Sign Me Up

Context: Jesus just fed the 4000 people with nothing but a couple of fish and a few loaves of bread.  What a miracle!  He has led Peter to understand that he, Jesus, is in fact the Messiah and then rebuked Peter because Peter rebuked Him for talking about the upcoming events that would take place in the life of the Messiah.  Who declares themselves the Messiah and then immediately starts discussing how they will be killed?  I’m with you, Peter.

Then Jesus makes this statement, ”Whoever would come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.”  The crowd Jesus was speaking to certainly knew about the Roman cross.  Jesus, himself, likely saw it used (even before it was used on Him).  He knew he was headed to the cross.  He knew the prophetic words, and he knew they were talking about him.  

But criminals and rebels were ones who carried the cross.  Those defeated by Rome were the ones who had to pick up their cross.  This was not the way for a miracle working Messiah, nor His peaceful followers.  What about this whole “saving your life by losing it” thing.  Jesus been smoking something?

So let’s get this straight - if I want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ I must:

1. Deny myself, turning my back on myself

2. Pick up the most gruesome form of punishment I have ever seen, and

3. Be willing to lose my life.

Oh yea, sign me up right now!

Not exactly the most endorsed of recruiting campaigns.  But Jesus cuts to the chase.  You basically have two choices in life.  You can live for yourself in order to gain as much of this world as you can wrap your arms around or You can forfeit your personal gain here in this world - account it as nothing - and go after the next life.  Lose this life and gain that life to come.  

Choose wisely.  If you choose yourself and this world, you can be sure that a returning Messiah will not choose you.

Mark 8:34-38