3. The Cross of Jesus Christ is Not Convenient.
Jesus walked down a narrow way with His cross and led a life of a narrow way. When I was walking in the desert in the country of Jordan a few years ago, I was coming up from the wilderness where John the Baptist had baptized Jesus. All of a sudden the road narrowed and I heard The Lord speak to me that as I identified with Jesus’ death and resurrection (symbolic by baptism) that I would have to also walk the narrow way. The way of the cross is not convenient and it tells us to love and bless those who curse us and spitefully use us…OUCH! The way of the cross tells us to forgive those who have hurt or sinned against us…double OUCH!! The way of the cross has us keep our mouths shut when we would like to tell someone what we really think. The way of the cross can cause much hurt, judgement and misunderstanding, but it’s the only way to find true life.
A narrow road doesn’t call for much excess baggage. When we embrace our cross, there is no room for Jesus, us AND all of our offenses and issues. As we embrace our cross, it strips off the excess areas of our lives. As we yield to their deaths, we proceed down the path Jesus walked. This way calls us to be aware of His leadership in every step, to rely on Christ and leave our sinful patterns and behaviors behind to become like Him. It’s not as convenient as a Keurig coffee machine or a microwaved snack ;-) which we all enjoy, but it’s worth the journey. As you embrace the this way, be aware that you will be “cross-examined” in every area of your life.
On another route, a wide convenient road allows for many travelers to go wherever, whenever and however they want. It allows for however much excess baggage you want. Everyone can access it easily and there are no restraints. Because it’s wide and accessible, you don’t have to be as cautious. You can be whoever you want to be irregardless of the effects it may have on someone else.This makes for it being very appealing. The way of the cross, or the narrow way, is one in the shadow of Christ. This way may even acknowledge that Jesus was a “good man” or a “prophet”. However, to acknowledge the cross would ultimately place an accountability to the Lordship of Christ and that’s where the way of convenience has no tolerance. Jesus was either a liar or He was the Son of God. He was either a mad man or God’s perfect Messiah. There is no in between in this matter.
Before Jesus came and died on the cross, there were those who longed for and cried out for the Messiah, the Son of God, the Savior to come to them. With urgency and dedication in their hearts, they prayed that God would send His son to fulfill the prophesies they believed in so that they could be reconciled unto the Father. There were hundreds of prophesies that foretold Jesus’ life and death and He is the only man who ever fulfilled them all! What a faithful promise, the Beloved Son came and took up a cross for us! It’s not convenient to follow the ways of Jesus, but just as He fulfilled promises by way of the cross, He’ll continue to be faithful in our lives as we embrace our cross.
Once the weights of sin and distractions of this world, our baggage, come off, we can find ourselves following the way of the cross, not because it’s cute, relevant or convenient, but because it brings everlasting life. It’s a daily act and one we are all sure to come up short in, but as we take up our cross, we are carrying perfect love. I pray you’d find love at that cross beam and that you’d hear the narrow way and may you never see the cross as something to take for granted.
(Scroll down for parts 1&2)
Scriptures to Review:
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. “Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” (Matthew 16:24-28 NKJV)
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13, 14 NKJV)