Fully taking up your Cross

Living Waters Church Talk

31/03/13

Resurrection Sunday! He is Risen!

The mystery of the story of Easter is that a man was hanged on a piece of wood two thousand years ago, and somehow that represents the most hopeful story this world has ever heard. #EVERYTHINGCHANGES

Mat 16:24 Then Jesus told his disciples, If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. BACKGROUND: Who do YOU say that I am? Peter's confession You are the Messiah, the son of the living God Upon this rock ...Gates of hell .keys of the Kingdom Bind on earth bound in Heaven Loose on earth loosed in Heaven He began to share go to Jerusalem to be killed..... DENY HIMSELF / TAKE UP CROSS / FOLLOW ME. Rev 3:20 Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.

The Christian story is one of the most revolutionary stories ever! Listen! Everyone wants their voice to be heard! Nobody wants to listen! Deut 6:4 Hear [LISTEN], O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone

 I AM standing at the door!!! Jn 14:6 I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Jesus is NOT one path among many!

Edward Oakes: [The] claim to be the Way, the Truth and the Life means at core that one white cap atop a wave claims to be not only the sea and the seabed but the generating matrix of the world as well! Standing at the door outside.... Salvation comes from outside Popular self-help remedies = salvation is within The I AM (solution) is outside! Asking/inviting/calling The KNOCK KNOCK is haunting! Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, Where are you?

Gen 3:9

WHERE are you? - Not HOW are you? Where do you find yourself? In comparison to where HE is? GOD = Walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze. This is still a beautiful custom in parts of Spain Relaxing Fellowship / Communion Peace / comfort Rest at the end of a day's work (SABBATH) Jesus wants to enter and eat with you enjoys your company! Open the door! TAKE UP YOUR CROSS Often portrayed as dying to self That doesnt go far enough! - ALIVE IN CHRIST!!! Eph 2:5 ...even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christby grace you have been saved

Gal 2:19b I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who -20 live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Take up cross? To be crucified?: Punishment for rebels / serious criminals The Cross stood for those who had dared to challenge THE POWERS of this world (Rome/Caesar) Identified the condemned as a slave We are to challenge the powers that be Ultimate act of rebellion?

Alice Cooper: Drinking beer is easy. Trashing your hotel room is easy. But being a Christian, that's a tough call. That's real rebellion.

Eph 3:10 [His intent was] that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. Because of the Cross/Resurrection Everything changes! We are to live as though Crucified with HIM One hand grasping the new DAY/AGE that has birthed before us! The other hand living in an untransformed world. Praying ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN (Mat 6:10) You are in the middle there is a pain/suffering there! Gal 6:17 From now on, let no one make trouble for me; for I carry the marks of Jesus branded on my body

FOLLOW ME

JB: Jesus has many fans - but not so many followers

Belief in Jesus = often reduced to a mental agreement / assent It is a little more than that I am swimming Emergency broadcast A tsunami is on its way

 I can believe it (Mental assent) Or I can BELIEVE it (Seek shelter) Jesus' word to DISCIPLES was often FOLLOW ME HIS VOICE IS NOW CALLING FROM THE DOOR WHERE ARE YOU?