The Walk of the Cross

Well, thank you very much, Sharon and Sue. Glad to have you down. And once again, please to say hello to Fred. We appreciate that he's practicing the law of love and quarantine, and he is outside the camp. We'll also, we'll actually be talking about being outside the camp towards the end of this message. Well, it is today that I would like to bring you an incredible invitation, and it is today that I would like to bring to you a calling of privilege and utmost honor. And it is today that I would bring to you a divine petition upon your person, undergirded and guaranteed by God's love. The reason why I mention today is, when it's all said and done, only we have, is today. And today is ours, and today is God's, to be able to deal with us, and hopefully to have a portion of the gospel message reach into our lives and affect us, that our many tomorrows might be different than when we came into this building just a little while ago. I bring then that invitation, that privilege, that honor that our Father and Jesus Christ would bestow upon each and every one of you. And it is a petition that will affect each and every part of our person, that we might be able to rise to that calling.

Let's begin by turning over to Luke 14, if you'll come with me, please, in Luke 14, and we'll pick up the thought in verse 25. As we do, allow me to create some framework for all of you. Let's understand that as we turn to the words of Jesus and who Jesus was and what was occurring, many people were attracted to Jesus for many reasons, and not just simply one sole purpose. Then, as well as today, people are still attracted to the name and the persona of Jesus Christ for many a reason. See, He is a magnet, and that persona and that message, as people understand that message, is a tremendous drawing power around the globe.

Many folks then had traveled far to see Him, but now, here in this passage, He begins to describe the rest of the journey. They thought, oh, there's the rabbi, there's the master, we have now made it. And really, what Jesus was telling them in this passage was, no, no, no, no, partner, the journey has just begun. And He makes this journey very real, and He tells it like it is. And one thing that we always want to remember about Jesus and the way that He communicated to His followers is simply this. And you might want to jot it down if you want to. Jesus is always brutally honest, brutally honest, because the invitation that I spoke to you a moment ago, and the invitation that He offers in these words that He's about to speak, is not a casual invitation, but it is utterly pervasive. And it has an inherent priority, this invitation that I speak of, that will demand a certain walk of each and every one of us. It will demand everything that you have and everything that you are. Sometimes people like to give what they have, but the invitation that we're about to speak about this afternoon is not only inviting you to give what you have, but to give what you are and to be more than you were once this invitation is understood.

It will demand your all, every piece of you, your heart, your mind, and your flesh.

Is everybody ready to proceed with the invitation? I just told you what it's like.

It's pervasive. It's demanding. But it's wonderful, and it's a privilege, and it's a calling nonetheless than God Almighty. What do we call this walk? Let's just simply call it this and call it what it is. We might call it the walk of the cross. Now, in this invitation, he makes it very clear. Let's read it what's going on. Verse 25, Now great multitudes went with him, and he turned, and he said to them, Jesus understood that people were coming for all sorts of reasons. He was a man of many wonders. He was a man that fed crowds. He was a man that healed lepers. He was a man that spoke of precepts and concepts that no other prophet, no other man of God had ever spoken to that point.

And so, like this magnet, he drew all these people, but he knew now that he had to divide us. If I can use his proverbial saying, the boys from the girls, the sheep from the goats.

He knew that there had to be a dividing line. They had to understand what the calling was about.

And then he said, if anyone comes to me and does not love less his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and yes, his own life also, he cannot, notice, he cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. There is a, at the human level and the human assignment, a very big cannot.

There is a must factor in this. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost whether he has enough to finish it, lest after he is laid the foundation is not able to finish it, and all who see it begin to mock him, saying, well, this man began to build and was not able to finish, or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes up against him with twenty thousand, or else, while the other is still a great way away off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. Interesting. What is Jesus Christ telling you and me on this day, as he did that audience many years ago, for we too have been drawn to the person, Jesus Christ.

