背负十字架 A.W.平克

背负十字架

阿瑟·平克

 

“耶稣对门徒说：若有人要跟从我，就当舍己，背起他的十字架来跟从我。”马太福音 16：24

“耶稣又对门徒说，若有人愿意”；这里的“愿意”一词的意思是“渴望”，就像那节经文中说的“若有人愿意过敬虔的生活”。它表示“决心”。“若有人愿意或愿意跟从我，就当舍己，背起他的十字架（不是十字架——而是他的十字架）来跟从我。”然后在路加福音 14:27 中，基督宣称：“凡不背着自己十字架跟从我的，也不能作我的门徒。”因此，背十字架不是可有可无的。基督徒的生活远不止是接受一套真理体系，或采用一套行为准则——或服从宗教条例。基督徒的生活主要是一个人的生活；与主耶稣相交的经历，并且你的生活与基督的交流程度越高，你就越能过基督徒的生活，也只能达到这个程度。

基督徒的生活就是跟随耶稣的生活。“若有人要跟从我，就当舍己，背起他的十字架来跟从我。”哦，愿你我因与基督的亲近而获得殊荣！圣经中描述了一类人，说：“这些人无论羔羊去哪里，都跟随他。”但可悲的是，还有另一类人，一大群人，他们似乎断断续续、断断续续、心不在焉、偶尔、疏远地跟随主。他们的生活充满了世俗和自我，而基督却很少。像迦勒一样全心全意跟随主的人会三倍幸福。

现在，亲爱的，我们的主要任务和愿望是跟随基督——但路上有困难。路上有障碍，我们经文的第一部分所指的就是这些障碍。你会注意到“跟随我”这个词放在最后。自我，自我挡住了道路，这个世界有成千上万的诱惑和干扰，是一个障碍；因此基督说：“若有人要跟从我——（第一）他就当舍己，（第二）背起他的十字架，（第三）来跟从我。”从这里我们就知道了为什么很少有自称是基督徒的人密切、明显、始终如一地跟随他。

每天追随基督的第一步就是否定自我。弟兄姐妹们，否定自我和所谓的自我否定之间有着天壤之别。世界上和基督徒中盛行的流行观念是放弃我们喜欢的东西。关于应该放弃什么，人们的看法大相径庭。有些人会将放弃限制在典型的世俗事物上——比如看戏、跳舞或其他某些类型的娱乐活动。但这些方法只会助长精神上的骄傲，因为如果我比朋友放弃得更多，我当然应该得到一些荣誉。

基督在我们的经文中谈到（愿上帝的灵今早将它应用到我们的灵魂中），作为跟随他的第一步，就是否定自我本身——不仅仅是一些令自己愉悦的事物。不是一些自我渴望的事物——而是否定自我本身。“若有人要跟从我，就当舍己”这句话是什么意思？

首先，这意味着放弃自己的正义；但其意义远不止于此。这只是其第一层含义。其意义远不止于此。其意义在于拒绝依靠自己的智慧。其意义远不止于此。其意义在于停止坚持自己的权利。其意义在于否定自我本身。其意义在于停止考虑自己的舒适、自己的安逸、自己的快乐、自己的权势、自己的利益。其意义在于与自我告别。其意义在于，亲爱的，与使徒一同说，我活着，不是为自己，而是基督。我活着，就是顺服基督、侍奉基督、尊敬基督、为他奉献自己。其意义在于此。我们的主说：“若有人要跟从我，就当舍己”，即否定自我，与自我告别。换句话说，这就是罗马书 12:1 所说的：“将身体献给神，当作活祭。”

追随基督的第二步是背起十字架。 “若有人要跟从我，就当舍己，背起他的十字架。”啊，我的朋友们，活出基督徒的生活不只是一种被动的奢侈；而是一项严肃的事业。这是一种必须有牺牲纪律的生活。门徒的生活始于自我否定，并继续自我克制。换句话说，我们的经文不仅仅将十字架作为信仰的对象——而且作为生活的原则，作为门徒的标志，作为灵魂的经历。听着！正如拿撒勒的耶稣唯一能走到天父宝座前的路是通过十字架一样——同样，基督徒与上帝交流的生活和最终获得冠冕的唯一途径也是通过十字架。当罪孽被取消时，基督牺牲的合法利益是通过信仰获得的；但只有当十字架在我们日常生活中实现时，它才能有效地克服内在罪的力量。

