The Cross of Jesus Christ is central to our Christian faith. The cross reveals to us the character of God, and His love for lost sinners. The cross shows us Christ’s great love for us.
“Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we having died to sins, might live for righteousness-by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Peter 2:24-25).
What does it mean to carry your cross? Simply put, to carry your cross means to deal with your burdens and problems. In the Bible, Jesus carried a cross that has come to be symbolic of the world’s problems and sins. Therefore, when people carry their own crosses, they are dealing with their own burdens. Jesus said that to be His disciple you must have to “take up your cross daily.” “Then He said, to them all, 'If anyone desires to come after ME, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23).
There was a story about a girl who thought that her cross was too heavy to bear. So, she laid down her cross to pick up another cross that she admired afar. There was several to choose from. They were all beautifully ornate. Her cross was plain, bare and nothing beautiful to admire. She chose the one full of pearls. The most beautiful pearls she had ever seen. She tried to pick it up, but it was too heavy of a load to lift. She chose another one, the one full of diamonds. I don’t care how hard she tried, she couldn’t lift that cross either. She would angle her body all kinds of ways to try to lift it, but to no avail. She saw the cross that was covered in the most beautiful lilies. She ran over to the lily cross and with much strength, she was able to lift it so that it could rest on her shoulders. That lily cross was so extra heavy. She could barely walk with it. She had only made several steps before she realized that she was going nowhere. She had lifted the cross, but she just couldn’t carry it nor drag it. That cross was too much for her to carry. Then she saw a plain cross, absolutely nothing attractive about it. She lifted that cross and allowed it to rest on her shoulders. She realized that that cross was perfect for her. She also realized that it was her own cross, the one she had laid down and deserted. Her own cross was just perfect for her.
Jesus tells us that if anyone who wants to follow him must put aside his or her own desires and conveniences and carry his/her cross with them everyday and keep close to Him.
People are willing to pay a high price for something they value. Jesus demands this much commitment from those who would follow Him. There are at least three conditions that must be met by people who want to follow Jesus. They must be willing to “deny self," to “carry their crosses," and to “follow Him”. Anything else or less is superficial lip service.
We should follow Jesus by imitating His Life and obeying His commands. Through the cross, Jesus purchased love, forgiveness, salvation, freedom, redemption, mercy, hope, grace, righteousness, power, healing, faith, and death of self.
The cross that we carry is all that Jesus has done for each one of us. We take it with us everywhere we go. There is power and wonder in The Cross.
"Must Jesus bear this cross alone and all the world go free? No, there is a cross for everyone and there is a cross for me."
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