What does it mean to carry your cross? As a teenager, I once heard my pastor say that Jesus has many admirers, but not enough followers. That statement stuck in my mind. There are many who attend church weekly, but their professions of Christianity may be lived out superficially, or at any rate at their convenience. Following Jesus is not merely acknowledging His existence, or “agreeing” with His teachings. Following Jesus means to walk in His footsteps. It means to take upon yourself His purpose and mission in the world. It means braving the dangers of an evil world for the sake of an unbendable love for God and for people.
Carry Your Cross
“Take up your cross…”
The Christian lifestyle can be validly called “the lifestyle of the cross” because, just as it is impossible to take the cross out of Christianity and still retain true Christianity, so we cannot take the cross out of our Christian lives and live as genuine Christians.
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It is true that the cross represents victory over sin, and the Christian life is indeed characterized by joy, peace and power, but it also represents suffering. The cross represents God’s love and redemptive plan, a plan that was accomplished through suffering. Jesus rose and lives, but still we cannot deny the cross its full meaning; and so, as we talk about abundant and victorious living, we will also see that we cannot escape the quality of sacrifice found in true Christian living in a sinful world.