我想请你注意上下文。请和我一起翻到马太福音 16 章 21 节：“从那时起，耶稣才指示门徒，他必须上耶路撒冷去，受长老、祭司长和文士许多的苦，并且被杀，第三日复活。彼得就拉着他，劝戒他。”他大吃一惊，说：“主啊，可怜你自己吧！”这表达了世界的策略。这是世界哲学的总结——自我保护和自私自利；但基督所宣扬的不是爱惜自己——而是牺牲自己。主耶稣认为彼得的建议是撒旦的诱惑——他把它从彼得身上甩了出去。然后他转向门徒说：“若有人要跟从我，就当舍己，背起他的十字架来跟从我。”换句话说，基督说的是：我要上耶路撒冷去受十字架的刑罚——如果有人愿意跟随我——他就有十字架。正如路加福音 14 章所说：“不背着自己十字架的，就不能作我的门徒。”耶稣不仅必须上耶路撒冷去受死——而且所有跟随他的人都必须背起他的十字架。在前一种情况下，“必须”和在后一种情况下一样重要。从中介的角度来看，基督的十字架是独一无二的——但从实验的角度来看，所有进入永生的人都要共同承担十字架。

那么，“十字架”代表什么呢？基督说“人若不背起他的十字架”是什么意思呢？朋友们，很遗憾，这么晚了，竟然还要问这样的问题；更令人遗憾的是，绝大多数上帝的子民对“十字架”的含义都有这种不符合圣经的理解。普通基督徒似乎把这段经文中的十字架视为可能降临在他身上的任何考验或麻烦。任何扰乱我们平安、令肉体不悦或激怒我们脾气的事情，都被视为十字架。一个人说：“好吧，那是我的十字架”，另一个人说：“好吧，这是我的十字架”，还有人说别的东西是他们的十字架。朋友们，这个词在新约中从未被这样使用过！

“十字架”这个词从来没有以复数形式出现过，它前面也没有不定冠词“十字架”。还请注意，在我们的经文中，十字架与主动语态的动词有关，而不是被动语态。这不是一个放在我们身上的十字架——而是一个必须“背起”的十字架！十字架代表着明确的现实，体现和表达了基督痛苦的主要特征。

另一些人认为“十字架”指的是他们不情愿履行的令人不快的责任，或他们勉强否认的肉体习惯。他们想象，当他们在良心的驱使下放弃自己热切渴望的事情时，他们就是背负了十字架。这样的人总是把十字架变成攻击他人的武器。他们炫耀自己的自我否定，到处坚持要求别人也效仿他们。这种对十字架的观念既是法利赛人的伪善，又是错误的恶作剧！

现在，按照主的指引，让我指出十字架所代表的三件事：

首先，十字架是世界仇恨的表现。世界憎恨基督，而仇恨最终表现在将他钉在十字架上。在《约翰福音》第十五章中，基督七次提到世界对他本人和他的人民的仇恨。你我跟随基督的程度越高，我们的生活就越像他的生活，我们脱离世界并与他交往的程度越高——世界也会恨我们！

我们在福音书中读到，有一个人来到基督面前，希望成为他的门徒，他请求先去埋葬他的父亲——这是一个很自然的请求，也许是一个非常值得称赞的请求。但主的回答几乎令人震惊。他对那人说：“跟从我吧——让死人埋葬他们的死人。”如果那个年轻人听从了基督，会发生什么？我不知道他是否听从了——但如果他听从了，会发生什么？他的亲戚和邻居会怎么看他？他们能理解他跟随基督的动机和虔诚吗？他们忽视了世人所谓的孝道？啊，我的朋友们，如果你跟随基督——世人会认为你疯了——你们中的一些人会发现很难忍受对你理智的诽谤。是的，有些人发现活人的责备——比失去死者更难受。

另一个年轻人把自己献给基督，成为他的门徒，他请求主允许他先回家，和他的朋友们告别——这当然是一个非常自然的要求——主向他展示了十字架：“手扶着犁向后看的，不配进神的国！”亲情的天性很难忍受家庭关系的束缚；更难忍受的是亲人和朋友对他们的怠慢而产生的怀疑！

