A Cross

Despite Petrovich and Herman’s vision life goes on and Pastor Joan has a sermon to preach today. Here is a part of that sermon:
“ I saw on television last week a man who had cancer three times and was fighting to stay alive. He said to the announcer that this was his cross to bear.
I remember a mother who after being told that he only son was serial killer said “ He has always been a heavy cross to bear for me.”
There was a skier who lost his foot in an accident who remarked “ this is my cross to bear.”
My question this morning is what is your cross?
Then what does that cross have to do with Jesus?
There are two kinds of crosses in our life.
Those we are stuck with.
And those we choose.
You see when you hear this text that I read this morning you almost always think of the first kind of cross.
You think of illness or bad things that have happened to you.
You think of what gives you pain and over which you have little control.
The kind of cross Jesus speaks of in the text is not this kind.
The kind of cross Jesus speaks of doesn’t happen to us we choose it.
We take it up and follow Him.
We choose to suffer in His service.
There was a great English Doctor who was in great demand. He could have asked for and received very large fees but he gave all that up and went and worked in a leper colony. He choose to work in a leper colony.
He ended up with leprosy. He choose this cross.
He choose to follow Christ into a life of service.
He took up a cross.
What difficult thing does God want from you today?
Perhaps, He wants you to forgive somebody you hate. To make the first move to bring reconciliation. The person may reject you. Rejection hurts.
Take up your cross.
Perhaps God is calling you to help the homeless but the way to do that is costly, hard, even dangerous.
Take up your cross.
What does God want you to do that you don’t want to do for whatever reason.
Take up your cross and follow Him.