He's basically saying this, if you do not bear or take up across, because the the root deep meaning of the term bear there means to literally take up across, you cannot be my disciple, you cannot learn from me. If you're not willing to go into that lab session of life, you cannot learn from me. I cannot be your rabbi. I cannot be your teacher. He's basically saying you can be in the know, and you can be titillated by lofty concepts, but you won't really learn from me, because what I am offering is not brain food. I am not offering heart syrup. What I offer is experiential in practice.

It's not simply what I know, but what I am and what I personify. The bottom line is you will not know until you experience it.

He's basically saying to you and me on this day, December 22nd, 2012, this, my message, Jesus' message, his manner of mentoring is not skin deep. It's not only to teach us what to think, but how to respond by what we have been taught. In other words, to be more than we are when the message comes to us. Now, when he says here, if you'll notice in verse 26 or 27, and whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple, this was not lost on the audience of his day. In Judea, in Samaria, and Galilee, many a subject of Rome had seen people bear a cross.

We often think of the concept or the picture in our mind of Golgotha with the three staros, the three stakes, the three cross, and that's a picture that comes to mind. But oftentimes what Romans would do to ensure and secure that Pax Romana of Roman peace, they were brutal.

The peace came through the pathway of brutality. And oftentimes they would take hundreds, and if not sometimes thousands like they did with the revolt of Spartacus in 70 BC, they would line the roads with people being crucified. What I'm saying is this really hit a nerve to the audience I've heard them to bear a cross because what the Romans would do from the place of judgment to the place of execution, they would make the slave or the fugitive or the criminal, they would have to bear that crossbar. That was to humiliate them. That was the final indignity.

That was the stamp of the boot of Rome to crush the individual and to humiliate them by basically being stuck on a piece of wood, nailed like an animal to a tree, basically almost naked, if not. Bearing a cross was not lost on the audience.

Even so with that thought, Christ said to follow me. He said, notice in verse 26, allow your eyes to fall on it, please. It says, and whosoever does not bear his cross, notice and come after me.

There are the key words to not only bear a cross, but to come after me.

It never ceases. The invitation is always there and it is for each and every one of us today.

It always goes out, but there's a few steps along the way that I would like to center upon today.

Before we step any further into this walk, please notice carefully again in verse 27, whoever does not bear his cross and come after me. Notice it doesn't, are you with me? It doesn't say to ride on my cross. It doesn't say to piggyback on my cross. My cross is different. My cross is special. It is the ultimate cross, the ultimate star of the ultimate stake. It is that instrument of sanctification. It's that instrument of redemption and reconciliation and restoration of man apart from God. That is the cross that I was nailed to. Nonetheless, you are to bear your own cross and follow me as I bore my cross. So please understand, if anybody doesn't want to bear a cross, they're allowed to leave right now and we'll close our eyes and don't worry about it.

Because that's the invitation. That is the calling. That is the reality. Jesus never said that it would be easy. He did say indeed, though, it would be worth it. Thus, where might we begin in thinking about this? Our personal journey. How we carry our cross. This cross-like existence, this experience. What I want to share with you for a moment before we get into some steps of how to walk with that cross-like walk. What I'd like to share with you for a moment is simply this.

Understanding the walk of the cross. Understanding the cross-like existence is foundational. It is central to the preaching, to the teaching, to all that was shared by the early church.

Where might we begin? Paul offers powerful thoughts. Join me if you would. Let's open up our Bibles. Turn over to 1 Corinthians 1 for a moment. In 1 Corinthians 1, we visit a church like any church has challenges. When you have people all together under one roof, you have people. Wherever you go, there are people. The Corinthian church was a unique church. It was a church that had gigantic personalities. It was a church that had tremendous gifts of the spirit.

It was a diverse church that came from many, many different angles and had many, many different thoughts. It had a lot of knowledge, but also there was a lot of division. It was a church that had those that were following Paul, following Peter, those that said, well, we're doing it better, we're following Christ, and we're following this person, that person, here, there, and everywhere, just like the Beatles used to sing. Here, there, and everywhere. The church was coming apart at the seams. That's what happens when you are just relying on gnosis, when you're just relying on knowledge, when you're just relying on facts, when you've just skimmed the surface of what our God has called us to, when we think that, well, we are in the know, but everybody else is, well, I don't want to describe them. That's where the Corinthian church was. They had become, do I dare say, may I? They had become haughty. They had become prideful. They had become apart from God.

