The "Warm and Fuzzy" Jesus and the "Take up Your Cross" Jesus

Matthew 8:14-10:42

Matthew has Jesus moving constantly; healing, teaching, preaching and sending out. I’m amazed by how quickly Jesus and his disciples can move and switch gears. The healings are about faith and forgiveness and much of the preaching is about the difficulty of following Jesus. Over the next few days we get the “warm and fuzzy” Jesus and the “take up your cross” Jesus.

I prefer the “warm and fuzzy” Jesus that goes around healing the outcast, possessed and down-trodden. The one who says, “You are forgiven and loved.” But, there is a cost to seeking that Jesus; we must be willing to take up our cross and lose our life. We must be willing to forsake everything we hold dear to receive the healing and forgiveness. That is really uncomfortable and scary; leaving the familiar behind and embracing change. I’m surprised the disciples didn’t run away screaming. What made them stay and follow Jesus?

Did they stay because they discovered that giving up everything was easier than holding onto it? Did they discover the life they received after taking up their cross and losing their life was better than they could have ever imagined? I think that is really what Jesus is telling us. Life will be so much better when you let go of all the baggage. All those things that we love and carry around get really heavy after a while, but if we put them down we are free to receive new, better gifts. Jesus says we must lose our life to gain it, and we lose it when we worship Him and serve others by giving of our time, talent and treasure. If we lose ourselves in service of others we find forgiveness, peace and healing. What do you need to put down to receive the good gifts of God?