Choose Your Cross

"He called the crowd with his disciples and said to them,

“If any wish to come after me,

let them deny themselves and

take up their cross and follow me."

(from Mk.8:27-38)

First-century Jewish leaders had expectations and hopes of a messiah who would judge the wicked and restore Israel’s righteousness.

None of these Jewish leaders expected a messiah crucified by elders, chief priests, and scribes or that the followers would be given a cross to carry to their own execution.

In 66 BC Cicero said “To bind a Roman citizen is a crime; to flog him, an abomination. To slay him is virtually an act of murder. To crucify him is—what? No fitting word can possibly describe a deed so horrible”

It’s no surprise that when Jesus clearly explains to the disciples that the Son of Man must choose the cross of suffering, Peter doesn’t want to hear it. (vs.33).

Choosing this cross is hard to follow.

In 1993 the New Yorker reported on Macy’s cross boutique where you could buy the latest trending fist-sized crosses.

A sales associate may indicate one with a centered cameo surrounded by purple, green, blue, and pink semi-precious stones … extra-long antiqued-silver chain for wearing, bandolier style, with little biker boots.

Choosing these crosses is straightforward and painless.

The scriptures are clear:

          Choose the cross of Christ.

                   Or

          Choose the cross of “this adulterous and sinful generation,” (Rm. 1:16-17)

Arland D. Williams, Jr., chose the cross of Christ.

He was a passenger aboard Air Florida Flight 90 on January 13, 1982.

After take-off it crashed into Washington’s 14th Street Bridge, then into the icy Potomac River.

Fighting a lifelong fear of water, clinging to twisted wreckage, he handed over to the five other survivors one life-vest after another.

When all but Williams had been pulled ashore, the helicopter returned to the site to save him. He was gone.

We may never face such a dramatic situation, but we know in the situations we face, Jesus leads us.