They forgot why they were called. They knew everything but the basics of what Christianity is about. And thus, Paul had to reintroduce them to Christianity 101 in 1 Corinthians 1, 17. Notice what it says. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the good news, the gospel, not with the wisdom of word, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is indeed the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputing of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? And yet, that's at times what even Christians, people in faith communities, want to juggle in front of one another. The wisdom of this world, the culture of this world, the pride of this world. For since in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message, preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign. And Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness. But to those who are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God, because the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

So here we have a church that is in disarray, coming apart at the seams. And God inspires the Apostle Paul to bring them right to the floor, right to the ground level of what their calling is all about. He mentions in verse 17 about the cross of Christ, not being of effect. He mentions in verse 18 the message of the cross. In verse 23 he says, but we preach Christ crucified, crucified, not a scholar behind a pulpit, not a professor of theology with all the seemingly good answers behind again a pulpit, but a man who was crucified before others in humility that God might have the glory. Now, Paul not only preached this early on in his ministry, because Corinthians is one of the more ancient of text, but he practiced what he preached. He brings Jesus' initial teachings of bearing across fully home in Galatians 2 and 20. Join me there for a moment. Galatians 2 and verse 20. Let's take a look here, because what he speaks here is experiential. It's not just words. The loudest sermon is not the facts that are bumping into one another in your head, but as Mr. Fish brought out in the excellent presentation today in the Bible study, the loudest sermon is what we practice. The loudest sermon is how we live, not what we know. And dear friends, may I say something to you that are here in Los Angeles. At times, we fit, unfortunately, that case. We, at times, can become prideful about what we know versus what others might not know. When the loudest sermon is to practice the life of Christ living in us. Notice Galatians 2 and verse 20. I have been crucified with Christ.

It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. It is not only Jesus that was crucified on Golgotha. But Paul has said the stake has now been firmly placed in my heart, my life, the mountain of my thoughts, my motives. I'm not the same man that rode that donkey or that horse on the way to Damascus. Something occurred. Christ grabbed ahold of me. He said, who do you say that I am? You know who this is. And He grabbed ahold of me, and now I grab ahold of the things of Christ. And if He was crucified, He said long ago, and one of the apostles told me that we're there and they shared this story with me. I speak as Paul does. And perhaps it was a Peter or Paul when they shared the story of Him being there with the masses. And he said, if you are going to follow Me, you're going to have to bear your cross. You're going to have to, likewise, in that sense, be crucified. Now let's understand something. And I say this to you that are in the church of God culture. While we do not worship before a man-made cross, nonetheless, our daily worship of God is molded and conformed by this powerful biblical metaphor of a cross-like existence. It is indeed one of the centering elements. You see it in the book of Corinthians that brings a church together that allows us to begin to not be conformed to this world, to renew our minds, and to be transformed step by step into His image. My question then for you is simply this Los Angeles. How do we bear our cross like Jesus Christ bore His cross? Allow me to offer you some steps. God gave His Son a work to carry a cross to Golgotha. May I say something to all of you? God has also, our Heavenly Father, given you a work through His Son and through His Son's words to bear a cross. I have a question. How are you doing with the cross that you're bearing right now? I want you to... it's hard for a preacher to stop talking for a moment, but I shall... I want you to think about what you think your cross is right now.

What God has perhaps asked you to pick up and to carry... no hands please... but to carry, and how are you doing? It's kind of like this phrase, how are you doing, folks, with the assignment that God has given you? I want you to think about it for a moment. I am going to pause because this is to respect you, the audience, before I give you some of the steps to help you to bear your cross. Let's proceed. The first step that I'd like to share with you to bear a cross like Jesus Christ. Point number one. His purpose was always before Him. His purpose was always before Him. You see, Christ didn't simply wind up at the end of His life on a cross.

