Week 20 Day 5
larrymlawrence.com
Finding God in the Mysteries of every day
Luke 9:22- Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
Perhaps the greatest misconception shared by many Christians is the meaning of the scripture quoted above. “Taking up the cross” does not mean making of the cross of Christ a talisman to be worn and prayed to. Like so many things, what might perhaps be construed as a reminder of Jesus’ sufferings at the hands of the Jews and the Romans became over time a “charm” (very occultic [see Acts 19]) with which to ward off whatever distressing thing was happening at the moment. We think we need something to hold onto, kind of like sucking your thumb.
The denial of self which Jesus speaks of is the same idea Paul spoke of in his letter to the Colossian Church. 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.
The cross per se is nothing more than the means by which ancient cultures, most famously the Romans (read the histories of the aftermath of the slave rebellion led by Spartacus). One of my college professors many years ago suggested that perhaps if we were using jewelry as a reminder of the sufferings of Christ, perhaps we should update the imagery with a noose, or a little electric chair.
What part of you needs to “die on the cross” in order for you to follow Christ fully and devotedly. For most of us this must be a daily exercise for “sin lieth at the door”. (Gen. 4:7)
Larry M Lawrence- Mysteries 