Having a Clear Vision: "Take up Your cross and Follow Me"

“Take up Your Cross and Follow Me”
The Clear Vision of the Disciples

Mark 1:14-20 Matthew 16:24-26
Mark 2:13-14 Luke 12:32
John 1:40-42

“Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any man 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, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?” (Matthew 16:24-26)

Consider the conditions which prevailed in this world at the time Jesus began His public ministry. Rome was the world empire. Rome and Caesar controlled both the land and sea. The governor of the province of Judea, appointed by Rome, was Pilate. Pilate was a very astute politician. He was ruthless and did whatever was necessary to gain and keep power and control. The king of Galilee was Herod, also appointed by Rome. Herod was a wicked king who, like Pilate, did whatever was necessary to gain and keep control. Rome had power not only over civil, but also over religious authority. The High Priest, Annas Ciaphas, was also appointed by Rome. The High Priests were all appointed by Rome rather than called by God.

The religious sects included the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees were the fundamentalists of their day. They prided themselves on not wavering from the letter of the Law of Moses. They considered themselves the saints of their time. The Sadducees were the liberals of that day.

Taken together, the whole of civil and religious authority was corrupt, and this corruption was rampant and ran throughout the land.

Consider Jesus’ message as He began His public ministry. In the gospel according to St. Mark we read: “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.’ And passing along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you become fishers of men.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zeb'edee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them; and they left their father Zeb'edee in the boat with the hired servants, and followed him” (Mark 1:14-20).

We read how Jesus declared that the time had come, the time had been fulfilled and it was time to repent and believe. The Kingdom of Heaven was at had. It was a new Kingdom, one that gave the people hope. We are then made to see something of how Jesus chose His first disciples. Jesus comes upon Andrew and Peter. It was not, however, their first encounter with Jesus. The first time is told to us in the gospel of St. John. We read: “One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, ‘So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas’ (which means Peter)” (John 1:40-42). Without ever having met Peter, Jesus was able to see his spiritual destiny. He was able to know what Simon was called to become. Neither of the brothers became followers of Jesus at that first encounter. Some days later, Jesus sees them again and calls them, saying “follow me”.

On the occasion of this second meeting Jesus tells Simon and Andrew to follow me. What was their response? Did they ask for time to think it over? Did they respond with questions for Jesus – ‘what will we be doing?’, or where will we be going? No. Instead we are told that immediately they left their nets and followed Jesus. Had we been in that situation, how would we have responded? Be honest, would we have left everything and followed Jesus?

Jesus continues on and sees two other brothers, John and James who were also fishing. They were with their father and other hired servants. Like Simon and Andrew, they too were working. Like Simon and Andrew, when called they stopped what they were doing to follow Jesus. And, like Simon and Andrews their obedience was immediate and without question.

Consider the call of Levi, which is Matthew. In St. Mark’s gospel we read: “[Jesus] went out again beside the sea; and all the crowd gathered about him, and he taught them. And as he passed on, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he rose and followed him” (Mark 2:13-14). Like the other four, Matthew obeyed immediately and without question.

All five men stopped what they were doing and, without hesitation, chose to follow Jesus. How impressive was their obedience! But why? What led all five to respond to the call of Jesus in the manner they did? They all in fact willingly walked away from their livelihood to follow Him? Did Jesus promise them a better paying job? Were they assured of some honor or glory? No. As far as the things of this world, Jesus had absolutely nothing to offer them. Jesus grew up among the poorest of the poor. While He had worked hard as a carpenter, it was not as if He had a profitable business which made Him rich. One cannot imagine Jesus as a businessman who sought to extract profit from His customers. Who knows how often Jesus was taken advantage of by those for whom He did work. Jesus began His public ministry as a poor man.

Why then? What led these five to drop everything to follow Him? It was because they all had a clear vision of who Jesus was. Absent that vision, it would have been impossible for them to leave what they were doing to follow Him.

What was it about Jesus that impressed them to the point of leaving all to follow Him? It was the message that declared that the time was fulfilled and the Kingdom of God was at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel. It was a new message of a new Hope. What they saw in the visible gave them no hope, but this message gave them hope. The message of the Kingdom would mean a change within them. They were willing to relinquish all they had in order to see the Kingdom of Heaven realized.

What had they given up? Was it their jobs? Yes, but much more. Consider the words of Jesus to the twelve. In the gospel of St. Matthew we read: “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any man 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, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?” (Matthew 16:24-26). Had not these men already made an enormous sacrifice in order to follow Jesus? Yes they had. And yet, despite their previous sacrifice there must have been something more required of them. What then was Jesus saying? It was this -- in order to fully realize the Lord’s plan and purpose, and in order to fully embrace His Kingdom, one needs to give up more than visible things. One must relinquish all rights to self. To take up one’s cross is to put to death the self life. To put to death our self will. In order to realize the Kingdom of Heaven as a reality, a daily crucifixion, a daily death to the self life is required.

We are being called to live according to a clear vision of the Lord. We are to then take up our cross, that cross that has been reserved just for us, and follow Jesus. We must live by the “I Say” of Jesus, embracing that clear vision of His plan and purpose for us.

Is this easy? Is this something that comes easy to the soul? Not at all. In every age, it is only a relative few who are willing to undergo this daily crucifixion. Remember, it is the “little flock” who whom Jesus speaks – “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).

While there will most certainly be a future coming of the Kingdom of God when the Lord Himself will rule on the earth, there is also a present coming when His Kingdom is being extended to us today. Are we willing to embrace this present calling? If so, remember, there will be a price to pay. We must give up all rights to self and live each and every day by the I Say of Jesus.

Amen.



The following is a sermon given by bro frank--of the House of Prayer, Manlius, NY-USA-- copied by one of his parishoners and saved for your spiritual benefit. Tweet