"Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me" Mathew 16:24
"If someone does wrong to you, forgive that person because the Lord forgave you" Col 3:13
"I have always had hard time following this command", these are my words, but does this sentence sound familiar to you?
Cross was never a symbol of our own burdens, it is the symbol of others' burdens. Jesus wasn't carrying burdens of his own sin on the cross, was he? He was carrying ours.
I remember a guy during my college days, who liked to sleep under the fan during the whole summer and we would be left with no other choice than to sleep in the corner, sweating like pigs. Unlike him, for guys like us both sleeping in the corners, who are from part of the state where even summer heat doesn't have the sting, to sleep in such circumstances in one of the hottest places in the state was beyond description. The worst part was not over yet. After a few months winter came and we were so happy that we won't have to suffer the summer heat anymore. But the winter nights were too cold to bear. I was so pleased that I was not the one who has to be under the fan. Suddenly without any signs he changed his place forcing us to move under the fan. We didn't argue with him for it, guessing it would be a silly fight to have. Maybe we were just stupid, as the world would refer it or maybe we were so noble. Even though I was displeased with him, I felt sorry for him later. How can he bear troubles in life if he can't even bear the climate around him? Sometimes when we are so weak to handle our problems we tend to put the burden on others. Don't we?
Anyway, we let him sleep comfortably; we took his burdens out of compassion for him. And that was just the beginning, we were there for him from then on financially as guardians, emotionally as friends and he started returning the favour little by little and ultimately he became our best friend.
Our friendship remained in my mind for longer and so was this question. Was I just plainly stupid or was I noble that day? Then I came to know about a guy, whom everyone loves for carrying the burden of our sins on the Cross out of compassion for us. He is celebrated as God's Promised redeemer. If it was God's plan to carry our troubles, then for sure we couldn't have been stupid in carrying our friend's burden. After all God is not stupid, He is Holy.
I still remember the exact words my friend had told about us in a gathering of all the classmates, on our last working day. "Because of my roommates and their help, I and my family survived. I wish I had taken their blessings, touching their feet, after receiving my first month salary". And finally he shed a few drops of tears. Amazing what love can do, it can light up the deepest dungeons of our lives.
Jesus said, "a bad tree cannot bear good fruit". I thought if I can bear at least a few good fruits, God can't reject me as a bad tree. I don't know for some reason my plan didn't work, leaving me with no other option than to accept that I am a bad tree.
Now the real problem started. How can good fruits ever come out of me if I am stuck as a bad tree? How will I ever be able to carry a cross?
Jesus came to my rescue, "He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that I(we) might die to sins and live for righteousness"1 peter 2:24. He switched place with me just like we had switched places under the fan with our friend. The only difference is, unlike me, HE VOLUNTEERED! He took my sins upon Him and gave me His holiness.
I couldn't believe what Jesus had done for me on the cross? He had turned me into a Good Tree. Every day I take my anxieties of my mistakes to the cross and leave it there and he gives his holiness to me instead, so that I can bear good fruits.
All I have to do is accept the gift of righteousness and holiness. The bible says, "how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ." Romans 5:17. I know God is not going to force feed it to me, he is too gentle for that. He expects me to accept and believe in it in my own will. It is precious enough to make me say that, 'I wouldn't drop it for the whole world'. Jesus for sure knew it, that is why he says, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Mark 8:36.
Don't you dare ask me after reading all this, "Yeah I understand Jesus has forgiven us all. But what did you do from your part? How did you train yourself to be kind hearted?". I have already told you the answer for that. You cannot train a bad tree to bear good fruits. I receive the holiness by confessing everyday in my prayers; "I am the righteousness of God in Christ". I keep reminding myself, my worth and value is not in what I do, it is in Christ. We should know who we are in Christ!
Does it sound too good to be true? You think it is blasphemy? Do you feel like shouting at me, "How dare you claim that you have the righteousness of the Almighty Himself? I won't be surprised if you do. But before asking me all your questions open your bible and read 2 Corinthians 5:21. You will find this there, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
Are you confused? I was too. But we aren't the first ones! This was the reason the religious leaders Crucified Jesus. They killed His disciples one after another for the same reason. They were also confused, it was too good for them to believe, and they feared it might be blasphemy. I heard a preacher state a fact that, during Paul's time the Hebrew equivalent of the word GOSPEL literally meant TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE NEWS.
But Jesus' disciples had seen too much by then, to live in disbelief. They had seen God showing compassion to poor and do miracles to the weak, through Jesus. They had seen God accept the sacrifice of Jesus and raise Him from the dead as an acknowledgement. They were sure that a New Covenant has been made between The God and man. They wanted to spread this Good news no matter what happens; to them it was something worth dying for. Holy Spirit strengthened them to fulfil their wish.
Let me tell you how much I enjoy this Good News by quoting the words of Joyce Meyer, "We are going to have to meditate on this for the rest of our lives and will still be drawing sweet nectar out of this revelation and this truth. Seventeen years I have been studying this, and tonight standing in front of you as your teacher I am EXCITED about a deeper revelation on my righteousness through the Blood of Christ. How can this do anything but make us better?".
Tears of joy fill my eyes every time I think what Jesus has done for me!!!
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