Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone?

        One man asked a friend, "Why did you leave your last job?" The second man said, "It was over something my boss said." The first man replied, "Yeah, what did he say?" Said the second man, "You’re fired." Are you a Christian? Put another way, are you a worker for the Lord? Gospel preachers have often challenged listeners to consider, "If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" Let’s twist that just a little and ask, "If you are a Christian and Jesus evaluated you as a cross-bearer, would He fire you or continue to hire you?"

Stay with me, and let me remind you of the challenge issued to every potential follower of Jesus. The challenge is found in John 12:25-26 where Jesus Himself declared, "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor." Either side of these verses Jesus discusses how He will bring glory to God and how God will glorify Him. And smack dab in the middle of the discussion He talks about dying and the cross! He was headed for His impending death on a cross when He spoke this challenge – and He warns that nobody will gain eternal life unless they follow Him! Keep reading now. It’s almost certain talk of dying and a cross does not create much of a sense of desperation in most people these days, even in those of us who attend church services regularly. As the founder of Christianity, Jesus Christ always made clear to those who expressed interest in following Him that He would, indeed, lead them to glory. But He never failed to remind interested people that the path to glory would require radical self-denial that issues forth in costly acts of service to God’s glory and for others’ good. In Jesus’ own words in Luke 9:23: "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." The Lord is clear on this one – there is no such thing as a cross-less position for those who follow Christ and work for the Lord.

Some people continue to believe and act as if you can be a Christian without much cross-bearing. Some don’t do much in the way of self-denial. They content themselves to "come to church," sit as a spectator on a padded pew, and consume (and in some cases critique) sermons. Some regularly show up for the potluck but then never stay around for the clean-up. Some get out for the fellowship activities and fun-times, but give little if any of their time, talent, or treasure for things that require actual labor for the Lord. Some knock the preacher, elders, and songleaders, but never knock on a neighbor or loved one’s door with the express intent to move them toward Christ. I don’t say these things (more could be said) because I’m "bent of shape" or am down on the church. I’m asking, in the words of Thomas Shepherd’s beautiful 1693 song, "Must Jesus bear the cross alone, And all the world go free?" His answer (and the Lord’s!) is, "No, there’s a cross for everyone, and There’s a cross for me." A crossless Christianity will not lead you to a crown of life. It’s a sobering truth, but a crossless Christianity will in the end cause Jesus to "fire" you. And trust me - you don’t want Jesus to "fire" you. Will you think about it?

Dan Gulley, Smithville, TN