River of Life Blog
  • Pastor Todd Weston's Blog

RLA Pastor's blog

CROSSLESS CHRISTIANITY

12/6/2018

 
Picture
He was a young man full of enthusiasm who came running to meet Jesus that day. All outward indications were promising. Falling to his knees he asked a question that must have brought a smile to the Lord’s face. Out of breath from his exertion he asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17) Most young people are consumed with the here and now. The fact this young man was thinking seriously about eternity was to his credit.

Jesus began by walking through the commandments. Eternal life without obedience to God is impossible. You get the feeling that in his haste the young man might have interrupted Jesus saying, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young” (v20).

Fixing his eyes on the youth, abounding love poured from Jesus’ heart as He said, “One thing you lack. Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me” (v21).

A few key words hit the young man with the force of a sledge hammer. Sell? Give? Cross?  

As he contemplated their meaning, his countenance fell. Gone was the burning enthusiasm. Gone was the light flashing in his eyes. As the passion faded in his heart, he must have thought to himself, “I asked about eternal life. Who said anything about taking up a cross?” After an awkward moment of silence, without another word spoken, the young man turned and walked away from Jesus and off the pages of the Bible.

Crossless Christianity. It appears to be rampant today in a society fixated on self. Crossless Christianity downplays the cost of discipleship while focusing only on the rewards. It would be like an insurance salesman telling you about the benefits of a plan without ever mentioning the premiums. The Bible is clear. There is a cost. It’s called taking up your cross.

We know what that meant for the Rich Young Ruler. We also know he refused to do it. What it means for you and for me may be entirely different. But this I know — taking up the cross involves sacrifice. It involves total commitment. It involves giving. It involves an attitude of complete surrender that says, “Nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”

Surely, there must be an easier way! So thought the Rich Young Ruler as he turned his back on Jesus. But there is only one way, and that’s the way of the cross. “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it’” (Matthew 16:24-25).

Don’t be fooled by the purveyors of cheap grace. The only Christianity taught in the Bible involves taking up your cross. But it doesn’t end there for us anymore than it did for Jesus. The cross always leads to the crown (2 Timothy 4:8).​

I wish the story of the Rich Young Ruler would have ended differently for him. Sadly, it didn’t.  But our story can have a happy ending. So come on and let’s do what Jesus said. Count the cost. Pay the price. Take up the cross. Follow Him.


Pastor Todd Weston

Comments are closed.

    Pastor Todd

    Lead Pastor
    River of Life
    Assembly of God

    Archives

    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011

    Categories

    All
    1 Timothy 4:12
    9/11
    Accountability
    Bible
    Bitterness
    Blessing
    Blessings
    Cheerful Heart
    Choices
    Christmas
    Church
    Church Ministry Center
    Comfort
    Commitment
    Compromise
    Confidence
    Connection
    Courage
    Courageous
    Creativity
    Criticism
    Daniel
    David
    Deceitfulness
    Direction
    Discernment
    Drifting
    Economy
    Elections
    Endurance
    Esther
    Faith
    Father
    Fear
    Fellowship
    Finances
    Forgiveness
    Generosity
    Gifts
    Gospel
    Grace
    Great Commission
    Greatness
    Haiti
    Heaven
    Hebrews 12:14
    Heroes
    Holiness
    Home
    Hope
    Israel
    Joseph
    Light
    Mary
    Media
    Mercy
    Miracles
    Missions
    Moms
    Mothers Day
    Motivation
    Natural Gifts
    New Year
    Obstacles
    Options
    Outreach
    Overcome
    Peace
    Perspective
    Planning
    Power
    Priorities
    Race
    Rapture
    Read
    Renew
    Rla Connect
    Running
    Servant
    Sin
    Sing
    Spiritual Gifts
    Success
    Time
    Tithe
    Trials
    Truth
    Unity
    Variety
    Vision
    Voting
    Wedding
    Willing Heart
    Word
    Youth

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.