是的，如果我们紧紧跟随基督，世人的责备就会变得非常真实。没有人可以与世人同在，却又跟随他。

另一个年轻人来到基督面前，俯伏在祂脚前敬拜祂，说：“主啊，我该做什么善事呢？”主就把十字架递给他。“变卖你一切所有的，分给穷人，然后来跟从我。”那年轻人忧忧愁愁地走了。”基督今天早上还在对你我说：“凡不背着自己的十字架跟从我的，就不能作我的门徒。”十字架代表着世人的责备和仇恨。但是，正如十字架对基督来说是自愿的一样，对祂的门徒来说也是如此。它既可以被避免，也可以被接受。它既可以被忽略，也可以被“拿起”！

其次，十字架代表一种自愿顺服上帝旨意的生活。从世界的角度来看，死亡是一种自愿的牺牲。让我们看一下约翰福音第 10 章，从第 17 节开始：“我父爱我，因我将命舍去，好再取回来。没有人夺我的命去，是我自己舍的。我有权柄舍了，也有权柄取回来。”他为什么要这样舍命呢？看看第 18 节的结束句：“这是我从我父所受的命令。”十字架是上帝对他儿子服从的最后要求。这就是为什么我们在腓立比书第 2 章中读到，他“反倒虚己，取了奴仆的形像，成为人的样式。”

8 既有人的样子，就自己卑微，存心顺服，以至于死”（这是顺服之路的高潮，这是终点），且死在十字架上！

基督为我们留下了榜样，让我们​​跟随他的脚步。基督的顺服应该是基督徒的顺服——自愿的，而不是强迫的；持续的，忠诚的，毫无保留的，至死不渝的。十字架代表着顺服、献身、臣服，一种由上帝支配的生命。“若有人要跟从我，就当背起他的十字架来跟从我”和“凡不背着他的十字架跟从我的，就不能作我的门徒。”换句话说，亲爱的朋友们，十字架代表着门徒的原则，我们的生活受到与基督相同的原则的驱动。他来到这里——他不求自己的喜悦；我也一样。他不求自己的名声；我也一样。他周流四方行善事；我也应该如此。他来不是要受人的服侍——而是要服侍人；我们也应该如此。他存心顺服，以至于死，甚至死在十字架上。这就是十字架所代表的：

首先，世界对我们发出的责备——因为我们与世界为敌，与世界割裂而激怒了它，并且走在了不同的层面上——因为我们所遵循的原则与世界所遵循的原则不同。

第二，为上帝牺牲生命 — — 为了上帝的虔诚而献出生命。

第三，十字架代表着替代性的牺牲和受苦。翻到约翰一书第三章第 16 节，“主为我们舍命，我们从此就知道何为爱，我们也当舍命。”这就是加略山的逻辑。我们被呼召与基督团契，我们的生活要遵循基督所遵循的原则——顺服上帝，为他人牺牲。他死了，我们才能活下去，我的朋友们——我们必须死去，才能活下去。

看看马太福音 16 章 25 节，“因为凡要救自己生命的，必丧掉生命。”这是指每一个基督徒，因为基督当时是在对门徒讲话。每一个过着以自我为中心的生活的基督徒，只考虑自己的舒适、内心的平静、福利、优势和利益——“生命”将永远失去——就永恒而言，一切都将白白浪费；草木、秸秆——将化为乌有！但“凡为我丧掉生命的”，即凡不考虑自己的幸福、利益、利益、进步而活着的人——而是牺牲生命，为基督的缘故为他人服务——他将找到生命！生命是由不朽的材料建造的，这些材料将经受住未来考验的火。他将找到“生命”。基督死了，我们才能活下去；我们必须死——如果我们要活下去！ “凡为我而失去生命的，都将获得生命。”

此外，在约翰福音第 20 章中，基督对门徒说：“父怎样差遣了我，我也照样差遣你们。”基督被差遣到这里来做什么？荣耀父；表达上帝的爱；彰显上帝的恩典；为耶路撒冷哭泣；怜悯无知和迷途的人；辛勤劳作，甚至连吃饭都没有闲暇；过着自我牺牲的生活，甚至他的亲戚都说：“他疯了！”而且，“父怎样差遣了我，我也照样差遣你们，”基督说。换句话说，我把你送回这个世界——我已经把你从这个世界拯救出来了。我把你送回这个世界——带着十字架生活。哦，弟兄姐妹们，我们的生命中有多少“血”！我们的身体中有多少耶稣之死的痕迹！（哥林多后书 4:10）