He didn't say, what am I doing up here? What am I doing nailed to this piece of wood? What am I doing here with people jeering me and snorting at me and ridiculing and insulting me, and now I'm at life's end and my life is ebbing away? No, no, no, no. This concept of the cross-like existence was always before God. It was on His mind and on His heart. And the reason why I want to share this with you is because it's going to match. Let's understand something, and this gives me great confidence every year when I partake of the New Testament Passover is simply this. We have the privilege and the honor of not worshiping an accidental Savior. We do not worship an accidental Savior. Come with me if you would to John 3. John 3 and verse 13, and let's pick up the thought. Gospel thereof, John.

In John 3 and verse 13, no one has ascended to heaven, but he who came down from heaven, and that is the Son of Man who is in heaven. Now, notice verse 14, because it's going to draw upon a reference of old when the plague had come down upon the children of Israel for their disobedience.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. There has to be a stop of the plague of death that is visited upon every man and woman for their actions and for their deeds. There has to be hope. There has to be a difference. There has to be someone that steps between the land of the living and the land of the dead. And thus, the second Moses, Jesus, refers to the initial encounter of the initial Moses of lifting up that serpent in the wilderness. That lifting up being an analogy of that which was to come in the future, three years down the line in which he would be lifted up on Golgotha and would be crucified.

We often do not focus on this because we go to the next set of verses that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. And then this wonderful scripture for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. But this precedes it. This was at the beginning of his ministry. It was not at the end of his ministry. He began with the end in mind. I have a question for you, friends, and only you can answer it. Do you begin every day with the end in mind as to how you will walk the walk on that day? Do you think of yourself literally walking within the crucified life? Are your steps there to match the steps of Jesus Christ? And or are you skipping on your own, breathing in the fumes of knowledge and not going down to the experiential level?

That our Master has called us to experience. Only you can answer that. But we are to begin with the end in mind. We are to live a devoted life. Jesus was chosen to live a crucified life. We too have been chosen. Join me if you would in John 15, if you would. John 15 and verse 16. John 15 verse 16. Notice, you did not choose me, but I chose you, and I appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in my name, He may give you.

These things I command you that you love one another. We were chosen. Sometimes we think we've just come into church because, well, you know, those folks agree with me. How is it that God and I agree? Isn't that neat? And we found a group that finally kind of agrees with me. And so we come into a church, and as time goes along, we get on a roster of that church. They get our phone number, and we go to their socials like we're going to go to tonight, and socials are wonderful and fine. And they're a part of church life.

I understand that. But we don't understand. We dismiss the privilege, the honor of the calling that none other than God the Father has called us to walk the steps behind His Son and bear a cross like He did. Join me if you would for a moment, 1 Corinthians 1. 1 Corinthians 1, and let's pick up the thought in verse 2. Again, back to this epic epistle of Paul's. 1 Corinthians 1. So let's pick up the thought in verse 2. To the church of God, to the ecclesia, to the scattered, called out ones of God, which is at Corinth.

Not the Corinthian Christians, but the church of God that happens to be at Corinth. To those who are hagios in Jesus Christ, called to be again hagios with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.

Now, I said the Greek word, which is defined by the other two words. To those which are called to be saints, called to be holy, called to be set apart. It's like the basilica in ancient Constantinople, hagiosophia, holy sophia, holy wisdom. The word is in the Greek holy. We are holy with all who are in every place where it says that we are to be sanctified. Brethren, to experience the sacred service that you and I have been called to, and to prepare now to become a kingdom of priests under Jesus Christ in the wonderful world tomorrow, you and I have been called to sacred service.

We're in training to be priests of God Almighty under Jesus Christ, the high priest. And to be trained in that sacred service means that you and I must understand the walk of that cross and follow our master. What I want to share here with you is simply a very basic principle in the Bible. It's very simple. Before we bear a crown, we must bear a cross.

