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(By Susanne Scheppmann)
"Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me,
"Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me,
he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow
me."
Luke 9:23 (NIV)
We huddled around a large black granite conference table.
We huddled around a large black granite conference table.
We debated the needs of our church. "What would be
the best approach to disciple new believers?" We
flip-flopped between an easy Bible basics class and
sessions on essential Christian concepts. "But, we don't
want to scare anyone off," someone said. "We need to make
it comfortable."
A young man who sat directly across from me said, "I find
A young man who sat directly across from me said, "I find
nothing in the Bible that says Christianity is supposed to be
comfortable or easy."
The group stared in amazement. The truth of this young
The group stared in amazement. The truth of this young
man's words hung heavy in the air. I experienced two
feelings at once. First, I felt a wave of humbleness flood
my spirit. I recognized that I sat across from a man ready
to die for his faith in Christ, if necessary. Secondly, I
wanted to jump up and clap in admiration for this godly
young man who was half my age.
I left the meeting with a renewed hope for the future of
I left the meeting with a renewed hope for the future of
the Christian church. God is raising up men and women
who will not allow their faith to be watered down by
today's secular culture.
This man inspired my faith. His readiness to sacrifice
This man inspired my faith. His readiness to sacrifice
comfort for Christ stirred my own sleepy spirit. Revelation
2:4 popped into my thoughts, "You have forsaken your
first love (NIV)." It's easy for me to slide into my comfort
zone of faith and away from the daily self-sacrifice that Jesus
calls me to live.
Challenged, I turn again toward the cross with hope and
Challenged, I turn again toward the cross with hope and
expectation. It will not always be easy. It may make other
people uncomfortable. Nevertheless, I desire to follow Jesus
as He commanded, "If anyone would come after me, he
must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."
Do you hear Jesus calling you out of comfortable Christianity?
"Lord Jesus, I admit sometimes I replace my devotion to
Do you hear Jesus calling you out of comfortable Christianity?
"Lord Jesus, I admit sometimes I replace my devotion to
You with comfortable Christianity. Teach me to take up my
cross daily and follow You. Help me never to replace my love
for You with anything else. In Jesus' Name, Amen."
Midi: The Way of the Cross