我们是否已经开始“背起十字架”了？我们如此远离祂，这有什么奇怪的？我们如此难以战胜内在罪的力量，这有什么奇怪的？这是有原因的。从中介的角度来看，基督的十字架是独一无二的——但从实验的角度来看，十字架是祂所有门徒共同承受的。从法律上讲，加略山的十字架取消并消除了我们的罪过，即我们罪孽的罪过；但是，我的朋友们，我完全相信，从我们生活中罪的力量中解脱出来并控制我们内心的旧人的唯一方法就是让十字架成为我们灵魂体验的一部分！正是在十字架上，罪得到了合法和司法性的处理。只有当门徒“背起”十字架时，它才成为一种体验，消灭我们内心罪的力量和污秽。基督说：“凡不背着自己十字架的，就不能作我的门徒。”哦，今天早上在座的每一位基督徒多么需要与主单独相处，并将自己献身于他的服务啊！

(google 翻译）

Cross-Bearing

Arthur Pink

 

"Jesus said unto His disciples—if any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me." Matthew 16:24

"Then said Jesus unto His disciples, if any man will"; the word "will" here means "desire to" just as in that verse, "If any will live godly." It signifies "determine to." "If any man will or desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross (not a cross—but his cross) and follow me." Then in Luke 14:27 Christ declared, "And whoever does not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple." So cross-bearing is not optional. The Christian life is far more than subscribing to a system of truths, or adopting a code of conduct—or of submitting to religious ordinances. The Christian life is primarily a person; experience of fellowship with the Lord Jesus, and just in proportion as your life is lived in communion with Christ, to that extent are you living the Christian life, and to that extent only.

The Christian life is a life that consists of following Jesus. "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." O that you and I may gain distinction for the closeness of our walk to Christ! There is a class described in Scripture of whom it is said, "These are those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes." But sad to say, there is another class, and a large class, who seem to follow the Lord fitfully, spasmodically, half-heartedly, occasionally, distantly. There is much of the world and much of self in their lives—and so little of Christ. Thrice happy shall he be, who like Caleb—follows the Lord fully.

Now, beloved, our chief business and desire is to follow Christ—but there are difficulties in the way. There are obstacles in the path, and it is to them, that the first part of our text refers. You notice that the words "follow Me" come at the end. SELF, self stands in the way, and the world with its ten thousand attractions and distractions is an obstacle; and therefore Christ says, "If any man will come after Me - (first) let him deny himself, (second) take up his cross, (third) and follow Me." And there we learn the reason why so few professing Christians are following Him closely, manifestly, consistently.

The first step toward a daily following of Christ, is the denying of SELF. There is a vast difference, brethren and sisters, between denying self and so-called self-denial. The popular idea which prevails both in the world and among Christians, is that of giving up things which we like. There is a great diversity of opinion as to what should be given up. There are some who would restrict it to that which is characteristically worldly—such as theatre-going, dancing, or other certain kinds of amusements. But such methods as those only foster spiritual pride, for surely I deserve some credit—if I give up more than my friends.

What Christ speaks of in our text (and O may the spirit of God apply it to our souls this morning) as the first step toward following him, is—the denial of SELF itself—not simply some of the things that are pleasing to self. Not some of the things after which self hankers—but the denying of SELF itself. What does that mean, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself?"

It means in the first place, abandoning his own righteousness; but it means far more than that. That is only its first meaning. It means refusing to rest upon my own wisdom. It means far more than that. It means ceasing to insist upon my own rights. It means repudiating SELF itself. It means ceasing to consider our own comforts, our own ease, our own pleasure, our own aggrandizement, our own benefits. It means being done with SELF. It means, beloved, saying with the apostle, For me to live is, not self—but Christ. For me to live is to obey Christ, to serve Christ, to honor Christ, to spend myself for Him. That is what it means. And "if any man will come after Me," says our Master, "let him deny himself," —let self be repudiated, be done with. In other words it is what you have in Romans 12:1, "Present your bodies a living sacrifice unto God."

The second step toward following Christ, is the taking up of the CROSS. "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross." Ah, my friends, to live out the Christian life is something more than a passive luxury; it is a serious undertaking. It is a life that has to be disciplined in sacrifice. The life of discipleship begins with self-renunciation and it continues by self-mortification. In other words, our text refers to the CROSS not simply as an object of faith—but as a principle of life, as the badge of discipleship, as an experience in the soul. And, listen! Just as it was true that the only way to the Father's throne for Jesus of Nazareth was by the cross—so the only way for a life of communion with God and the crown at the end for the Christian, is via the cross. The legal benefits of Christ's sacrifice are secured by faith, when the guilt of sin is cancelled; but the cross only becomes efficacious over the power of indwelling sin, as it is realized in our daily lives.

