Responses to the Cross (2/3)

Photo by: Eberhard Grossgasteiger

“You were with that Nazarene, Jesus, weren’t you?”
“I neither know nor understand what you mean.”

“Were you not one of his disciples?”
“I don’t even know the man!”

“You were definitely in the garden with him! Your accent gives it away!”
“I was not with him!!!”

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How often are we allowing the fear of man
To have complete control over the way we live for God?

The hard truth is,
We must either confess that Jesus is God,
Or completely reject him.

“Whoever acknowledges me before others,
I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.
But whoever disowns me before others,
I will disown before my Father in heaven.”

Even more so,
There will definitely be division as a result of this confession.

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth.
I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
For I have come to turn
A man against his father,
A daughter against her mother,
A daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law,
A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.
Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.
Anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”

And to top it all off,
Your confession will cost you everything.

“If anyone would come after me,
Let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
For whoever would save his life will lose it,
But whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
For what will it profit a man
If he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?
Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”

So what will it be?
Will you follow Him to that cursed tree
And die to yourself so that you may have life?
Or just move on
As if nothing mattered?

Quite the “Good” Friday, isn’t it?

Reference: Matthew 26/Mark 14/Luke 22/John 18, Matthew 10, Matthew 16