Carry your Cross

Cost of Discipleship

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Matthew 16:24

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s was a conscientious objector to Hitler's genocidal of the Jews. This path led to his imprisonment and martyrdom. His life has inspired and influenced the lives of many people all over the world. One of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s most popular books is the Cost of Discipleship.  It is considered a Christian Classic. It was published during the time of Nazi Germany. In the book he speaks of Cheap Vs Costly grace

Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ. He says grace is costly because it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow him; it is grace because Jesus says: "My yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Cognitive dissonance is a swanky word that psychologists like to use for hypocrites. It is when there are two conflicting ideas in the mind. I believe God forgives, but there is no need to repent or change my ways. I am a Christian but I don’t want to practice any of the teachings of Christ. If there is no discipline when you profess to being a disciple there is cognitive dissonance.

Much has been said about cognitive dissonance and how Christians like to create a spiritual world that science is unable to prove. But when we see the lives of so many Christians who are able to see the need to object to the atrocities or evils of the world or serve the poor and downtrodden, because of their faith in Christ, then one begins to realize that there is something more to in being a Christian.

Supper at Emmaus.  National Gallery 

Jesus empowers us by his grace to find the cross he wants us to bear, through serving, caring, loving, praying, speaking, and giving. In so doing we allow Gods love to shower abundantly in our lives and Holy Spirit produces fruit in our lives of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! –Galatians 5:22-23 NLT

Prayer : Lord Jesus, I pray that you will show me the cross you have for me to bear. Let me not try to grab another, or think another is what I want. But in love and humility accept the cross you have for me to bear as a sacrifice and an offering to God in my daily walk with you. Amen

Outstretched Arms

Over the Thanksgiving weekend we had the opportunity to visit an Amish settlement. The first signs of our proximity to the Amish settlements were the traffic signs on the highways warning us to drive carefully because there may be horse buggies on the road. As the Amish do not drive motorized cars, even the local Walmart has a separate parking area for horse buggies. While asking for directions to the Amish settlements I was told by one of the girls in one of the local country inns that we were not to take any photographs of the Amish. The Amish do not take photographs of themselves as they are convinced that a photograph is the image of a man or women that may be idolized by them or others (Deuteronomy 4:15-31). The men have long beards, unusual hairstyles, and specially prescribed clothing. The women cover their heads with white prayer caps at all times. The Amish have only an eighth grade education and then go into farming or find a craft that can earn them a living serving the community. 

We visited a cheese factory where the cashier and the some of the staff were Amish. Later we visited a furniture store, run by the Amish, that had beautiful furniture and fittings (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). There were many references to Christ carved into their furniture and fixtures. For lunch, we ate at a restaurant and were served by an Amish lady. The countryside was full of lush green meadows and farmlands. The Amish through dedication, prudence, and perseverance, have excelled in the age old profession of farming. Their farmlands are some of the best, most productive, and highly priced in the country.

They value simplicity and self denial over comfort, convenience, and leisure. Their way of life deliberately separates them from the world, yet they maintain self sufficient lives. St. Paul says, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate (1 Corinthians 6:14-18).” Can they work for a boss who does not have the same values as they do? What does the Christian do when a person of another faith gets one of their own priests to bless the business in the name of another god?

When tragedy struck the Amish settlement in Pennsylvania their response was quick and effective. A killer walked into the Amish community school and shot six of their children.The Amish forgave the man who shot six of their children, and embraced his wife and children in their time of sorrow and tragedy. Moments before the killer committed these heinous crimes, he spoke extremely apologetically to his wife and said that he was overcome with hatred and anger toward God and mankind. The memories of a still born baby girl, and some deeds done through incest in his younger days, haunted him greatly throughout the last years of his life. The spiritual emptiness inside of him was so unbearable that he felt forced to commit these crimes. What makes a man so angry with life and toward God that he is driven to murder innocent children in broad daylight?

The Amish are a community of people who live humble lives of peace, order, and tranquility. Their faith and family are their cherished possessions. Their communities are so peaceful that they do not have police stations in their neighborhoods. Their faith lays great emphasis on practice of their beliefs. They clearly said that in a crisis like the one described above, they will not resort to violence. The Amish community live in fear of God’s judgment and wrath, for Jesus said, “That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca (Fool), shall be in danger of the council (court): but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire (Matthew 5:22).”

What they hope is that the world at large will have a glimpse of the love of Christ in their peaceful and loving response. It is said that for the funeral of the killer there were more Amish than civilians. The families of the girls that were murdered invited the widow of the killer for their own children’s funeral. The money that was given for the assistance of the Amish families was shared with the widow of the killer. The Amish did not appear on television condemning anyone. The schoolroom that was the site of the murder was razed to the ground and a field has been set in its place.

Through their actions of forgiveness and reconciliation the Amish made peace with the killer, his family, the community, and the world at large. Their Christian witness stands out in a time when there is so much of unrest all over the world. The Amish look to the life (Philippians 2:5-8) and witness of their only advocate between God and humans, who is none other than Jesus (1 Timothy. 2:5, 1 John 2:1). By remembering the forgiveness that was so generously given to them at the cross, they were able to preserve their peace with God and the world at large. Although not quite understanding why the innocent had to die, they follow the gospel message of Christ to the world leaving the judgment in God’s hands (Deuteronomy 29:29). Here we see hearts full of love toward God and their fellow beings. The Amish strongly believe that they should embrace their enemies with outstretched arms of love. (Matthew 5:44).

