The Price and the Prize of a Disciple

This exhortation is one of the basic things of Christian life - one of the things that we should have already known... But, while I was preparing last night (or morning I should say) for our cell meeting, I was prompted to share with you my notes and I think it's good to start by quoting John Bevere, "Many preachers/believers focused so much on sharing the promises of 'resurrection' but sometimes forgetting to stress the message of the 'cross'. WHY? Because many are afraid to lose their people… If we will only preach like Jesus did, many will walk out..." Remember the rich young man who walked out sorrowful after Jesus told him to sell his possessions and follow HIM (Matthew 19:16-26)?

While I was reading Matthew 10:38 “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me”, 2 questions came to my mind.

First, why "cross"? Why take up the "cross"? The first thing that always come to my mind when we talk about the cross is "Jesus dying on the cross for us" but when Jesus said those words, He has not gone through the "crucifixion” yet so He must not be talking about His death. To put things at the right perspective, it’s always good to check the history. Taking from Wikipedia, the cross “depicts a purposely painful and gruesome method of public execution.” To put it in simpler words, CROSS means DEATH. So when Jesus said take up the cross, He meant death, but not His but ours – DEATH TO SELF. He meant denying ourselves (Matthew 16:24).

Second, why did Jesus had to say “take up the CROSS”? Why did He not just say “follow Me”? Jesus just drew the line! “Taking up the cross” will separate the “true followers” from the “self-proclaimed followers”. Many think and confess that they are CHRISTians and yet still living and loving their old selves.

To set the record straight, let’s take Jesus as our model. Let’s now talk about HIM carrying His cross. When Jesus “literally” took up the cross (note of the word “literal”, that must be a classic example huh!), He bleed and experienced death… and when we take up our cross, we will bleed, surely we will... We will have questions like, “Father, why have You forsaken me?” but like what John Bevere said, that only after dying we will experience resurrection…

So you think following HIM means losing your life? Nah, on the contrary, it’s actually a choice given to us for us to enjoy life to the full (John 10:10). The promises of GOD to us are countless and they are more than the riches of this world… You give HIM your life and HE will surely outgive that. Many get scare of the “price” but the “prize” is actually priceless!

Right Choice 2

I have written about this last time, that it's all about making the right choices... From the time you open your eyes in the morning, there are already many choices given to you. The choice if you still want to stay longer in bed and adjust your alarm clock or not. Or, if you still opt to spend few minutes in stillness and solitude with God despite the thought that the clock is ticking and you're late for work or a meeting.

Eating in a restaurant is an example. You are given a menu what food you are going to take so if you end up not satisfied with what has been served to you; it's not the restaurant's fault but that was the choice you made. Granted, you may not know the taste of the food by just looking at the list of options but still we can’t take off the fact that it was you who picked your meal.

I know a lot of people blaming "life" or "fate" to what they are in right now. For many times I've heard the word, "kapalaran" and they start blaming the events in their life; I myself is not excuse with this deception; I've been there so I know. What many can’t understand, or maybe just ignoring the fact, is that life is full of choices and every choice we make has a corresponding consequence. Let me echo these familiar quotations, "we are a product of our yesterday's choices" and "what we do today is what we become tomorrow". There are times that we think we are left with no other alternative but the truth is, even to the last resort, we still have that choice if we will say yes or no.

When I was in college, I was asked by a friend. We were having a breakfast then and I was winning her for God. She posted me this question, “God is all-knowing, right? He knows who will end up in hell or not? So, if He knew that I was going to hell, why did He still create me?" I didn’t know how to answer her then and for many years that question taunted me.

Many around us, even us believers, sometimes blame "fate" to what we are becoming. We sometimes use "fate" as an excuse to make the wrong choices. And, admittedly, the "victim feeling" is sometimes teasing us, but what would be our response is always our choice. So, yes, God knew us even we are still being formed in our mother's womb and His plan for everyone is something greater and bigger. God did not plan for us to end up in prison of pain with the consequences we made. If we can only envisage His plan that awaits us, “wow!” I said, “WOW!” We will be awed, it's something unfathomable. Jesus did not die on the cross for us to settle for anything less. BUT we have to understand that we will only get to that right destination if we will make the right journey. If you know that your destination is Baguio, what ticket will you buy? With all the ticket booths lined up, will you queue at the right line? If you know that there's a great reward awaiting for you in Singapore, will you book for a flight going to China? Again, it's all about choosing the right choices.

Everyday we have choices, in fact, we will not run-out of choices, and the choice to get back on the right track is always and will always be there. Looking back at the conversation with my friend then, it was only now that I've come to realize that it was actually one of God's ways for her to drive back in to the right road. That’s how free will operates and that’s how good GOD is.