The condition of following Christ (II)...the cross
---continuing
Do we want to follow Jesus then? Do we want to experience God's Love? And if we do, Jesus told us how
Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
(Mat 16:24)
This is how!
The New Jerusalem Bible add a subtitle for this passage as "the condition of following Christ". But we shouldn't read it in a negative sense. We should understand it as "Jesus is telling us a secret". And what is this secret? That "the only way" to find true happiness in God is by denying ourself, taking up our cross, and following Him. And by following Him, we enter into a relationship with God. And in this relationship, God shares His own Life. And God shares His own Life so that we may experience what Life to the fullest is all about. It's about giving Love and being Loved.
When I read this passage I realized that my thought was saying "Oh My, I have to cary my cross". I used to think cross as the symbol of burden, heavy burden I mean. I used to think that the cross symbolizes our problems and difficulties and trials, and so many other bad things. And I realized one thing then, I was wrong.
Jesus said, "take up your cross, and follow me". Where do you think Jesus is leading us to when He told us to take up our cross? It's to the place of sacrifice, the calvary.
Cross does not symbolize burden, or problems. Rather, it symbolizes a "sacrifice". And what does a sacrifice mean? Sacrifice means Love. Sacrifice is the realization of true Love. There is no true Love without sacrifice. If we are unable to sacrifice in loving, then it might be a selfish love. We love for the sake that we are loved. But true love is not that. True love gives Love. True Love is able to sacrifice himself.
Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
(Joh 15:13)
This is true Love. This is the Love of God, the unconditional Love of God.
And this is exactly what Jesus is asking from, "give love". It's not about carrying a burden or problems. Burden or problems is not The Cross if we do not carry them out of Love. They are our Cross, only if they become our sacrifice of Love.
So this is actually what Jesus is saying when He said, "take up your cross, and follow me". He is saying to us to "give Love by sacrifices". Why must we sacrifice? Because there is no Love without sacrifice. As the old saying once said, "It is Love only when it is given".
Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
(Joh 15:13)
"This is my body which is given for you"
(Luk 22:19)
Next >>
----to be continued
Do we want to follow Jesus then? Do we want to experience God's Love? And if we do, Jesus told us how
Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
(Mat 16:24)
This is how!
The New Jerusalem Bible add a subtitle for this passage as "the condition of following Christ". But we shouldn't read it in a negative sense. We should understand it as "Jesus is telling us a secret". And what is this secret? That "the only way" to find true happiness in God is by denying ourself, taking up our cross, and following Him. And by following Him, we enter into a relationship with God. And in this relationship, God shares His own Life. And God shares His own Life so that we may experience what Life to the fullest is all about. It's about giving Love and being Loved.
When I read this passage I realized that my thought was saying "Oh My, I have to cary my cross". I used to think cross as the symbol of burden, heavy burden I mean. I used to think that the cross symbolizes our problems and difficulties and trials, and so many other bad things. And I realized one thing then, I was wrong.
Jesus said, "take up your cross, and follow me". Where do you think Jesus is leading us to when He told us to take up our cross? It's to the place of sacrifice, the calvary.
Cross does not symbolize burden, or problems. Rather, it symbolizes a "sacrifice". And what does a sacrifice mean? Sacrifice means Love. Sacrifice is the realization of true Love. There is no true Love without sacrifice. If we are unable to sacrifice in loving, then it might be a selfish love. We love for the sake that we are loved. But true love is not that. True love gives Love. True Love is able to sacrifice himself.
Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
(Joh 15:13)
This is true Love. This is the Love of God, the unconditional Love of God.
And this is exactly what Jesus is asking from, "give love". It's not about carrying a burden or problems. Burden or problems is not The Cross if we do not carry them out of Love. They are our Cross, only if they become our sacrifice of Love.
So this is actually what Jesus is saying when He said, "take up your cross, and follow me". He is saying to us to "give Love by sacrifices". Why must we sacrifice? Because there is no Love without sacrifice. As the old saying once said, "It is Love only when it is given".
Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
(Joh 15:13)
"This is my body which is given for you"
(Luk 22:19)
Next >>
----to be continued
posted by Oka | 7:49 pm
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