Thursday 25 November 2010
- Bible Book:
- Matthew
"Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.'" (vv. 24-25)
Background
What does it mean to take up your cross and follow Jesus? Thereare probably as many answers as there are followers of Jesus.
Some people believe that they are taking up their cross when theysilently accept whatever misfortune life brings them. Othersbelieve that it means choosing the most difficult path in life. Oneschool of Christian thought even recommends 'mortification of theflesh' as a way to participate in the suffering of Jesus.
But taking up one's cross isn't actually about suffering. Taking upone's cross is about dying and Jesus says that his followers willhave to choose death in order to experience life. Furthermore, heteaches that those who try to save their lives will end up losingit.
It's easy to see why Peter was scandalised. What if Jesus reallydid mean that his followers have to die in order to live?Considering Jesus' torturous death on the cross and Resurrectionit's not so far-fetched to think he meant it.
And what does dying in order to live have to do with Jesus beingKing of Kings? What does it have to do with the kingdom? Jesusgives no direct answers here but there are many clues in his lifeand teaching.
The American playwright Eugene O'Neill wrote a thought-provokingplay Lazarus Laughed. In it, the testimony of the resurrectedLazarus removes all fear of death from the inhabitants of hishometown, Bethany. As word spreads that the people of Bethany areno longer afraid to die, Rome sends soldiers to kill them all.Because it is only the fear of death that allows the conqueror tocontrol the conquered.
To Ponder
Think of an experience from your life where youunderstood the wisdom of Jesus' statement "Those who want to savetheir life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sakewill find it". What happened?
Many philosophers and theologians talk about 'themeaning of life': do you think that there is such a thing as 'themeaning of death'? What is it?
If you have lost your fear of death, how did thisexperience change your life? Or how do you think your life wouldchange if you were not afraid of dying?