Before we bear a crown, we must bear a cross. It's that simple. That's the great spiritual equation that comes out of the Gospels. And we must always keep it before us is the first step. Allow me to take you to step number two, that second walk, second step of the walk. Number two, Christ bore his crown, excuse me, Christ bore his cross, Christ bore his cross with humility. Join me if you would in the epistle of Philippians.

Philippians 2. And let's pick up the thought as we begin in verse 2. In Philippians 2 in verse 2, well, let's start in verse 1. Therefore, if there is any consolation or comfort in Christ, in Christ, not just simply about Christ or knowing Christ, but abiding and being in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love being of one accord of one mind.

Notice verse 3. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind, that each esteem others better than himself. And let each of you look out not only for his own interest, but also for the interest of others.

Now, let me deduce this to one word. May I? And that is simply this. Paul is addressing the subject of humility. Humility was not a virtue looked upon with favorable measure in the Hellenistic world of Paul's time. It was not the virtue that the average Greek was raised with. It was not virtuous. It was looked upon as a detriment. And yet, it is normally, if you want to do a Bible study on this, humility is normally the first step of the Christian walk. It starts in humility because humility is the opposite of pride. Notice what it says here then. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a slave, doulos, bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore, notice verse 9, interesting transitional word, because this is, thus this shall be. Therefore, God has also highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name. Now, when you look at this, it's very interesting. Christ simply practiced what He preached. Christ practiced what He preached.

And if you'll notice Luke 14, let's go back to Luke 14. It's actually the story that begins right before the talk of the cross. And Luke 14, He gives this entire story about being invited into a supper and about those that are looking for the chief seat. And if you just look at Luke 14, the story actually stretches from 7 down through 14. But let's just notice here then for a moment in verse 11, for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

Jesus, in the walk of His cross, walked in humility. He did not take the chief seat.

He was nailed to a cross. And when He died, He could sink no lower for you and for me, both in nature, from being a member of the Godhead, to becoming encapsulated in man, to the death of a criminal. Very interesting. What does this tell you and me? I'd like to share a thought with you, may I? It is not simply that we see a cross in our life. I asked you to consider what cross you might be bearing at this time, and or that we are willing to bear it. You might say, so far, so good. I know my cross, and God above, I am willing to bear it.

Third step, and this separates where we need to go. Speaking of yours truly, it's how we carry it.

We can know the cross, we can accept the call to carry the cross, but it's how we carry it.

It is the difference between putting a bunch of recipes together.

Some folks are really wonderful at preparing a meal. They're fantastic cooks, but they don't know how to serve it and be a gracious hostess. You see, when we bear a cross, when we understand that's the role of a Christian, when we understand that, yes, we will be willing to pick it up, it is not only picking it up, it is how we will bear it with the humility of Jesus Christ.

Why do I say that to you and to myself on this Sabbath day? Allow me to be blunt, may I?

Culturally, religious folks are not always humble people. There I said it.

People in a faith community such as ours are at times not humble, whether collectively or individually. They've heard the word. They've heard so many sermons on humility that it's like a rolodex. But there's something about the creature that we forget our origins. We forget our roots. You say, well, Mr. Weber, how can you say that about people of faith? How can you say that about people that know the truth? Because Jesus Christ did. Jesus Christ had a whole bunch of people around him, which was his norm. A whole bunch of people gathered around him. And the Pharisees were there, the church of that day. The scribes were there, the church of that day. And they looked around at the others that were around Jesus, and they said, what are they doing here? Who let them in? Come on! I don't know the Hebrew word for come on or Aramaic. Come on!

Where's this church going? And the famous word, Luke 15. So, Jesus shared. There was a shepherd, and 99 were safe, but there was one out in the field. And then he continued then, there was a woman that lost, had actually 10 coins, but lost one. And she tore her house apart, looking. And then he said, but let's move off of that. Let's get personal. There was a son, whose prodigal, left the faith, left any good common sense, went into the squalor of pigs.

I think you know the rest of the story. Then he said, but the older brother, who did everything right, and who knew all the rules, and yet could not even address that the individual that came back was his own brother.