The People’s New Testament Commentary describes the language of salvation in three dimensions (Romans 5:1-10). The first dimension is the past where we see Christ’s death and resurrection on the cross. The second dimension is the present where we experience this forgiveness and reconciliation to God through Christ. The third dimension is the future when we will all be saved through Christ from the wrath of God. The killer of the Amish children felt alienated from God. He was living in hostility toward God. He had no peace in his life. The Amish follow the path of reconciliation through suffering as shown by Christ, where they are able to preserve their state of Shalom (Colossians 1:20).

Paul goes on to say that life does not make any distinction between sinner and saint. We all have to learn to face our share of stress and adversities in life. He exhorts us to remember that Christ died for us even while we were in our state of sinfulness. He shows us that the purpose for our lives is to find this peace and joy that has been so freely given to us by the grace of God in Christ. If the Amish had stressed on their own emotions then they would have exalted their own selves and not Christ (Exodus 20:4). The Amish revealed the image of Christ in their lives by showing compassion, mercy, and forgiveness.

This ministry of reconciliation has been given to all of us as Christians to go out into the world and be reconciled with God and humans (2 Corinthians 5:18). To a chosen few are given the way of the cross through great suffering and hardships (Ephesians 2:16).

Whale to Swallow

As the story goes, a pastor was on a ship from Chicago to London when they ran into some very severe turbulence. As it got worse, the passengers became more and more alarmed, and even the ship attendants began to look concerned. Finally, one of them noticed that the man of God had 'Rev.' in front of his name on the passenger list, came over to him, and said, “Sir, this is really frightening. Do you suppose you could, I don't know...do something religious?” So he took up a collection. 

 Do you know what to do when faced with a difficult situation? Do you see the streams of living water rushing through the lives of all classes and creeds of people as they live their lives as an expression of their faith in God? Sometimes we see our world becoming more violent and sometimes we see it at peace. But we all hope to see the day when we can live calm and content lives united in Christ. 

 Jonah was a prophet who lived during the time of King Amaziah (2 Kings 14:23-25). There are some today who doubt whether Jonah ever existed. His story seems to be very farfetched since it is difficult to imagine a person surviving in the stomach of a large fish. Was Jonah a coward? Was he really afraid to give the message to the people of Ninevah or was he just appalled that he had to give the message to one of his enemies? 

 Jonah was placed in a very difficult situation, one that would not have brought him any comfort or pleasure. The more he thought about himself, the less he wanted to do what God was calling him to do. When our focus shifts from what God wants us to do to what we want, or what our neighbor has, we get agitated and start to grumble or feel sorry for ourselves. 

 When Jonah turned away from what God wanted him to do, he found himself in a ship in turbulent waters. Ordinarily men of God are calm and content in these situations. However, Jonah was burdened with the guilt of having moved away from God. He admitted his guilt to his shipmates and asked to be thrown overboard. When he found himself in the stomach of a big fish, he began to desire the presence of God. His prayers were to seek and know God’s will. He prayed for forgiveness. God in His abundant mercy forgave Jonah and set him back on his mission to Ninevah. Do you do the same when faced with a situation that you lack wisdom or understanding for? Do you see God as your heavenly father? Do you confess your trespasses to God and to those you have wronged? 

 Jonah 3:4 & 5 Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds: “In Forty days Nineveh will be destroyed!” So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. 

 Here we see God as one who loves both Jews and Gentiles, so much so that He asks Jonah to spread the message of repentance to the people of Ninevah. The fact is that if they repent God would forgive them. How many of us really pray for our enemies to be blessed or forgiven? How many of us readily confess our transgressions when we realize we have done something wrong? How many of us are ready to listen to God when He asks us to do something? 

 God said, "What's this? How is it that you can change your feelings from pleasure to anger overnight about a mere shade tree that you did nothing to get? You neither planted nor watered it. It grew up one night and died the next night. So, why can't I likewise change what I feel about Nineveh from anger to pleasure, this big city of more than 120,000 childlike people who don't yet know right from wrong (living in spiritual darkness), to say nothing of all the innocent animals? (Jonah 4:10-11) "

 We see God in a new light when He questions Jonah as to why He cannot delight in and take pleasure in the people of Ninevah. Scarcely had Jonah been rescued from the perilous sea, and successfully accomplished his mission, than he began to grumble and protest. Like the elder son of the prodigal son’s father, he was unhappy that God so easily forgave the people of Ninevah (Luke 15:11-31). Did Jesus not say,” I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”(Luke 5:32) 

 Does God have to prove his powers through miraculous signs to us humans? Did the Jews look upon Christ as a sorcerer or wizard? We see Christ as a loving and caring God, yet there were times in the life of Christ when he was harsh with his critics (Mathew 12:38-41).When some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you", He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” The sign that Christ was speaking about was that just as Jonah spent three days in the belly of a fish, so will Christ be buried in the heart of the earth for three days. He went on to say that even the people of Nineveh, who were lived in spiritual darkness, would stand up on judgment day and condemn those who do not repent when the gospel message is preached to them. 

 Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15: 14 & 19, that if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all people. This is our hope, that in Christ we inherit eternal life. Believers know that Christ is the resurrection and the life. For 2000 years Christians have followed in the way set for us by Christ. Just like Jonah preached to the Gentiles, we also have been invited to God’s table to share the joys of our new lives in Him. May Christ be our resurrection and life.