|
And as they led him away, they laid
Hold upon one Simon... and on him They laid the cross... Lk23:26
“On him they laid the cross.” Have you had that experience? “That you may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death” Jesus gave Simon a gift that when the world gives, it destroys, but, when God gives, it bears fruit. “Unless a corn of wheat falls to the ground and dies” Until we have had that experience we are not in a proper place to bear fruit. We are born with a corruptible nature. We have inherited the sin of Adam and for that reason to receive the blessing without the cross produces pride and arrogance and conceit. Simon received a gift that day, a wooden cross, and death to self: self will, self reliance, self interest, self importance. That gift is not only for Simon but for all of us. To receive the gift makes you worthy to receive the crown. To receive the gift makes you capable of being a blessing to the church. “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church.” St. Paul received the gift of the cross but he also received wisdom, insight, perseverance, power, and grace. The gift of the cross humbles us so we might receive the blessing without losing ourselves. You may be a Christian for many years without receiving the gift, but if you receive the gift, you will “fill up that which is behind” and be blessing to the church. The only faith that really exists is a tried faith. Unless you experience the cross and share in the afflictions of Christ, your faith remains hollow. You may use your faith to gain material wealth. You may use your faith to tithe. You may use your faith to pray and even heal. You may use your faith to understand scripture. But until you use your faith in trials and temptations your faith is only based on the principle of sowing and reaping and the church only experiences the effects of Christ and not Christ himself. The gift of the cross is the gift of Christ not merely his fruit. So may God bless you with the gift and may the gift increase a hundred fold until you are so wed to Christ that He is all you ever want or desire. Rather than remove the cross, let us pray that through it we become a blessing to the church and to the world. Amen |