I want to call your attention to the context. Turn with me for a moment to Matthew 16, verse 21: "From that time forth began Jesus to show unto His disciples, how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him." He was staggered and said, "Pity Yourself, Lord!" That expressed the policy of the world. That is the sum of the world's philosophy —self shielding and self-seeking; but that which Christ preached was not spare yourself—but sacrifice yourself. The Lord Jesus saw in Peter's suggestion a temptation from Satan—and He flung it away from Him. Then He turned to His disciples and said, "if any man will come after Me—let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." In other words what Christ said was this: I am going up to Jerusalem to the cross—if anyone would be My follower—there is a cross for him. And, as Luke 14 says, "Whoever does not bear his cross—cannot he My disciple." Not only must Jesus go up to Jerusalem and be killed—but everyone who comes after Him must take up his cross. The "must" is as imperative in the one case as in the other. Mediatorially, the cross of Christ stands alone—but experimentally it is shared by all who enter into eternal life.

Now then, what does "the cross" stand for? What did Christ mean when He said that "unless a man takes up his cross"? My friends, it is deplorable that at this late date, such a question needs to he asked; and it is more deplorable still, that the vast majority of God's own people have such unscriptural conceptions of what the "cross" stands for. The average Christian seems to regard the cross in this text, as any trial or trouble that may be laid upon him. Whatever comes up that disturbs our peace, that is unpleasing to the flesh, or that irritates our temper—is looked upon as a cross. One says, "Well, that is my cross," and another says, "Well, this is my cross," and someone else says something else is their cross. My friends, the word is never so used in the New Testament!

The word 'cross" is never found in the plural number, nor is it ever found with the indefinite article before it, "a cross," Note also that in our text the cross is linked to a verb in the active voice and not the passive. It is not a cross that is laid upon us—but a cross which must be "taken up"! The cross stands for definite realities which embody and express the leading characteristics of Christ's agony.

Others understand the "cross" to refer to disagreeable duties which they reluctantly discharge—or to fleshly habits which they grudgingly deny. They imagine that they are cross-bearing when, prodded at the point of conscience, they abstain from things earnestly desired. Such people invariably turn their cross into a weapon with which to assail other people. They parade their self-denial and go around insisting that others should follow them. Such conceptions of the cross are as Pharisaical as false, and as mischievous as they are erroneous!

Now, as the Lord enables me, let me point out three things that the cross stands for:

First, the cross is the expression of the world's hatred. The world hated Christ, and its hatred was ultimately manifested by crucifying Him. In the 15th chapter of John, seven times over, Christ refers there to the hatred of the world against Himself and against His people. And just in proportion as you and I are following Christ, just in proportion as our lives are being lived as His life was lived, just in proportion as we have come out from the world and are in fellowship with Him—so will the world hate us!

We read in the Gospels that one man came and presented himself to Christ for discipleship, and he requested that he might first go and bury his father—a very natural request, and perhaps a very praiseworthy one. But the Lord's reply is almost staggering. He said to that man, "Follow Me—and let the dead bury their dead." What would have happened to that young man if he had obeyed Christ? I do not know whether he did or not—but if he did, what would happen? What would his kinsfolk and his neighbors think of him? Would they be able to appreciate the motive, the devotion which caused him to follow Christ and neglect what the world would call a filial duty? Ah, my friends, if you are following Christ—the world will think you are mad—and some of you will find it very hard to bear aspersions on your sanity. Yes, there are some who find the reproaches of the living—a harder trial than the loss of the dead.

Another young man presented himself to Christ for discipleship and he requested the Lord that he might first be allowed to go home and say farewell to his friends—a very natural request, surely—and the Lord presented to him the cross: "No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God!" Affectionate natures find the wrench of home ties, very hard to bear; harder still are the suspicions of loved ones and friends for having been slighted!

Yes, the reproach of the world becomes very real—if we are following Christ closely. No man can keep in with the world—and follow Him.

