If you’ve ever done something that you didn’t like, you could very well be like Jesus. For the follower of God, opportunities to do things out of the norm are plentiful every day. I believe that God is always trying to get our attention, but we fail to listen. I remember when I was in high school, I would get these weird thoughts in my head. Thoughts like “go pray for that person”, or “ask that person how their day was”. I didn’t want to interact with strangers, so I wrote those thoughts off as weird ideas that had no place in my busy schedule. After all, those naps weren’t going to take themselves!
As I matured in my faith, I realized that God had been subtly shouting at me and I was choosing not to listen. I asked God for boldness, wisdom, and discernment as I talked to complete strangers, bought the food for the people behind me in the drive-up line, and prayed over neighborhoods that I didn’t have a connection to. These things, although good, were not always on my to-do list. Still to this day, I have to tell myself that following God takes work, that every task or job isn’t popular, full of glamor, or even seen. But the kingdom of God is made up of people who serve and follow Jesus, so I listen and obey. I pick up my cross and follow Jesus.
Jesus says to his disciples “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24, ESV). If we look a few verses back, we see what prompted Jesus to say this. We read in verses 21 – 23 that Jesus was showing his disciples what would eventually happen to him, telling them about his persecution, death, and resurrection. Peter - one of the disciples, rebukes Jesus when he hears this, even saying that such things will never happen to him. Jesus responds by saying “Get behind me, Satan!” (v. 23). Jesus was not happy with Peter.
When Jesus rebukes Peter for suggesting that there was another path for him – that these events did not have to happen this way - this reminds me of when Jesus was battling Satan in the wilderness. Jesus resists, and at the end of this exchange, angels come and minister to Jesus. Jesus knew what his purpose was, and he knew that the fate of the world hinged on him being perfect, the unblemished lamb that would serve as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. If, at any point, he had given in to Satan’s suggestions and offers, humanity would still be lost. But Jesus fought hard and resisted Satan. When Peter suggests to Jesus that he doesn’t have to suffer his fate, Jesus rebukes Peter.
We read in Luke 22 that Jesus is praying at the Mount of Olives and it is a genuine prayer. Jesus, the Son of God, prays, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (v.42, ESV)
A modern approach to this prayer would be, “God, I don’t want to do this. But, if you want me to, I will.”
I, for one, am so glad that Jesus shows us his humanity in this prayer. I can absolutely relate to this prayer; I think I pray this every day! It is here that we can see what Jesus means regarding Matthew 16:24. To pick up your cross means for you to do something that you may not want to do, but you know that God wants you to do it. Jesus didn’t want to die a horrible death, but He knew this is what the Father wanted, so he went through with it. You can read Hebrews 12:2 for Jesus’ motivation.
Maybe you don’t want to make amends with your friend or neighbor, but you know God is calling you to. Maybe you don’t want to learn about other cultures or the people around you so you can continue to live your best bubbled life, but God is calling you to reach out to others. Maybe you want to continue to complain to others around you, even though God is calling you to higher things.
Whatever your cross may be, know that Jesus gives you the strength to carry it, and this choice must be done every day. This isn’t just to make you uncomfortable or to ruin your day. God molds us through the uncomfortable and strengthens us during our moments of weakness. Know that God’s plan is for you to become more like Jesus, and this is a lifelong process. Just as Jesus now sits at the right hand of God, we too will be honored for our obedience.
Mauricio Paredes
Junior High Pastor
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