[Dailydevo] Daily Devotion Thursday February 8, 2007

[Barry Ludwig]

Daily Devotion Thursday February 8, 2007

The devotions this week are prepared by Pastor Ludwig. He explores some of
the outrageous statements of Jesus.

 

Luke 9:23-24

"Then he said to them all, "If any want to become my followers, let them
deny themselves and take up their cross daily and  follow me. For those who
want to save their life will lose it, and  those who lose their life for my
sake will save it."

 

This is simply not the way to recruit followers or build church membership!
As a pastor, I read many books and articles on church growth. I read more
often than not, that many growing churches avoid the use of the cross in
their sanctuaries because it is a "downer" and discourages the visitor or
"seekers" from becoming members. Perhaps that is why Jesus only had twelve
disciples?

 

In effect, Jesus was saying if anyone wanted to follow him, they must be
ready to risk all.  The cross was not some abstract symbol of an earlier
civilization that first century rock-stars dangled from their earlobes. When
Jesus spoke these words, there were corpses of criminals and revolutionaries
hanging on nearby crosses at the city gate or on the roadways leading to
their village. The original  audience witnessed this cruelty on a daily
basis and understood that Jesus was calling them to sacrifice.

 

While Matthew, Mark and Luke all record these words, Luke adds the word
"daily."  Ouch!  You mean I just can't take one risk and be done with it?
Not from where Luke sits.  If following Jesus is more than just calling
myself "Christian" it means that everyday I must strive to look like Jesus
whose sign symbol would ultimately become a cross. Just how outrageous can
you get?

 

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