You know the rest of the story. Why do I share this with you, that Christ bore his cross with humility? Allow me to be plain about humility for a moment. Let me share a definition with you of humility. Humility is a proper estimation of ourselves apart from God and who he is.

It is proper recognition that we have deserved nothing but death, but have been rescued apart from ourselves, reconciled, restored, and that by the grace of God would still be drowning in self. And thus, thus, with that humility of spirit in us, we look back and we say, thank you God, thank you Father, thank you Christ. And we look at, treat, respect others as God has treated us, because we all rest humbly in that common ground, in our mind's imagination, that postcard of what Golgotha must have been like, that you and I always hold that postcard in our mind of one that was raised up. And being raised up, the emblem that he was on, no matter what it looked like, that's not important at this juncture, but he was crucified on it. I would suggest it was soaked with his blood and blood at the bottom, and we all stand and we abide in that blood, recognizing that that blood was not for the other guy, but for you and for me. And that we come to always that realization that Jesus was not sent to this earth to make good men better, but to grant and allow men that were dead, dead men walking, to give them life that was not theirs to have, drowning in our sins, redeemed, reconciled, restored to our Father above. Before we bear a crown, we must bear a cross, and that cross must be planted in the footsteps of humility. Point number three, third step, Christ bore a demanding cross. Christ bore a demanding cross. God has demands on us. He has expectations. Join me if you would. Let's turn over to Matthew 10. Take a look here for a moment at Matthew 10 verse 38. And he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me, and he who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.

It's very interesting when you look at verse 38. Keyword there is worthy. It's not worthy.

Worthy denotes weight or value based on a deed. It denotes a transaction that because Jesus died for us, therefore we die in Christ before our Heavenly Father. And says, and he who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. Paul spoke to this. You might just jot down 1 Corinthians 15.31. We won't turn there right now, but you know when I talk about the walk of the cross and or the cross life existence is born out in the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15.31 when he said, I die daily. I die daily. I am crucified in that sense daily with Christ. There's a verse that I'd like to share with you a moment. I think I skipped over it. It just came to mind. Very powerful verse. Join me in Galatians 6.14. In Galatians 6.14.

Galatians 6.14. Talking about dying daily. But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world has been crucified to me.

But that's only one part of the transaction. And I to the world, the culture, the cosmos, the society, the ways and the means of this world, I've come to recognize they're far apart from that which was offered at Eden and which is now offered to the new creation called the body of Christ.

He says that world has been crucified. It's nailed. It's dead to me. And likewise, there's no going back because I've been nailed and I've been crucified, not simply on a tree, but an understanding that the Son of God has been given for my stead. He spoke of it, that every day we wake up with that end in mind. Now, may I say something, dear friends, and allow me to do so? We all know this. We all know that in that sense, we are to live that crucified existence. And we know that we are not to be grabbing onto this life.

And we are to lay down our lives for others. But we can't set our alarms accordingly. We can't say, well, at 521 this afternoon, there's going to be a spiritual event in my life.

And the alarm is going to go off and I need to be prepared for it. It doesn't work that way. Life is not lived by the day alone, but it's composed of minutes and people that God places before us, not at the end of the day. But frankly, do I dare say, when it is humanly inconvenient?

Just think of the story of the Good Samaritan. The church people, the high priest, the Levites, it was not convenient for them. But there was one that came along, that was outside of the camp, called a Samaritan.

And he was willing to lose his life that another might gain it. I'd like to share a story with you for a moment. It's a story of a, I think it was a 19th century evangelist. His name is Sundar Singh, and he walked through the breadth, the width, and the depth of India. On one occasion, Sadhu Sandhar Singh and a companion were traveling through a pass high in the Himalayan Mountains. At one point they came across a body lying in the snow. Sundar Singh wished to stop and help the unfortunate man, but his companion refused, saying, well, we're going to lose our lives if we burden ourselves with others, with him. But Sundar Singh would not think of leaving that man to die in the ice and snow. And as his companion bade him farewell, Sundar Singh lifted the poor traveler on his back with great exertion on his part. He bore the man onward. But gradually the heat from Sundar Singh's body began to warm up the poor frozen fellow. And he revived. And soon both were walking together side by side, catching up with his former companion, who sought to save his life. They found him, are you ready? Dead. Frozen. By the cold.

