Crucified

Sadly, though Christ and His cross are central to our Christian faith, we seem to know little of what the crucified life entails. Paul said in Galatians 2, I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in (and through) me. Paul's letters are filled with descriptions of living out a crucified life, a life where we have died to our own will and are completely surrendered to and live for His, yet we seem largely ignorant as to what it all means to us personally. When Christ calls us to Himself, He also calls us to His cross and go to our own Calvary. A.W. Tozer gave a powerful description of what is entailed in the crucified life. I share it with you today. The Romans were highly skilled at putting people to death and had many cruel means of doing so. Crucifixion was among the worst, if not the worst. Tozer listed three things about crucifixion that apply to everyone who comes after Jesus Christ..... The one being crucified could face in only one direction. When we follow after Him, we go in only one direction; where He leads. We're not to be concerned about any other. Where He leads we follow, regardless of the danger, the cost, or the place. This must already be settled in our heart and will. If it hasn't, we will always be looking for a way out of our following, or we will have set pre-determined boundaries as to how far we will go with Him. With the crucified life, there can be no reservations. The one being crucified can never turn back. The old hymn comes to mind here; I have decided to follow Jesus...no turning back, no turning back. Again, those who have chosen the crucified life have already made the decision that there would be no turning back in their journey with Christ. They would not lag behind and they would not run ahead. They don't ask the Lord for details about what lies ahead, they simply trust that He knows the way and that He leads in a direction that will bring us our ultimate good and blessing. The hardness of the way, the pain that may be involved, the losses that may be incurred, none will deter them. They will not turn back....ever. The one being crucified no longer has any plans of their own. The one condemned to crucifixion was under the complete control of those who'd nailed them to the cross. Those who live the crucified life have yielded all control and all the details of their life to Jesus Christ. They may talk with their Lord, ask of their Lord, and have hopes in their Lord, but all of this is completely surrendered to Him. Their attitude is like that of their Lord in the Garden when He asked the Father to remove the "cup" of the crucifixion from Him, but said in the asking, Nevertheless, not my will but Your will be done. This is the crucified life. Is it yours and is it mine? There is no such thing as a casual follower of Jesus Christ. That's an oxymoron. We should tremble even thinking that it's possible to be such. Jesus said that Where I am, you shall be also. That promise entails riches untold stretching into and throughout eternity, but it also includes a cross. Yours and mine. The cross will always lead us to the tomb of our old carnal flesh life, but it will also yield the wonder of His resurrection life. May we meet Him at His cross. Our flesh will fight it, but our hearts will yearn for it. Which wins out in you and me? Blessings, Pastor O