Posted:
Based on “The Cost of Love”
by Pastor Dean Corns; 2/13-14/10,
Message #DC130; Daily Devotional #2 - “Pick up Our Cross”
Preparing the Soil (Introduction): Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:25-27)
Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): I have an extremely close family. So every time I read this verse, I am greatly challenged, even more so now that I have a three month old son of my own. To love God more than all of my family and even myself is almost hard for me to fathom at times. And yet God loves me more than His own family, His only Son, to the point of the cross. Jesus spoke to the crowd about their cross and how they must carry their cross and follow Him daily in order to be His disciple. Crosses today have become ordinary objects. We see the cross on necklaces, earrings, tattoos, and even bumper stickers. However, in the times and days when Jesus was speaking these words, the cross was never looked upon as an object to wear around your neck. It was the symbol of a death sentence. When you carried your cross it was not a private matter but a public display for all to see. Jesus was asking the people to step out of the crowd and publicly show their dedication and obedience to follow Him, in light of what others might think and do. For some of us, picking up our cross might just very well seem like a death sentence. It might cause the death of a beloved friendship, being rejected from your home, or having to walk away from everything you have worked for. But that is exactly what Jesus calls us to do. To pick up our cross is our public display of our devoted love, obedience and desire to follow Him, even if it entails a death sentence. In Matthew 19:16-30, a particular man came up to Jesus and asked what he must do in order to get eternal life. When he heard that he had to give up everything and follow Him, the man went away very sad because he had so much. Peter, however, spoke up very quickly and said, "We (meaning the disciples) have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?" Often times we are like Peter, what’s in it for me if I do follow Him? If following Jesus becomes a daily ‘what’s in it for me,’ then one day we are going to say ‘forget it.’ I can walk much easier without a cross. But the reality of it is that even though Jesus asks us to pick up our cross, He doesn’t give us anything more than what we can bear. And even more so, He calls to those who are burdened and He will give them rest (1 Corinthians 10:12-13; Matthew 11:28). What a loving God we serve. Not only does He give up His own Son, but He also provides a way for us when our journey of life becomes too difficult; when it seems as if we are the only one who has come forth out of the crowd. Don’t loose heart because one day we will put down our cross and pick up the joy of eternal life with Him.
Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): The price of picking up our cross might seem high, but the eternal rewards far outweigh the cost. Remember Peter’s question, what’s in it for me? Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. (Matthew 19:28-29) Jesus doesn’t call us to walk around privately with a little cross around our neck, but to step out of the crowd and walk publicly for all to see. I challenge you today to take a moment and read the beginning verses and ask yourself: What in my life is coming before God and am I truly becoming a follower of Him – a life long learner under discipline?
Cultivating (Additional Reading): Luke 12:13-21
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