4th Cross

Sermon Script

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, Oh Lord, my strength and redeemer. Amen.

 4th Cross

There were three crosses on Calvary’s hill the day Jesus Christ was crucified. Two criminals and a murderer were scheduled to hang on the tree that day. That is… before the members of the Sanhedrin plotted to arrest Jesus. As the crowd shouted, “Crucify Him, Crucify Him,” Pilot releases the murderer Barabbas to let Jesus take his place.

Thus, with a thief on each side of Jesus…the three took their last breath. But did you know there is a fourth cross?

A couple years ago we were in Charlotte NC and had the opportunity to attend a Christian theatrical event at NarroWay Productions. By the way, I would highly recommend. The singing, acting, live animals, and choreography were nothing like I have ever seen. At any rate, the name of this dinner theater was “The Fourth Cross.” Appropriate for the Lenten season at the time, this play showcased many events in Jesus’ life leading up to His crucifixion and resurrection.

This play followed the events as told to us in scripture through the life and death of Jesus, except for some added drama around the life of Barabbas.

In this additional drama, the father of Barabbas worked with the Chief Priests in a plot to convince Pilot to release his son through a trade pardon. Thus, giving up Jesus to the religious leaders… who wanted to kill Him. Then Barabbas would be free to return home to his family.

It was entertaining booing the villain Barabbas as he commenced killing a soldier… urging the crowd to approve of his evil tactics. Later however, after Jesus was beaten and crucified, he realized there was a cross for him after all… A fourth cross that he found lying in plain sight was his. That fourth cross was the one he must now carry for Christ… If Jesus’ resurrection wasn’t enough of a happy ending, the crowd rejoiced when Barabbas died to his old self and found a new life with Jesus.

Follow Me

This is what Jesus was telling His disciples in the Gospel lesson today in Matthew 16. We read in verse 24 “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”  The actor Barabbas denied himself… took up his cross… the fourth one… and lost the life captivating his old self. All to follow Christ for an eternal reward.

In retrospect, through various life circumstances, this is what we are all called to do… Let’s take a look at what Jesus is telling us today in the Gospel lesson.

First, we must understand what it means to deny oneself. This is not a popular idea in the self-centered world that we live. A world where it seems like success is happiness. Where more money, or more power, equate into more satisfaction. The self that believes that the one who dies with the most toys wins. But Jesus is telling us to take time out to say NO to ourselves and say YES to God. It’s that easy. All Jesus wants is for us to turn our focus to Him. That is denying yourself…

You have already done that today, you are here. But were there times you would rather play golf or go fishing? … Or maybe during the week, you helped a neighbor instead of helping yourself. Sometimes we must say no to ourselves to say yes to God. Denying self-interests that turn our focus away from God. This will help us carry the load we are asked to do next.

Let’s look at this verse again, Jesus says, “If you want to follow me, you must deny yourself and take up your cross and follow me.” If you think denying yourself is unpopular these days, then how about taking up your Cross? Let’s take a look.

Bearing Your Cross

Throughout the Epistle lesson read a few minutes ago in Paul’s letter to the Romans, Paul suggests how this is done. In chapter 12 verse 12 he writes… “Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, be constant in prayer.” We all know it’s not easy to rejoice in hope and patient in suffering. It often makes us inpatient in prayer. Paul continues in verse 13… “Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.” Would you have to deny yourself to carry this cross?

You don’t have to look very far to find out where you could possibly contribute to the needs of others or reach out to a stranger. Paul concludes with verse 21, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” When we do these things, keep in mind… this cross bearing will look different for each of us.

The Crosses we carry will be in many shapes and forms in our life. They will even change as we get older. Some you choose and some you don’t. Some are easy, some are not. No two crosses are the same. The fourth cross Barnabas carried in that play was specific to him. Your fourth cross will be specific to you.

Taking up the cross can be as simple as bowing your head in prayer, opening a Bible or gathering for worship like you are right now.

We take up our cross when our hearts ache over the brokenness and sinfulness of the world.

