Cross Bearing # 3

Cross Bearing # 3

Yes, the reproach of the world becomes very real - if we are following Christ closely. No man can keep in with the world - and follow Him.

Another young man came and presented himself to Christ and fell at His feet and worshiped Him and said, "Master, what good thing shall I do?" and the Lord presented to him the cross. "Sell all that you have and give to the poor - and come and follow Me. And the young man went away sorrowful." Christ is still saying to you and to I this morning, "Whoever does not bear his cross, and come after Me - cannot be My disciple." The cross stand for the reproach and the hatred of the world. But as the cross was voluntary for Christ, so it is for His disciple. It can either be avoided or accepted. It can either be ignored or "taken up"!

But secondly, the Cross stands for a life that is voluntarily surrendered to the will of God. From the standpoint of the world, the death was a voluntary sacrifice. Turn for a moment to the 10th chapter of John, beginning at the 17th verse: "Therefore does My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man takes it from Me - but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again." Why did He thus lay down His life? Look at the closing sentence of verse 18: "This commandment have I received of My Father." The Cross was the last demand of God upon the obedience of His Son. That is why we read in Phil. 2 that, He "made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death" (that was the climax, that was the end of the path of obedience), "even the death of the Cross!"

Christ has left us an example that we should follow His steps. The obedience of Christ should be the obedience of the Christian - voluntary, not compulsory; continuous, faithful, without any reserve, unto death. The Cross then stands for obedience, consecration, surrender, a life placed at the disposal of God. "If any man will come after Me - and "Whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me - cannot be My disciple." In other words, dear friends, the Cross stands for the principle of discipleship, our life being actuated by the same principle that Christ's was. He made Himself of no reputation: so must I. He went about doing good: so should I. He came not to be ministered unto - but to minister; so should we. He became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. That is what the Cross stands for:

First, the reproach of the world - because we have antagonized it, raised its ire by separating ourselves from it, and are walking on a different plane - because we are actuated by different principles, from those by which it walks.

Second, a life sacrificed unto God - laid down in devotion to Him.

In the third place, the Cross stands for vicarious sacrifice and suffering. Turn to the first Epistle of John, the third chapter, verse 16, "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us - and we ought to lay down our lives." That is the logic of Calvary. We are called unto fellowship with Christ, our lives to be lived by the same principles that His was lived by - obedience to God, sacrifice for others. He died that we might live and, my friends - we have to die (to self) that we may live.

Look at the 25th verse of Matthew 16, "For whoever will save his life - shall lose it." That means every Christian, for Christ was speaking there to disciples. Every Christian who has lived a self-centered life, considering his own comforts, his own peace of mind, his own welfare, his own advantages and benefits - that "life" is going to be lost forever - all wasted so far as eternity is concerned; wood, hay and stubble - which will go up in smoke! But "whoever will lose his life for My sake," that is, whoever has not lived his life considering his own well-being, his own interests, his own profit, his own advancement - but has sacrificed that life, has spent it in the service of others for Christ's sake - he shall find life! That life has been built of imperishable materials which will survive the testing fire in the day to come. He shall find "LIFE". Christ died that we might live; and we have to die - if we are to live! "Whoever will lose  his life for My sake - shall find it."

~A. W. Pink~

(continued with # 4)