By the cold. In the case of Sundar Singh, he was willing to lose his life on behalf of another.

And in that process, he found it. And in the case of his callous companion, he sought to save his life, but he lost it.

Question with that thought in mind. A few questions.

Who is on display when we come into contact with others?

Is the love of the Father and the example of Jesus Christ shining brightly in us?

Whose life are we sharing? The example of Christ or our own humanity? You know, Frank gave this message today. Boy, it took me back about 50 years. 1 Peter 3, verse 1.

In those days in the early 60s, we had so many big families coming to the church. And oftentimes, they were brought by a woman with three or four children. Some of you that are old enough, as old as I am, are older, will remember those days. And women would come to church with three or four or five kids. And they said, you know, yeah, they were all there and they had the blankets.

But I remember those messages that were given to those women, not knowing what they were going to face when they went home.

And that driving force, that verse out of verse, that you that are in the church might win those that are your non-member mates. Not by what you know, but by what you are.

Not your head knowledge. Not condemning them for what they don't know or God hasn't revealed to them.

But by the sheer example of Christ living in us, of a spirit of sacrifice and of humility and of love, recognizing that we practice what we preach. And that's the loudest sermon that we can give. Whatever your cross is right now, whatever you are bearing, whatever you are having, that heavy load that is on you, that you have the privilege, are you with me? And the honor and the calling to bear it like Jesus Christ. I'm going to go to one last point. Bear with me.

I did this about two weeks ago in Cincinnati. I'll bring the other one back as a full sermon sometime. But I think you'll find this encouraging because I want to leave you with encouragement. Point number four, step four. Now this one you can't look down, but you've got to look around.

God will give others to help you share the load.

God will give us others to share the load. Join me if you would in Mark 15.

In Mark 15. This is the story of Jesus moving towards Golgotha.

In Mark 15, and let's pick up the thought here. Let's actually go to verse 20. And when they had mocked him, they took the purple off him, put his clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him. Then they compelled a certain man, Simon, I say a serenian, most likely a Jew of the diaspora from the Hellenistic city on the North African coast, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by to bear his cross. And they brought him to a place, Golgotha, which is translated place of a skull.

Here Jesus was being taken from the judgment hall of Rome, jeered and ridiculed as he went down the alleys and the pathways of Jerusalem to be crucified like a criminal on the outside of Jerusalem, not on the inside of the walls. And this inspired moment came along that even the son of God, because he was not only the son of God, but he was the son of man, weakened by a night of torture and beatings. The spirit was willing, but the flesh was getting weak.

And this wonderful person was commissioned, noticed. Do I think by a Roman soldier? I think beyond that. God always has a purpose when he intervenes in the kingdom of man. And this man, Simon, a serenian, came forward and helped our Lord bear his cross, the Golgotha.

What do we learn from this? Allow me to be frank. The crucified life, when you fully understand it, embrace it, internalize it, is radical. It is lonely. You will not always be surrounded by friendly crowds of like-hearted people that truly understand what you're doing.

Will not understand the walk of the cross or the cross-like existence. That it's more than what you know, but it's what you are. That you, as a Christian, with God's help, are working from the inside out and simply do not exercise an external religion. Early on, the disciples didn't even understand what Jesus was talking about. You say, what? No, you're not going to do that. You can't do that. You're not going anywhere. Or he'd say things and it would just go off them, like a ray of sunlight. And they were exposed. They just simply didn't know. Later on, towards the end of his ministry, after three and a half years, that last night of his life, he was praying alone. Everybody else fell asleep, just like you're doing... No, just teasing in the sermon. And not only that, but at the end, he was escorted alone out of the garden.

