Monday, February 22, 2010

the way of the cross

"So what exactly does it mean to follow Jesus?

This is how Jesus answered that question: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me' (Luke 9:23). Following Jesus means following the way of the cross. Later, in Luke's gospel, Jesus says: 'And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot become my disciple' (Luke 14:27).

It's a call to die. For some this may mean a call to literal death - to persecution and martyrdom. ...

But for all of us it's a call to die to self. This way of the cross isn't the calling of a few. It's the stamp of every Christian's life. When Paul says we're to be imitators of God, he spells this out by saying that we're to 'live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God' (Ephesians 5:1-2).

To follow the way of the cross means to show the same sacrificial love that Jesus showed when he went to the cross...
  • sacrifice
  • submission
  • self-denial
  • service
  • suffering
From Tim Chester, The Ordinary Hero: Living the cross and resurrection, pp49-50.

I'm loving this book.  If there is only one Christian book you read this year, pick this one.  It's passionate, challenging and heartwarming.

7 comments:

  1. I like everything Chester says. Thoughtful and contemporary.

    I looked through this book today at Koorong and saw that he quotes Michael Gorman's book Cruciformity:Paul's narrative spirituality of the cross which had a pretty big effect on me at College.

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  2. Yeah. The very next sentence in the book was a MG quote - cruciformity.

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  3. I'll buy this book on Thursday - 20% off everything at Koorong aftet then.

    Thanks for blogging about it.

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  4. well... he quotes you! (and about 1000 others)

    I bought it on your recommendation. So thanks.

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