Easter Inspiration: His cross — our cross

For the Christian, the cross represents many things. First and foremost, it represents the death of Christ. We also know that death was not the end of the story. The cross was a cruel place to die. The empty tomb was a glorious place of celebration. The cross that Jesus bled and died on was a cross only the Son of God could have handled.

However, Jesus spoke of other crosses. We read that Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (The Book of Matthew, Chapter 16) What did He mean by this? Was His cross not enough? Cross -bearing was a very public thing. The question was asked of His followers, “Do you want to be a disciple?” TV preachers get jets, disciples get crosses. Cross-bearers deny the self, and when they do this they then follow.

Is the cross the same for all of us? Is it just life in general? Is it what we might go through for the sake of the Kingdom work of God? This Easter Sunday the message I have developed asks these same questions. The cross Jesus died on is long gone, but does every Christian carry on the cross of Christ? Or, do we get self-absorbed with life, that it truly is our cross, and we forget His? The message of Easter can be hijacked by eggs and bunnies. I am not advocating we do away with those things, but that we make sure the cross does not get lost.

Am I a disciple? Here is the simple checklist.

  1. Have I denied selfishness?
  2. Do I take a cross with me every day?
  3. Have I been following His Cross?

Steve Leppert is pastor for Cordova Church of the Nazarene.

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