*The True Message of the Cross: A Call to Radical Discipleship (06/19/'24) -Message

The True Message of the Cross: A Call to Radical Discipleship If Jesus preached the same message that ministers preach today, would He ever have faced the cross? The gentle murmurs of modern sermons, soothing words that glide over the surface, lack the fiery truth that once sparked revolt and redemption. The cross, a beacon of radical love and sacrifice, is now often cloaked in the soft hues of comfort and prosperity. But the true call of discipleship is neither easy nor mild. "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves," Jesus said. These words are not an invitation to a life of ease but a call to embrace the thorns and thistles of a path marked by sacrifice. Daily, we are to bear our crosses, the weight of self-denial and the struggle against the world's currents, striving to follow Him who walked this road before us. To save one's life by clinging to comfort is to lose it. The cross teaches us that in the paradox of loss, we find life anew. It is in the giving up, the laying down, the dying to self that we truly live. The message of the cross is not just a relic of history but a living, breathing call to radical discipleship. In this age, where the gospel can be twisted into a promise of prosperity, we risk being blinded and enslaved by a message that demands nothing and offers little in return. True freedom lies in the suffering that refines us, in the sacrifices that free our souls. The power of the cross may seem foolish to those who are perishing, but to those being saved, it is the very power of God. To know Christ is to share in His sufferings, to be molded by His death and resurrection. It is to be crucified with Him, so that it is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us. This is not a call to comfort but to a life that reflects His love through every scar and every act of service. In the embrace of the cross, we find a radical transformation, a life reborn in the light of sacrifice. It is in the daily taking up of our crosses, in the small and great acts of love and service, that we truly follow Him. For in the cross, we find the power to rise above, to heal, to be made whole. The true message of the cross calls us to a life of radical discipleship, a life that mirrors the love, sacrifice, and suffering of Christ. It is a call to live not for ourselves but for Him who died and rose again, to be living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. In the shadow of the cross, we find our true purpose, our true life, our true calling. Pastor Steven G. Lee (June 19, 2024)