Crosses

And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:38-39 ESV).

In the context of him appointing his 12 chosen followers to be “Apostles”, we find the record of Jesus speaking this way: If you love your father or mother or even your sons and daughters more than me, you are not fit to be my disciples. And unless you are willing to take up your cross and come with me, you are not fit to be my disciples. If you try to save your life, you will lose it. But if you give it up for me, you will surely find it. (Matthew 10:37-39, CEV). He prepared them and others for the unthinkable that lay ahead - a hard and demanding road. This serious challenge naturally belonged at the outset of their special mission - they had to count the cost. (But it was not unique to the 12.)

“Normal” relationships are treasured and special (Jesus called them his friends). However, in the end, those relationships ultimately come second. That “finding” and “losing” are striking opposites. People today sometimes speak of finding themselves. Here, in the saying of Jesus, a person who has “got it”, a person who clings or hangs on to their life (it is their own, after all!) will end up losing it. The person who ceases clinging, who rather, on account of Jesus, gives up their own life, will end up finding their life (that is, their true life).

"Take up your cross"...? How confronting and surely unexpected that word. When Jesus spoke of the cross to be taken up it was a metaphorical but difficult use of the word, "cross". It goes without saying that he was not referring to a trinket, or piece of jewellery, or site marker, or emblem, or decoration, or polished keepsake. Those who heard his words had all too clear an understanding of that fearsome word, “cross”, that simple word for the means to an ugly and final end; a being snuffed out, cut off from all but other condemned victims. An essentially solitary and individual path, the path to the cross was a shameful, one way path; there was no road back from it.

An equivalent and confronting record in Luke presents a puzzle regarding sequence but shows the stark application of that path of discipleship. It also shows the universality of this cost. Now large crowds were traveling with him; and he turned and said to them, “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:25-27, NRSV). The contrasts are drawn. “Hate” - clearly not a passage to be taken with simple literality - that would contradict Jesus’ own life and and his teaching. But he offers no lighthearted “option” for living in this world; rather there is the most blunt and confronting challenge of a “black and white” kind. There is no middle way; no soft option; no part-time role. Hate even life! This was what Jesus said "to them".

The true disciple then is ultimately fully engaged with Jesus as Lord (and Saviour). Belonging to him is not another element in life, this is everything. The everyday life components common to humanity are encompassed within the discipleship Jesus looks for, and in fact, Jesus requires. So much so, that other “normal” aspects of living are described in terms that shock: The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life (John 12:25, HCSB). This “hating” echoes that of Luke’s (above).

Further on in the account we find the moment when it was clear that Jesus was indeed “the Christ” (though what kind of Christ was a future issue). Jesus warned that he would be killed in Jerusalem, surely implying the actual crucifixion cross which lay ahead for him in his execution. It seems (Matthew 10) Jesus had already described discipleship in terms of taking up "your cross".  The followers’ muddled thinking about the future is really understandable. They must have been excited by the sense of progress to the kingdom (at last). It was at that moment Jesus again spoke of his followers’ crosses: Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23, NIV).

Luke alone has the “daily” explanation. Otherwise, the Synoptics make identical reports of Jesus saying the cross must be taken up. Mark and Luke make clear that the words are addressed to “all”, to “whoever” will follow. No higher and lower levels, no orders of precedence. (The translators make clear that it is not males alone to whom Jesus speaks.) The cross to be picked up is “their” cross. (Is that a hint of individuals having differing challenges? Possibly not, for each literal cross was headed for execution.) Each and every one who follows Jesus has the cross that belongs to them.

Cross acceptance was not the unique call to the 12. Luke tells us the words were addressed to “all”. Mark spells it out: He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me (Mark 8:34, NRSV). The crowd, with the disciples hear these words. Even if the “disciples” are the twelve, the crowd included all who will. Did they understand? Do you and I understand, for they are timeless words?

If ever I thought it, the cross makes it far from a light matter to follow Jesus. This is not the only form that such came up, but it was really strong (actually shocking) at the time. No one should glibly claim to “belong”. None are welcome to grab the elements and go. Jesus’ call is not for subscribers or supporters - such is suitable to someone’s AFL team. Support of a team is a choice (- or I think it is). In that way there is some resemblance.

Is it apposite to recall the words of Churchill, when he told the beleaguered British he had the prospect of blood, toil, tears and sweat? Choiceless, they persevered, as we know. In similar vein stand the words of Giuseppe Garibaldi, who could offer the volunteers not pay, quarters, or food, but forced marches, battles and death in the cause of freedom. (They persevered for the liberation and unification of the states of the Italian peninsula.)

Incidentally, I think it unsurprising that some people in ancient times connected the confronting incident of the rich, young man being unable to let go his wealth with that being the cross he declined to take up. That is not supported in the versions, and, unlike the cross to take up, Jesus gave no general injunction to sell and give all (see, for example, Mark 10:21-22).

Eventually an emperor, for religious reasons, brought about the end of cross executions - did that matter to God? If cruelty was reduced I dare say that was better than before.

Paul had no doubt at all of the shameful method of Jesus’ death: Christ was humble. He obeyed God and even died on a cross (Philippians 2:8, CEV). Other NT passages reflected upon Jesus’ cross, or in other words explained the benefits of his death by using the term “cross”. So, Paul wrote of God’s tremendous action and the unimaginable scope of Christ’s work: and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross (Colossians 1:20, ESV). Through that cross there can be peace - with God! For in fact he was: erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2:14, NRSV). We today may not think in terms of the eternal and unforgetting scales being fatally weighted against us by our failings. Actually, there is no need to fear as you take hold of the benefits of the cross (death) of Jesus.

I have not exhausted the NT concept of being participant in the crucifixion of Christ. Apart from descriptions of Jesus’ death, this post has covered the specific uses of the the word, “cross”. Nor have I addressed the unpalatability of a crucified Christ.

Vast the benefits of Jesus’ cross. Serious the challenge, as those words of Jesus tell us. The writer of Hebrews encourages perseverance in cross bearing, in heeding the one who went to his cross on our account: We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete. He endured the shame of being nailed to a cross, because he knew that later on he would be glad he did. Now he is seated at the right side of God’s throne! (Hebrews 12:2, CEV).

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