"Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple."
Luke 14:27
Imagine yourself in the first century, accused of a crime and sentenced to crucifixion! You are stripped, beaten, and led to the place of your execution by a public crier announcing your crime, while you carry the heavy beams that form the cross from which you will hang until you die.
In the first-century, the cross meant one thing: death by the most painful and humiliating means humanly possible. In Jesus' time, a cross was not just a symbol of pain and suffering; it was a symbol of death. Jesus was telling his disciples that they needed to put to death their own plans and desires, and turn their lives over to Him and do His will every day.
Today, we see the cross as a cherished symbol of atonement, forgiveness, grace, and love. Commitment to Christ means taking up your cross daily, giving up your hopes, dreams, possessions, even your very life for the cause of Christ. Discipleship demands sacrifice, and Jesus never hid that cost.
Two criminals were also on the hill with Jesus at the crucifixion. One criminal hurled insults at Jesus and demanded that he save himself since he was Messiah, while the other admonished the first criminal and asked him if he feared God, since they both were under the same sentence. The second criminal then asked Jesus to remember him in Heaven. Jesus assured him that "today you will be with me in paradise."
Are you ready to carry your cross and follow Jesus?
Brenda Boucher
