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“Take Up Your Cross
Mark 8:34-35

 

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Pastor Kevin Vogts
Trinity Lutheran Church
Paola, Kansas

Second Sunday in Lent—March 1, 2015

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

In today’s Gospel Reading Jesus says, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” 

It is estimated there are over 400 different forms of the cross used in Christian symbolism.  The Jerusalem Cross on my stole is actually five crosses, one in the middle and one on each side.  The five crosses symbolize the five wounds of Christ, and they also symbolize the spread of the Gospel from Jerusalem out to the four corners of the world.

The Passion Cross has sharply pointed ends, symbolizing the nails in Jesus hands and feet.

The Tau Cross looks like the capital letter “T”, with the cross-beam on top of the post.  This kind of cross was often used by the Romans for crucifixions.

But, the Gospels report when Jesus was crucified, Pontius Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross above him: “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”  So, the cross on which Jesus was actually crucified was probably the familiar Latin cross, like the one at the front of our church, with the post extending above the cross-beam.

It is probably the greatest irony of history that the cross should have become the foremost symbol of the Christian faith.  Because, the cross originally was an instrument of torture and a means of executing criminals, like a modern-day gallows or gas-chamber or electric chair.  In fact, the cross was considered such a shameful and humiliating means of execution it was reserved only for the lowest, most vile offenders.

Paul says in 1st Corinthians, “We preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.”  In today’s Gospel Reading, Peter cannot accept that the Messiah, the Son of God, should suffer and die on a cross.  But, the book of Hebrews says Jesus, “endured the cross, scorning its shame,” and Paul says in Philippians that Jesus “humbled himself unto death . . . even death on a cross!”

In the cross we see the blackness of our sins and the grossness of our guilt, because it was on account of our guilt, as a payment for our sins, that the Son of God suffered and died in this horrible way.  As Peter later wrote, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross.”

And in the cross we also see the greatness of God’s love for us, as Paul says in today’s Epistle Reading from Romans: “God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. . .  we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son . . .  we have been justified by his blood.” 

That is why the cross has become the cherished symbol of our Christian faith: Because Jesus Christ’s death on the cross means our sins are all forgiven.

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Deny yourself and take up your cross, first of all, by trusting for your salvation not in yourself, not in your own good deeds or merit, but in Christ’s death upon the cross.  As Paul says in 1st Corinthians, “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

Deny yourself and take up your cross, also, by living a god-pleasing life for Jesus, as a witness for him.  As Paul says in Philippians, “Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ,” and in Ephesians, “Live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”

Deny yourself and take up your cross, also, by enduring suffering which comes upon you specifically because of your faith in Jesus Christ and your desire to live for him.  As Paul tells Timothy, “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

Deny yourself and take up your cross, finally, by enduring with confidence and hope all the other troubles and sorrows and pains of this life. 

Paul begins today’s Epistle Reading, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  You can endure with confidence the troubles and sorrows and pains of this life because you know these sufferings are not ever a sign that God feels wrath and anger toward you, for you are at peace with God through your Lord Jesus Christ.  As Paul says in Colossians, “Through him God reconciled all things unto himself, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

And you can endure with hope the crosses of this life because you look forward to the bliss of eternal life.  As Paul says in 2nd Corinthians, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are preparing us for an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”  Just as there are many different symbolic forms of the cross, the Jerusalem Cross, the Passion Cross, the Tau Cross, the Latin Cross, and hundreds of others, in the same way, each of us has his or her own particular crosses to bear in this life: illness, pain, weakness, infirmity; grief, sorrow, anguish; temptations; unfulfilled needs and longings; financial problems; a troubled family or marriage situation; work or business difficulties; or simply the often overwhelming burdens and responsibilities of everyday life.

In today’s Old Testament Reading the Lord says to Moses, “I have seen the misery of my people . . .  I have heard their cries . . . I am concerned about their suffering.”  The crosses of this life are too much for you to bear alone.  Get strength from the Lord to bear your crosses.  Get strength from the Lord through worship in his house; get strength from the Lord through reading and hearing his word; get strength from the Lord through your Baptism, in which he made you born again as his beloved child; get strength from the Lord through receiving his body and blood in the Holy Communion; get strength from the Lord through praying to him for relief and help and comfort.  As today’s Introit from Psalm 55 promises, “Cast your burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain you.”

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” 

“Take Up Your Cross” for Jesus, by trusting in his death on the cross for your salvation.

“Take Up Your Cross” for Jesus by living for him a godly life.

“Take Up Your Cross” for Jesus by enduring the troubles and sorrows and pains of this life with confidence and hope, confident because you know you are at peace with God through the cross of Christ, hopeful because you look forward to the bliss of eternal life.

In all these ways, “Take Up Your Cross” for Jesus.  Amen.

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