15th Sunday after Pentecost / Proper 18 (year C)

At the beginning, throughout and during the latter months of his ministry, Jesus focused on teaching and revealing to the crowds and his disciples, their ignorance of the slavery of sin, the nature and requirement for discipleship and the location, entry and dwelling in the kingdom of Heaven [Mark 1:14-15, Luke 17:20-21]. In today’s Gospel reading Luke 14:25-33, while on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus uses the parables of the cross-bearer, the tower builder and the warrior king, to discusses the mystery of spiritual warfare and outline the specific requirements for true discipleship.  He states in verses 27 and 33, “Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple”.

The parable about a person carrying his own cross to the site of his execution was a familiar sight in Jesus’ day. Hundreds were crucified in Galilee in AD 6, for their rebellion under a revolutionary named Judas. Before Jesus’ death and resurrection, death by crucifixion on a cross was considered a curse. After Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection and ascension however, the symbolism of the cross gathered divine meaning. It has evolved to the symbol of the noblest and victorious life of reconciliation with God and each other in Christ.       

What did Jesus mean when he insisted that no person can be one of his disciples unless one carries one’s own cross to the site of one’s own crucifixion and follows him? Does Jesus want believers to trust in his cross alone? Does Jesus want us to teach and apply the parables of the cross and war literally or symbolically? In today’s discussion, let us together, seek to better understand and more steadfastly follow Jesus’ personal, inner spiritual journey of love, humility, spiritual warfare, detachment and obedience unto death on the cross. Lets us proclaim and confess the indwelling Christ as Logos, Love, Light, Grace, Truth and Lord, in the spiritual core of Jesus and all people [John 1:1-5].

When we search the Holy Scriptures, we find that the place of Jesus’ final crucifixion was Golgotha. Golgotha in the Aramaic and Hebrew languages means place of the skull.  The skull is symbolic of the conscious and unconscious mind. They are the states of consciousness in every person, where we are engaged in spiritual warfare. The human heart, soul and mind are where spiritual warfare takes place and one’s love for Christ must win eternal ascendancy. The apostle Paul outlines the process of Jesus’ Christ-centered love, spiritual warfare, obedience, crucifixion, ascension and glorification in Philippians 2:5-11. 

He declares that Jesus saw himself as the image and likeness of God. Yet Jesus did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited. As a human being, Jesus obeyed God by emptied himself of the destructive ignorance, pride and sin of the mind of the flesh. Through Christ-centered Spiritual mindedness, Jesus sought, saved, served and revealed Christ, the hidden image and likeness of God, in the spiritual core of all people [Luke 19:9-10].

A disciple of Jesus of Nazareth must willingly love and submit to Christ’s authority, will and control, just as Jesus did.  He learns, grows and develops the virtues of love, faith, trust, humility, obedience and service by imitating Jesus Christ.  It is through the process of repentance and turning to Christ that the final overcoming and dominion of the Christ must ultimately have the upper hand and gain dominion in our lives.

In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus, in responding to skeptical followers and spiritually blind religious authorities stated, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me: for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”. Jesus’ yoke is symbolic of his wise teachings and example of love for Christ in the all people. Our heavy burden, great slavery and bondage are our ignorance about the guilt, alienation, anxiety and fear created by carnal and worldly mindsets.

Today’s Gospel encourages all people to contemplate not only the cost of sin but also the cost of discipleship.  Jesus invites his disciples to take the vital human initiatives of crossing out the dominion of the mind of the flesh and then take upon themselves his yoke and his burden.  Let us continue to tactfully admonish each other of the primary importance of the disciple’s love for Christ, in the spiritual core of all people.

Virtue of the week: ‘Detachment’

Prayer of the week: ‘Re-laim Your Wholeness In Christ’