FOLLOWERS....NEAR THE CROSS!

FOLLOWERS....NEAR THE CROSS!

The older guy at the ordination was repeatedly admonishing the new minister to "stay close to the cross". No one told the new minister how...just do it! I knew a similar phrase from an old Baptist hymn: "Jesus keep me near the cross" but honestly I didn't know what it meant in the day of its origin. Driving home that night, I wondered who said it first! Jesus? Paul? The hymn writer?

The Gospels record Jesus using the word "cross" in confrontations with his followers, especially with Peter. (See Matthew 16:21-25) But Jesus also used the same word with the rich young ruler in Matthew 10:17-22. The rich young ruler was loved by Jesus (verse 21) and he was obedienct to the law. Honestly, the young ruler seemed a better choice on the outside for a disciple than some of those other guys, especialy Peter. But Jesus cut through the exterior and went straight to the "one thing you lack" teaching: "Sell everything you have, give it away and come follow me!" The young ruler went away grieved because he had great possessions. Not only was the young ruler's identity in his wealth, but so was his trust. To lay down what he really trusted in was a step he couldn't take.

Laying down what we trust in requires trusting in God's provision and direction instead of our resources, talents and pre-set agendas. We like predictability because it is so compforting. Yet it is so limiting.

Among the Greek meanings for the word "cross" is "self-denial". Jesus couples this invasive directive as a pre-requisite to following him. Trust precedes knowing God's direction for our lives. The rich young ruler had the rules figured out. He had crossed all the "t"s and dotted all the "i"s but Jesus wanted more than a starched shirt, He wanted followers. He wanted trust.

Predictability does not root out of our character the stuff that Jesus wants to deal with in His followers. Letting go of our security blankets and taking hold of him digs deeper into where our trust level really is. The older minister at the ordination knew what Jesus requires through a long life of servie. He was trying to warn the younger minister that being a follower is a daily commitment and necessitates trusting Jesus 24/7.

By self-denial, Jesus does not picture his followers with sour and somber expressions on their faces, dressed in rags and paranoid of screwing up every day. Religion pictures Jesus' disciples that way, but scripture does not. Looking to Jesus as author and finisher of our fatith, we see our Savior confident, enduring the cross because of the joy He set before Him. Being transformed into His image spares us much heart ache. Following Christ is not about the rules, it's about something much deeper. It's about following someone else's vision, direction, purpose, priorities, and it most definitely is about trust.

Self-denial begins with humilty. Why? Because humility releases God's grace. We need the enabling power of His grace. In the Greek, the spiritual meaning of the word grace is:
"the divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life"!
Yes, it is unmerited but it is also enabling, empowering, supernatural, strengthening and over-the-top amazing.

Our trust level wavers whenever our grace level dips! Both are spiritual indicators of our heart condition. Jesus set the example. He followed Father in words and deeds and He did it joyfully from the heart. Religion has so distorted this concept that we are often robbed of the joy of daily taking up our "self-denial" and following Christ. It's liberating not to be in charge. It's like finding a whole new life...that's why Jesus said "lose it (your own) and you'll find it (His)"!

Keeping ourselves near the cross comes down to keeping ourselves humbled before him. Keeping ourselves humbled empowers us with grace to run this race on a daily basis. We set the joy of our salvation before whatever is called for and like Paul we look at whatever comes and say:
"None of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto
myself, so that I might finish my course with joy and the ministry,
which I have received for the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the
grace of God." Acts 20:24 (KJ)

It's not walking on egg shells in fear of an angry God. Following Jesus is a great adventure for those who trust fully in Him. Living on the edge keeps us near the cross. As Andrew Wommack says: "I you're not living on the edge, you're taking up way too much space!"

Stay near the cross.

LETTING GO OF ONE THING,
SO YOU CAN TAKE HOLD
OF ANOTHER!

This morning I was reminded of a principle the Holy Spirit taught me years ago. I was serving as Youth Pastor at Westside Assembly in Davenport and I was heavily involved with the evangelical association of pastors. I was on the board for that group and enjoyed the fellowship immensely.

The Holy Spirit began to encourage me to let go of the position and board for the evangelical association. He gave me this simple principle: You have to let go this so you can take hold of what I have for you. He would not tell me what was coming. I had to be obedient without knowing the "rest of the story"!

Finally I resigned from the association and waited to see what the Lord was up to. Within a few days, our Children's Church pastor resigned. I knew immediately that I was to take over those responsibilities. The reason I knew that is that this new opportunity met a need I had in the youth ministry. We had watched the youth grow to nearly 75. They had grown spiritually to the point that they were well equipped but they needed something to pour themselves into ministry wise.

We established a 25 member team of youth & adults to minister to children. We set the ministry in River City, a western town and cast stock characters, who would act out senarios weekly and then teach, sing, feed, exercise and do object lessons. We also wrote original material weekly to facilitate this ministry. My final two years at Westside was spent with the dual task of Youth and Children's ministry. It is a time I will always cherish. Many of those youth are not only walking with the Lord but they are serving full time in ministry.

The principle learned is often applied season after season in my life. I continue to learn to let go of "something" so I can take hold of a new "something". Sometimes it comes quickly, sometimes, as now, it seems to tarry! But letting go is powerful. The waiting time nourishes and grounds me for the next assignment or season.

Examples from scripture:
Esther had to let go of her security and secret identity for such a time as this.
Moses had to let go of shepherding and become the great deliverer.
Paul had to let go of his stubborn mindset to become what the church needed.
Jesus let go of heaven and came to earth to become our savior.
You have had to let go of things that beset you (Hebrews 12:1-2) to become who you are today and who the Lord is calling you to be for tomorrow.

Serving the Lord with gladness,
Gene

Wrapping up the previous two blogs.........it comes down to this:

8 CONFESSIONS OF A GLAD BELIEVER

THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH
I ENTER HIS HOUSE WITH GLADNESS
IN HIS PRESENCE I FIND THE FULLNESS OF JOY
I AM ANOINTED WITH GLADNESS
THEREFORE I SERVE THE LORD WITH GLADNESS
I PROMOTE THE JOY OF OTHER BELIEVERS
I REJOICE AGAIN AND AGAIN REGARDLESS OF CIRCUMSTANCES
THE LORD HAS MADE ME GLAD