All had forsaken him. The initial one, the initial one that engendered the walk of the cross, was left to walk it alone. And remember, he says, if you are going to follow me, if you're going to come after me, you must bear your cross like I am. What I only share with you is that, dear friends, at times when you give your past, your present, your future to God Almighty through Christ, it is a lonely walk. It can even, do I dare say at times, be a lonely walk, even in a faith community like ours. People may not understand. You need to understand. What you need to understand is exposure and existence are not necessarily synonymous. There are a lot of people back then and now in our world in our day and age that are exposed to Jesus Christ, are exposed to the teachings of Christ, are exposed to the revelation of God. There is a difference between exposure and your existence in a cross-like walk before God, because God is not simply dealing with facts and knowledge. He is dealing with raw, experiential experience to train us to be with Him forever. Nonetheless, God does plant people in our lives. We need to move aside and let them carry the load. Some of us, because we might have pride and we're not humble, we don't want to think we're burdening somebody else. We need to understand there are people that understand that walk of that cross and your need for assistance and help.

Appreciate them. Appreciate them. And allow them to help you carry whatever your cross might be right now. And likewise, you be one of them. What does it say in 2 Corinthians? Shout it down. 1, 2, 3, 4. We have been comforted that we might be able to comfort others. That's a very important part.

You and I have been on a journey for a long time. I've been in this way of life for 50 years now, and since I was a Kettlet, God in this pilgrimage for me has been good.

And I realize at this point of my life, as a man, 61 years of age, with all of the rich chapters of life that I've had as a Christian, as a young guy growing up here in Pasadena, the opportunities to serve in my latter life in so many different ways. I still bear my own personal burdens. I still carry my own personal cross. And I'm so very glad that God has brought simons of Cyrene into my life to help with the load. Or, Samonas, like my wife, I'll make her one that has helped me bear my load. Each and every one of us has a sign of Cyrene out there. If your load is too heavy right now, ask God to help reveal that individual to you, to work with them, to prompt them by His Spirit to help you. And likewise, do not wait, do not be hesitant. Ask God to direct you and to direct me to likewise help others. Where does all of this talk of the cross-like existence and bearing a cross like Jesus leave us? Today we have considered the crucified life and how we bear a cross. You say, well, Mr. Weber, shouldn't this sermon be given in March? No.

It should be given every day in every way, for it is the walk that is set before us.

The question remains that only you can answer, what do you then do as you leave this hall today after hearing this message? And I believe God's message, God's words, to each and every one of us as to what we will do and be different as we bear up under the privilege of bearing a cross.

Join me if you would. Final Scripture, Hebrews 13. My wife pointed this out to me several weeks ago.

It encouraged me. It gave me a rallying point in being able to experience the crucified life. Hebrews 13 and verse 12. Therefore, Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Verse 13. I love this verse.

Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach, carrying our cross as he carried his. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.

Thus, we get up, we go out, we meet him, we embrace the crucified life.

And as we do, one, we understand Jesus bore shame and disgrace, and we must be willing to do the same. Number two, that Jesus was willing to suffer outside the camp.

Alone. So must we. Number three, and I want you to consider this as you go out this week, Jesus was unashamed of us, and we can never be ashamed of him.

Not only by what we say or don't say, but by what we do or don't do.

But what I want to share with you as we conclude, in him bearing his cross and us bearing a cross, there is one vital difference in our crucified life and the cross that we bear regarding the one that he bore as our Savior. I want you to remember this. Big difference. He was forsaken.

He was forsaken on that cross that he bore, that we might never, ever be forsaken by the cross that we bear. Before we bear a crown, we must bear a cross. That's the deal.

Christ carried his, likewise we carry ours. No way around it. But we need to make sure that our steps match the Master's. Let's recognize that God's Spirit, friends, I'm not going to be able to speak to you for about three weeks. Let's understand what you're going to be going through Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday as you experience this walk of the cross, this crucified existence, is simply this. God's Spirit will never guide or lead you to where his grace cannot maintain and uphold you from whatever you face. I leave that with you. That's his promise to those that humble himself and take up the privilege of walking and bearing across like their Master. Look forward to seeing you after services. Look forward to sharing the evening with you. We will be here.