Called Sent Persecuted Trust Loyalty Life Reward

11/21/2015

Matthew 19.38-39 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. – Jesus, the Christ

In Matthew 10, there are several serious themes introduced to us. First: we are called by the Lord to be with Him, learn from Him, and then go and do like Him. In the midst of all that, we’re to expect persecution by those who don’t seem to want to have anything to do with Him. This persecution is intended to build trust into us because the world hates the Lord and anyone who follows him. And that trust is expressed in obedient loyalty. In the process we learn that true life is not of this world and there is a reward for those who accept the world as it is, not the way they want it to be. Whew!

The above two verses stood out to me today for two reasons: First: taking up my cross means following Jesus, and Second: finding life in this world means missing out on God’s world to come.

Taking up my cross isn’t just the frustration (friction) of daily life – everyone on earth experiences that. Taking up my cross means living faithfully, joyfully, and meaningfully for the Kingdom; life of another, but true world. Taking up my cross means bearing the reproach of my allegiance to God and all He is doing in the world. Taking up my cross means living first for Him, and second, for the sake of others even when it appears to be foolhardy, stubborn, or misguided. The pushback of the world will at times seem horrific but the burden of the cross is: living as if that pushback doesn’t exist.

Life is not just human experience here on the planet. Life is not just a beating heart, breathing lungs, hearing ears, seeing eyes, tasting, touching, and feeling. Life is not just punching a clock or waiting for the next experience to happen. Life is living (experientially) with God and looking for our true home in the future; not settling for the abysmally human concept of: this is as good as it gets.

That’s not to say there isn’t a form of beauty in this world nor times of apparent peace, or seeming fulfillment – there are those things in this world. But. Beauty is fleeting, and peace is temporary, and all of what we consider good is only a shadow of what is to come. I‘ve been awed by the good things we have on earth but in the life to come there is simply no comparison. Foretaste, perhaps. Lasting, no.

The overwhelming difficulty of the cross in this life and the promise of this world is the nagging and incessant appeal to believe that what we have now is only what we have, and this is as good as it gets. This is a purely human consideration. Our limited experience and knowledge allows nothing else to compare our experience with – we only have the invitation from God to believe that there is something else beyond all this which is infinitely better and fulfilling for eternity.

Not bearing our cross means denying its true meaning in the sacrifice of the Savior; and trying desperately to find life here means denying the promise of God for a tomorrow that never ends.

Father, may I learn from You in carrying my cross, and denying the pull of the world to conform to its wishes and culture. You have promised endless abundance to the one who refuses the lie of: this is as good as it gets; and lives instead for: it keeps getting better and better forever. Help me God! Amen.