His Terms And Conditions: 3 – Take Up My What?

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Matthew 16:24 (ESVUK)

Jesus pronounces a statement of three parts. To understand Him we need all three together and must never forget that. To get some clarity on its bearing it’s good to look at the different parts of the pronouncement. This is why it was good to consider it in an overview initially and then have a look at that first part in terms of denying self.

Now we come across something that would have a big impact on the audience and should have a big impact on those who hear this invitation today.

Those who were crucified had to have committed the worst acts that mark them out as enemies of the state. Taking up the cross and carrying it was a sign to all looking on that here was someone considered to pay the price for going against the ruling power of the day. That kind of reputation would bring with it shame, scorn and rejection even from those who might sympathise about the oppressive state of the ruling system.

Denying self was bad enough, but now there’s also a willingness to be seen as an enemy of the state. Someone willing to state clearly that whoever made a claim to rule was not the one they would bow to. Someone making a scandalous statement that they would die in the worst way possible first than bend to any other authority than the ultimate authority of Jesus.

Denying self can be a private and personal affair. Taking up your cross makes the commitment much more than something that you do in a closet. It’s out in the open – it’s the state of saying clearly that rather than getting ready to rumble, those who come to Christ are getting ready to suffer. Suffer internally and suffer externally. Not just suffering the way in which many suffer because of the harshness of life. This suffering is intentionally because we have said that self is not king and we won’t even yield to the rule proffered by those around us – political regimes, social trends, philosophical and cultural predominant thoughts.

Luke’s version – chapter 9:23 – would suggest that taking up the cross is a daily dedication. What that helps to highlight is that the decision to come to Jesus is not a one-off event. Neither is it something we can afford to treat as though we can turn it on and off. Every day we are challenged to look in the mirror and check if we’re being ruled by the flesh and the world or are we prepared to die because of the surpassing worth of Jesus.

This is a crucial part of the demand Jesus makes on those who choose to follow Him. This is something Jesus was stating before He went to the cross Himself. Jesus’ act of going to the cross was something He did to please His Father and fulfil the plan of the Father. On His way there, He made it clear to Pilate that He does not come from this world and His Kingdom is not of this world. All His talk is not just culminated in His obedience to take the cross, but to also show victory over it in rising from the dead.

That is to say that Jesus makes a demand and gives us hope as to how that demand can be met. We are not left alone to it as though Jesus looks on like a harsh gym instructor yelling at you to just get up and get on with it. No, He is right there alongside supporting, encouraging, motivating and giving a great example and a great aim and purpose to make such a radical stance.

It’s not about wearing a trinket or pointing to an icon or a symbol and having that as an advert as to your religious persuasion. It’s not a weekly commitment to spending a couple of hours making yourself feel better by being with others who want to feel better. It is about a commitment to pick up something as part of your life that makes you known to others as one who has gone against the underlying tenets of the status quo. That you’re willing to suffer and go through shame and die for what is seen to be of highest worth.

It’s understandable that when it comes to the crunch, it’s awkward and uncomfortable and it’s preferable to go for the easier option. The one that has less pain and mistreatment attached to it, That’s understandable – but that choice also makes a declaration as to what is considered important and that declaration refers to something that will lead to a fate even worse than death.

Is it something that we run and embrace and want to highlight as part of the call to Jesus? Of course not – that’s why we’d prefer to bring up all the shiny things about the signs and wonders and testimonies of healing and riches and hear those stories about how bad things were turned good and pleasant. Don’t get me wrong, there are glorious truths to be discovered and blessings to be enjoyed in knowing Jesus. Yet the Jesus we’re invited to know makes it a part of knowing to take up the cross as well as deny self.

And completing His first line of thought about what it is to come to Him, Jesus gives two words that He expects of us if we really want to come to Him. And those two words are … going to be explored in the next entry of this series.

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

C. L. J. Dryden