McDonalds - "i'm lovn' it" Sound familiar? Of course it does, it is the very symbol that makes McDonalds memorable.
As a Christ follower what slogan do you think best fits the invitation to follow Him? Luke 9:23 says "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." If you were to shorten this verse into a slogan, it could go something like this: "Come and Die" Hmmm...does that get your attention? It doesn't sound as appealing as "i'm lovn' it", does it? It doesn't sound like the type of slogan that draws people in. A matter of fact, I think most people would not only see the slogan "Come and Die" as unappealing, but it is the type of thing that would make people want to run from it. Who likes to think and talk about death, anyway?
"The cross was a symbol of humiliation. In the ancient world, the Romans had a number of ways to carry out an execution. They knew how to execute people very cheaply. Some people would be executed by fire and other would be stoned. Still others would be killed with a stroke of the sword. They might simply give a person a drink of hemlock. Crucifixion on the other hand required four soldiers and a centurion to oversee. It was much more expensive. So why crucifixion? They would use it when they wanted to publicly humiliate the person being crucified. They wanted to make a public statement that this person has no power and is nothing..." (Kyle Idleman, "not a fan")
The cross is a symbol of:
Humiliation, Suffering, and Death.
You cannot carry a cross without experiencing some kind of suffering. And I am not talking about the cross that you wear on a chain around your neck. Jesus died the ultimate death on the cross. And He wants His followers to die to themselves, this means dying to desires, pursuits, traditions, and plans. When you are dead, you are no longer concerned with YOUR life.
You probably know that sermons are often about salvation, but when do you hear about the surrender involved? You hear about forgiveness, but what about repentance? You hear about new life, but what do you hear about dying? These are very important things to consider. Salvation is not cheap and it can only come from God. We are told to take up our cross daily...key word 'daily', which means it's a daily decision.
"In a twist of irony, we find that giving up our lives gives us the life we so desperately wanted all along."... "When you accept the invitation of Jesus to follow him, you are not just saying that he is a top priority in our life; you are making him the only priority in your life." (Kyle Idleman, "not fan")
So, is God your priority in your life or are you?
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