Another young man came and presented himself to Christ and fell at His feet and worshiped Him, and said, "Master, what good thing shall I do?" and the Lord presented to him the cross. "Sell all that you have and give to the poor—and come and follow Me. And the young man went away sorrowful." Christ is still saying to you and me this morning, "Whoever does not bear his cross, and come after Me—cannot be My disciple." The cross stands for the reproach and the hatred of the world. But as the cross was voluntary for Christ, so it is for His disciple. It can either be avoided or accepted. It can either ignored or "taken up"!

But secondly, the cross stands for a life that is voluntarily surrendered to the will of God. From the standpoint of the world, the death was a voluntary sacrifice. Turn for a moment to the 10th chapter of John, beginning at the 17th verse: "Therefore does My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man takes it from Me—but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again." Why did He thus lay down his life? Look at the closing sentence of verse 18: "This commandment have I received of My Father." The cross was the last demand of God upon the obedience of His Son. That is why we read in Phil. 2 that, He "made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death" (that was the climax, that was the end of the path of obedience), "even the death of the cross!"

Christ has left us an example that we should follow His steps. The obedience of Christ should be the obedience of the Christian—voluntary, not compulsory; continuous, faithful, without any reserve, unto death. The cross then stands for obedience, consecration, surrender, a life placed at the disposal of God. "If any man will come after Me, let him take up his cross and follow Me" and "Whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me—cannot be My disciple." In other words, dear friends, the cross stands for the principle of discipleship, our life being actuated by the same principle that Christ's was. He came here—and He pleased not Himself; no more must I. He made Himself of no reputation: so must I. He went about doing good: so should I. He came not to be ministered unto—but to minister; so should we. He became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. That is what the cross stands for:

First, the reproach of the world—because we have antagonized it, raised its ire by separating ourselves from it, and are walking on a different plane—because we are actuated by different principles, from those by which it walks.

Second, a life sacrificed unto God—laid down in devotion to Him.

In the third place, the cross stands for vicarious sacrifice and suffering. Turn to the first Epistle of John, the third chapter, verse 16, "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives." That is the logic of Calvary. We are called unto fellowship with Christ, our lives to be lived by the same principles that His was lived by—obedience to God, sacrifice for others. He died that we might live and, my friends—we have to die that we may live.

Look at the 25th verse of Matthew 16, "For whoever will save his life—shall lose it." That means every Christian, for Christ was speaking there to disciples. Every Christian who has lived a self-centered life, considering his own comforts, his own peace of mind, his own welfare, his own advantages and benefits—that "life" is going to be lost forever—all wasted so far as eternity is concerned; wood, hay and stubble—which will go up in smoke! But "whoever will lose his life for My sake," that is, whoever has not lived his life considering his own well-being, his own interests, his own profit, his own advancement—but has sacrificed that life, has spent it in the service of others for Christ's sake—he shall find life! That life has been built of imperishable materials which will survive the testing-fire in the day to come. He shall find "life". Christ died that we might live; and we have to die—if we are to live! "Whoever will lose his life for My sake—shall find it."

Again, in the 20th chapter of John, Christ said to His disciples, "As the Father has sent Me—even so I send you." What was Christ sent here to do? To glorify the Father; to express God's love; to manifest God's grace; to weep over Jerusalem; to have compassion on the ignorant and those that are out of the way; to toil so assiduously that He had no leisure so much as to eat; to live a life of such self-sacrifice that even His kinsfolk said, "He's out of his mind!" And, "as the Father has sent Me, even so," says Christ, "I send you". In other words, I send you back into the world—out of which I have saved you. I send you back into the world—to live with the cross stamped upon you. O brethren and sisters, how little "blood" there is in our lives! How little is there the bearing of the dying of Jesus in our bodies! (2 Corinthians 4:10)

Have we begun to "take up the cross" at all? Is there any wonder that we are following Him at such a distance? Is there any wonder that we have such little victory over the power of indwelling sin? There is a reason for that. Mediatorially, the Cross of Christ stands alone—but experimentally the cross is to be shared by all His disciples. Legally the cross of Calvary annulled and put away our guilt, the guilt of our sins; but, my friends, I am perfectly convinced that the only way of getting deliverance from the power of sin in our lives and obtaining mastery over the old man within us—is by the cross becoming a part of the experience of our souls! It was at the cross, that sin was dealt with legally and judicially. It is only as the cross is "taken up" by the disciple that it becomes an experience, slaying the power and defilement of sin within us. And Christ says, "Whoever does not bear his cross, cannot be My disciple". O what need has each Christian here this morning to get alone with the Master, and consecrate Himself to His service!

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