Take Up Your Cross

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

TAKE UP YOUR CROSS

John 19:16-24

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18 Here they crucified him, and with him two others — one on each side and Jesus in the middle. 19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, "Do not write 'The King of the Jews,' but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews." 22 Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written." 23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. 24 "Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get it." This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, "They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing." So this is what the soldiers did.

NIV

The Romans soldiers thought they took charge of Jesus, but that is not really true, as this was all being directed by God in accordance with his plan. It appeared like they had charge of him so that he would be the perfect Lamb of God who was slain for the world. Jesus could not do this on his own, as divine as he is, for it had to be done as it was in order for scripture, his very words, to be accomplished. It is interesting the duel places in Jerusalem which have been said are the place of the skull. The Catholic Church has built a great cathedral over the place they believe is Golgotha and the Protestant church has their place they believe is the place of the skull and the garden tomb. Scholars have debated for centuries as to which is more correct, but the point is there was and is a place where Jesus carried his cross to and there he was crucified. The sign, the soldiers casting lots for his robe, all fulfilled what was written about Jesus before he came to earth. Yet what speaks to us about this account is what Jesus did, carrying his cross. The Gospel of Matthew records the time Jesus asked his disciples who they say he is. They were in Caesarea Philippi and as we have learned there was a temple to Caesar, a man who wanted to be a god, and a temple to pan, a god who wanted to be a man. It is here Jesus asks who people say he is, then after the disciples tell him, he asks who do they say he is, and Peter makes that great revelation, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” But within minutes Peter messed up, and Jesus says, “Satan get behind me”. Then the statement which is relevant to him carrying his cross.

Matt 16:24

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

NIV

What does it mean for us to take up our cross and follow Jesus? Where did he go with his cross? He went to do the will of the Father. As a man, he died and was buried. But also as a man, he was resurrected in a glorified body which later ascended into heaven. So then we must put our self on that cross and die as a man. Perhaps that is in a metaphorical sense. We do not actually hang ourselves on a cross and die. But we lose our life and gain eternal life. We are to put self to death and thus live to do the will of the Father, and in doing so, we are resurrected in one sense a new creature in Christ, and in another sense, when our body does actually die, we will be resurrected with a glorified body and ascend into heaven. So we take up our cross and follow Jesus.