April 8th, 2020
Bill Yerkes, Assistant Pastor
Matthew 16:24-28 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done."
Our focus at this point in the week is drawn to the cross. As we prepare for Easter, we are fully aware we need to take time to focus on the cross before we can celebrate at the empty tomb. So this parable reminds us that “anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me (Jesus) cannot be my disciple.” Jesus carried his cross to the place where he would be crucified. The weight of our sin and shame was upon him all the way to Golgotha. Beginning tomorrow we will be able to connect in various ways to follow this journey from the upper room to the tomb. And as we prepare our hearts, we should also consider how we are challenged to respond. Will this be just another Holy Week where we commemorate certain events inside the life of Christ? Will this be another holiday where we check things off our list as we get closer to Easter Sunday? Or will this be an opportunity to change what it all means to us?
Jesus had already explained to his disciples how he would suffer and be put to death. And then he tells them they too need to carry a cross of their own if they are to follow Him. Imagine their shock as they thought about what a cross meant. The cross is a symbol of slow torture and agonizing pain ending in death. This is what it would take to follow Jesus?
Jesus would suffer death on the cross only to know the glorious riches of eternity in heaven. Jesus showed us how to carry our cross so that we might know and be with Him in his resurrection. We would be called to die to the things of this world to know Him in His fullest. Becoming a disciple of Christ means choosing Him over worldly things. We are challenged to become soldiers of the cross, warriors who will go into battle with the things of this world, to prepare for eternity with Him.
As we continue in this “week that changed the world,” let us be challenged to change. Wherever we are in our journey and wherever we are in our faith, let’s go deeper together. The message of the cross is made complete when we receive Him and choose to follow Him, but the power of the empty tomb comes to life in our testimony and our walk.
Let’s change the world!
Bill
Today’s item is a white cloth. The cloth reminds us of the table dressing for communion, and the table we will prepare for our time together tomorrow. It is also a symbol of the cloth in which the body of Jesus was wrapped before He was buried.
Matthew 16:24-28 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done."
Our focus at this point in the week is drawn to the cross. As we prepare for Easter, we are fully aware we need to take time to focus on the cross before we can celebrate at the empty tomb. So this parable reminds us that “anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me (Jesus) cannot be my disciple.” Jesus carried his cross to the place where he would be crucified. The weight of our sin and shame was upon him all the way to Golgotha. Beginning tomorrow we will be able to connect in various ways to follow this journey from the upper room to the tomb. And as we prepare our hearts, we should also consider how we are challenged to respond. Will this be just another Holy Week where we commemorate certain events inside the life of Christ? Will this be another holiday where we check things off our list as we get closer to Easter Sunday? Or will this be an opportunity to change what it all means to us?
Jesus had already explained to his disciples how he would suffer and be put to death. And then he tells them they too need to carry a cross of their own if they are to follow Him. Imagine their shock as they thought about what a cross meant. The cross is a symbol of slow torture and agonizing pain ending in death. This is what it would take to follow Jesus?
Jesus would suffer death on the cross only to know the glorious riches of eternity in heaven. Jesus showed us how to carry our cross so that we might know and be with Him in his resurrection. We would be called to die to the things of this world to know Him in His fullest. Becoming a disciple of Christ means choosing Him over worldly things. We are challenged to become soldiers of the cross, warriors who will go into battle with the things of this world, to prepare for eternity with Him.
As we continue in this “week that changed the world,” let us be challenged to change. Wherever we are in our journey and wherever we are in our faith, let’s go deeper together. The message of the cross is made complete when we receive Him and choose to follow Him, but the power of the empty tomb comes to life in our testimony and our walk.
Let’s change the world!
Bill
Today’s item is a white cloth. The cloth reminds us of the table dressing for communion, and the table we will prepare for our time together tomorrow. It is also a symbol of the cloth in which the body of Jesus was wrapped before He was buried.
No Comments