We take up our cross by bearing one another’s burdens and pains… sitting beside a loved one as they are getting a medical procedure. Sharing our time with someone at a nursing home….

You can take up your cross by forgiving someone. Lifting a grudge, putting an end to judgement… or through sorrowful confession.

We can take up our cross by accepting the burdens in life and then thanking God for all the blessings He has given us.

There are many, many ways to take up your cross. The fourth cross… those circumstances that you find yourself in, that involve a direct relationship with Jesus.

Is It Too Heavy?

There will also be times however, when the weight of the cross seems like too much to bear. Yes, we are told that God doesn’t give us any more than we can handle… But the question arises… “Why does my cross have to be the largest one?” The Devil loves to turn the focus back to our own self.

This is what happened to Peter after Jesus foretold his fate. He rebuked Jesus saying “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” Then later denied knowing Him three times. But Jesus turned and said to Peter and even us today, “For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

I ran across this story the other day entitled “Is Your Cross Too Heavy To Bear?” … It goes like this…. A young man was at the end of his rope. Seeing no way out, he dropped to his knees in prayer. “Lord, I can’t go on,” he said. “I have too heavy a cross to bear.” The Lord replied, “My son, if you can’t bear its weight, just place your cross inside this room. Then, open that door over there and pick out any cross you wish.” The man was filled with relief and said, “Thank you Lord” and he did as he was told. Upon entering the other room, he saw many crosses; some so Large the tops were not visible. Then, he spotted a tiny cross leaning against a far wall. “I’d like that one, Lord,” he said. The Lord replied, “My son that is the cross you just brought in.” …

Jesus is clear… “Take up your cross.” Yes, your cross might be heavy, but it is your cross. And when it seems like too much to bear… remember Paul’s words… “Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, be constant in prayer.”

And we do this why?

To follow Jesus. A key element in the Gospel lesson today as Jesus will be there wherever we go, whatever cross we carry, no matter how big or small…

Think about it… If we follow Jesus, that means Jesus is in the lead. With Jesus leading our way, by faith we can deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow Him. An invitation no one should deny. The invitation to the way of life. This is the way to forgiveness. The way to joy and peace. An invitation by Jesus, showing the way to eternal life.

But once again, Jesus didn’t say it would be trouble free, in fact on the contrary. We must give our life to Christ, and it isn’t going to be easy. Nor will it be comfortable. Yes, we will face the same challenges as those who do not follow Jesus. We must pay the same bills, pull the same weeds, fight the same sickness, and finally face the same death that everyone else will face. In tangible terms, Christians will not get a genuine solid gold plastic trophy. But is this not taking up our cross as well?

Great Rewards

The fourth cross we carry is not visible to the human eye. But it can be seen through the eyes of faith. This fourth cross is held by Jesus, and we are on it. Paul says in Romans 6, “We died with Him, so we can live with Him.” Through the cross where Jesus died, and then rose again… God restored His relationship to man that was lost in the Garden of Eden. That relationship involves forgiveness of our sins and restoring us to work in His kingdom.

That my friends is why Jesus wants us to “Deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him.” A loving invitation to an eternal gift.

Even though we won’t get all the answers to life’s “why, why why,” questions. We do have the answer to the most important one… We know the ending of the story. We might not know how all the drama in the middle will go or what shape the final chapter will take. But we know the end of the story… Our Savior defeated death on the cross, opened the tomb, and rose again so we can be assured of our salvation through Him. To lose all for Him is to save all. He will see to it that what is lost is returned on the last day, even life itself.

Did Barabbas repented and follow Jesus? We do not know. What we do know however… that is within the power of the Holy Spirit as He works in all of humanity when we carry our cross for Christ. That fourth cross we carry, we can carry with joy.

Because taking up the cross is what Jesus did for us … and through it, God creates an experience for us that is not like anything else the world can offer.  There is satisfaction, purpose, and direction in this cross-bearing life…

A life modeled after the one whose own life has saved ours. The one who made cross bearing a good thing… a holy choice… a life-giving act… Fashioned from the one we have been called to follow… with our Cross.

And may the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Amen.