Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Cross - New Model to Discipleship
2 Corinthians 4:1-12
  Mariam Hency Varghese

South Florida MTC, Davie, FL

5 For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake.

The cross has become a symbol of Christians around the world.  Many see the cross as a symbol of the work of Christ, others wear the cross as a symbol of being a Christian.  However, the cross is the symbol of the death of Christ. This, the cross represents the death of our sin.  But, more important than the cross, the symbol of our lives is Christ. In a passage in 2 Corinthians 4, Paul says “for what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord.”  Paul speaks of Jesus Christ as Master of our lives.  We live under the rule of the Master and King of Kings.  We are slaves and servants unto to Him because His work is great and greatly to be praised.  This gospel or the good news that we share to the world about Jesus Christ keeps us enslaved to Him out of love.  We proclaim the good news that God the Father has sent His son to bring the lost sons and daughters of His household.  The Father’s mission is restoration of His people to Himself.  God sets His good news or His light into the darkness of man’s heart so we may encounter Jesus Christ.
True discipleship begins at the cross with death unto oneself and resurrection in Jesus Christ.  We begin with repentance of our sin and rise in the power and strength of the power of God which raised Christ.  Though we are jars of clay, easily broken and overlooked, we carry a precious good news on this earth.  The cost of discipleship begins with the cross.  We should not be persuaded by the world that we will be well off.  We are to bring this good news as disciples of Christ to the world.  We will be afflicted, but in Christ we are not crushed or driven to despair.  We will be persecuted, but will not be destroyed.  The promises of God in Christ is real.  Though Christ was afflicted, persecuted, carried to death on the cross, our hope is to rise like Him one day.  Though our mortal flesh dismays at the cost of discipleship, we must learn to live for Him who has died for us and intercedes for us today.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ, we pray today that our hearts may see the truth of Your Gospel so that we may live for You by dying to our self. Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
“When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer- The Cost of Discipleship.



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