Protecting Ourselves And Others From The Cross

I saw it happening and there was nothing I could do; at least nothing I could do then. I will hopefully be able to address it in a larger setting sooner rather than later. It happened so quickly.

Something the small group facilitator read caught the attention of one of the participants and he asked her for a copy, she said, “You can have it” and gave it to him.

He quickly read it to himself and said, “Oh my. How have I been living my life? This is challenging me.”

Immediately those around him began telling him that he was doing fine and not to worry, that he was living his life just fine. I don’t think he believed them…at least at first.

We are so accustomed to wanting to make everyone feel good, we are so locked-in to making ourselves feel good, that we resist the convicting work of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Our desire is no longer to be conformed to Jesus Christ, it is no longer to allow the work of the Cross to have its way in us, but rather to feel good about ourselves. Ministry today is not the ministry of the Word and Sacrament as much as it is the ministry of high self-esteem and good feelings. Christ calls us to come and die, to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow Him; but we act out a message of self-preservation, pain avoidance, and living our best life now.

In Mark Chapter 8 we read:

And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and *said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

Helping one another avoid the Cross of Christ, protecting one another from the Cross, is nothing less than aligning ourselves with Satan, it is setting our minds not on God’s interests, but man’s. It doesn’t “feel right” as I write these words, but the words are true for they are based on the words of our Lord to Peter. Jesus follows His words to Peter with His words to us all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.”

Well now…how shall we preach and teach? How shall we live?

Am I protecting people from the Cross of Christ?

Are you?