Friday, April 12, 2013

The Cost of Discipleship pt 32 - Bear His Cross

Chapter 4-Discipleship and the Cross (continued)

Bonhoeffer- 'To endure the cross is not a tragedy; it is the suffering which is the fruit of an exclusive allegiance to Jesus Christ. When it comes, it is not an accident but a necessity. It is not the sort of suffering which is inseparable from this mortal life, but the suffering which is an essential part of the specifically Christian life. It is not suffering per se but suffering-and -rejection, and not rejection for any cause or conviction of our own, but rejection for the sake of Christ. If our Christianity has ceased to be serious about discipleship, if we have watered down the gospel into emotional uplift which makes no costly demands and which fails to distinguish between natural and Christian existence, then we cannot help regarding the cross as an ordinary everyday calamity, as one of the trial and tribulations of life. We have then forgotten that the cross means rejection and shame as well as suffering. The Psalmist was lamenting that he was despised and rejected of men, and that is an essential quality of the suffering of the cross. But this notion has ceased to be intelligible to a Christianity which can no longer see any difference between an ordinary human life and a life committed to Christ. The cross means sharing the suffering of Christ to the last and to the fullest. Only a man thus totally committed in discipleship can experience the meaning of the cross. The cross is there, right from the beginning, he has only got to pick it up; there is no need for him to go out and look for a cross for himself, no need for him deliberately to run after suffering. Jesus says that every Christian has his own cross waiting for him, a cross destined and appointed by God. Each must endure his allotted share of suffering and rejection. But each has a different share: some God deems worthy of the highest form of suffering, and gives them the grace of martyrdom, while others he does not allow to be tempted above that which they are able to bear. But is the one and the same cross in every case.

The cross is laid on every Christian. The first Christ-suffering which every man must experience is the call to abandon the attachments of this world. It is that dying of the old man which is the result of his encounter with Christ. As we embark upon discipleship we surrender ourselves to Christ in union with his death-- we give over our lives to death. Thus it begins; the cross is not the terrible end to another wise godfearing and happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ. When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.'

Just tonight during our weekly Bible study we discussed this 'suffering', well, maybe not just in this way, I hadn't even studied this yet, but suffering was brought up.

It was mentioned that Christ died and suffered so we didn't have to suffer, to which it was countered that we DO have to suffer. Christ died so we could LIVE eternally in HIM, not so we didn't have to suffer, quite the opposite.

2Ti 3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

How many? ALL.

All that will live godly in CHRIST JESUS shall suffer persecution.

Not just a chosen few, but ALL.

Joh 17:20  Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
Joh 17:21  That they all may be one; as thou, Father,art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
Joh 17:22  And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
Joh 17:23  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Joh 17:24  Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
Joh 17:25  O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
Joh 17:26  And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.


Jesus wasn't speaking only of His apostles but 'FOR THEM ALSO WHICH SHALL BELIEVE ON ME THROUGH THEIR WORD'-  He's talking about US!  US who believe through the words of the Apostles, the Disciples who lived when Jesus lived and receive His holy word directly!


Joh 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Tribulation.

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
1Pe 5:10  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while,make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
1Pe 5:11  To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Afflictions.

Rom_8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God,and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Suffer with Him.

Gal 5:13  For, brethren, ye have been called untoliberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Gal 5:14  For all the law is fulfilled in one word,even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Gal 5:15  But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Gal 5:18  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Gal 5:19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest,which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance,emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings,and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Gal 5:26  Let us not be desirous of vain glory,provoking one another, envying one another.

They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Bonhoeffer says-  'To endure the cross is not atragedy; it is the suffering which is the fruit of an exclusive allegiance to Jesus Christ.'

TRUTH.

They that are Christ's have CRUCIFIED the flesh with the affections and lusts.

We are called to alife of crucified flesh! This is God's word!

They that are Christ's….HAVE CRUCIFIED THE FLESH.

How can we ever believe that we don't have to suffer?

Have crucified-
- Definition:
1. to stake, drive down stakes
2. to fortify with driven stakes, to palisade
3. to crucify
a. to crucify one
b. metaph. to crucify the flesh, destroy its power utterly (the nature of the figure implying that the destruction is attended with intense pain)

SUFFERING!

Bonhoeffer expounds on this suffering-

'It is not the sort of suffering which is inseparable from this mortal life, but the suffering which is an essential part of the specifically Christian life. It is not suffering per se but suffering-and -rejection, and not rejection for any cause or conviction of our own, but rejection for the sake of Christ. If our Christianity has ceased to be serious about discipleship, if we have watered down the gospel into emotional uplift which makes no costly demands and which fails to distinguish between natural and Christian existence, then we cannot help regarding the cross as an ordinary everyday calamity, as one of the trial and tribulations of life. We have then forgotten that the cross means rejection and shame as well as suffering.'

AN ESSENTIAL PART of the SPECIFICALLY CHRISTIAN LIFE.
SUFFERING and REJECTION FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST!

How can anyone believe that Jesus Christ suffered so they wouldn't have to suffer? To NO longer suffer would mean death - either physical death, or death of any selfawareness whatsoever so that a person truly rejoices in their suffering for Christ.

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

When Christ suffered viciously at the hands of His torturers, His murderers, He did so feeling PAIN!He didn't lack the sensation of PAIN! To even imagine that He felt NOTHING, NO PAIN would be to imply He wasn't human at all.

Christ's sufferings were REAL!

He suffered not only physically but emotionally- He felt the pain of those who were lost all around Him, rejecting Him as their Savior.

Luk_13:34  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings,and ye would not!

Emotional pain.

Joh 11:33  When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
Joh 11:34  And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
Joh 11:35  Jesus wept.

Groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.  Jesus wept.

He suffered.

We are told that we will have fiery trials to try us,  this is suffering!

We are told to pickup our cross, this is suffering!

Mat_16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Suffering.

You do NOT take up across and not suffer.

 Bonhoeffer- 'The Psalmist was lamenting that he was despised and rejected of men, and that is an essential quality of the suffering of the cross. But this notion has ceased to be intelligible to a Christianity which can no longer see any difference between an ordinary human life and a life committed to Christ.'

This is so incredibly true!

Bonhoeffer- 'The cross is laid on every Christian. The first Christ-suffering which every man must experience is the call to abandon the attachments of this world. It is that dying of the old man which is the result of his encounter with Christ. As we embark upon discipleship we surrender ourselves to Christ in union with his death-- we give over our lives to death. Thus it begins; the cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise godfearing and happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ. When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.'

TRUTH!

Please LORD, help us to comprehend the truth in YOUR WORD. Yes, we are reading from a man's work, a man who is expounding on the truth, but NOT making any new truth. We go to YOUR word and we find the TRUTH and when we find the truth by YOUR grace, through the Holy Spirit's guidance, please LORD help us to live the TRUTH, to LIVE in YOU, our ALL IN ALL.

All in YOUR LOVE LORD! ALL IN YOUR LOVE!

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