow the path Christ took, inviting us to enter in to that journey and join His suffering. I encourage you to look prayerfully into these Scriptures and consider the cross you bear in obedience to your Master.

Readings for this week

Our study is turning to the life of Christ as He "steadfastly set His face toward Jerusalem (Luke 9:51) as we set our faces toward Easter via the road of Lent. Our reading is Luke 9:51-62. I am suggesting reading the passage daily in contemplative prayer as our Lenten exercise.