Cross Followers

Hi folks.

March break started this week here in Nova Scotia. The boys kicked it off by going to the dentist. Yayyyyyy! (Just kidding!) No cavities to report. While they were at the dentist I found a neat cafe where I could sit unnoticed and write OnFire. That was a treat since it is hard to sit unnoticed in a small town. Our dentist is in another town because there weren't any available here in Shelburne when we first moved here.

Our church passed a great milestone this past week. We are now paying more principle than interest on our bank loan, so we celebrated after the service with ice cream cake. Way to go, folks! We're really knocking that down.

Time to go - getting a little groggy at the keyboard. Blessings for your week.

Troy

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I've met a lot of interesting people since I left seminary in 1994. Most seem to fall into one of two camps.

In the first camp are the big egos. These are people who are not shy about making their way to the front of the pack. They want the top spots, and want to be seen as leaders, movers and shakers. Most are very talented. Most are very competitive. Most do very well at their jobs. All are ambitious. Many of them bring their ambition into the church.

At the other end of the spectrum are the people who are not convinced they could help in any way. Whether through life experience or low self-image, they do not believe they have anything to offer. Many are faithful attenders, but you'll often hear them say, "I could never do that."

As a pastor, I am called to lead both groups, although I must confess it can be difficult and frustrating. Both sides often resent each other. From one I hear the attitude expressed, "If only everyone were as committed as we are." The other side grumbles, "There they go again, taking over the church."

Jesus dealt with this in his apostles. Tensions over who would lead simmered in the group. At first they thought they could hide it from Jesus, who asked, "What were you arguing about on the road?" Mark tells us "they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest." (Mk 9:33-34 NIV)

Tension came to full boil when James and John asked Jesus for the top spots. "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory." (Mk. 10:37) The rest were ripping mad when they found out what James and John had done. I suspect some were jealous that the boys got to Jesus first. Others were thinking, "There they go again, taking over..."

Both sides were wrong, however. Jesus explained in Mark 10:41-45 that the Kingdom of God was not about power and ambition, but service. He tried to explain this earlier, but they wouldn't understand until later: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." (Mk 8:34)

There is a third group I have come across in the churches I've served. It doesn't look at all like the first two groups. It is the group of people whose aim is to take up their crosses with Jesus. They are giving, self-less, loving people who apply their talents and abilities to serving Jesus. They are a diverse group, with different backgrounds, income levels, and abilities, but their goals are the same - to serve Jesus wholeheartedly.

Some were formerly egotists who learned along the way that Jesus would fulfill their need for power and influence. Interestingly many became leaders anyway because of their gifts and talents. They were still "movers and shakers" who knew how to get things done, but they stopped using the church to build their kingdoms. They became more patient and applied themselves to the Kingdom of God. The result is that God is doing neat things through them.

Some were formerly wall flowers who just wanted to blend into the background. But along the way they learned that Jesus Christ gave them a new identity. They found power and strength they never knew they had. They gained confidence and went from staring at their feet when people talked to them to leading ministries. God is doing neat things through them, too.

The way of the cross is by far the most difficult way, but it is the one to which we are called. To pick up my cross is to follow Jesus in giving myself - not to direct someone else to do it, or wait for someone else to do it. I must take up my cross to follow Jesus.

I get a kick out of those who think that Christianity is for wimps. I can't think of anything more difficult than to follow Jesus to the cross. I think that's why we often see more people in the other two groups. It is easy to stay there. May we not take the easy way, however. We need to be faithful followers of Jesus who willingly take up our crosses.

Hope this helps. Be on fire,

Troy

March 12, 2007