Now What?

Then he said to them all, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”  (Luke 9:23)

Within this past week, we’ve transitioned from Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem to the sorrow of His arrest, scourging and crucifixion to the joy of His resurrection.  That’s a lot to think about, consider and experience in one week’s time.  Today, folks have gone back to their normal routines, or perhaps taken some time off in accordance with spring break schedules.  The plastic eggs have been emptied of their candy and stored away.  Next Sunday, the pews in most churches won’t be quite as full as they were just a day ago.

In other words, Easter is over…now what?

Let’s imagine for a moment what it would be like if each day of the year was Good Friday and Easter Sunday wrapped into one.  What would that feel like?  How would we behave?  How much of our time would be spent on worship, in prayer, in studying Scripture, in serving others, in giving?  How often would God enter our thoughts?  Would we be more or less likely to get stressed out from our daily chores and obligations?  Would we feel inspired to reach out to others, or would we feel like retreating back into our own little worlds?  Would we feel further from God or closer to Him?

Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead once, which was all that was required.  Our salvation is secured by accepting and proclaiming Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  But as Christ-followers, we are called to take up our crosses daily.  This means that death of some kind is required on a daily basis.  For me, pride, selfishness and occasional spite (among many other sins) are frequent flyers on my daily cross.  My salvation may have been secured the day I accepted Christ, but I’m need of a Savior on a daily basis.  This means every day must be Good Friday.

In addition to telling us to take up our crosses daily, Jesus adds, “and follow me.”  I don’t know about you, but I’m not too keen on following the dead.  Not to sound crass, but the dead don’t say much and they certainly don’t do much.  If dying on the cross for our sins was the end of Jesus’ purpose, then there would be no point in taking up our crosses daily – we’d be walking around aimlessly, continually lugging those heavy things around with no relief or purpose in sight.  That’s no way to live.  Following Christ means that after laying our sins at the cross, we are ready and willing to go where God wants us to go, and to do what He would have us do.  That is most certainly a daily process for me.  We can only follow what is alive and in motion, as Jesus is in each of us.  So, every day must also be Easter Sunday.

Christ died and rose once for all of us, for all time.  Let us accept the invitation, the challenge and the privilege to take up our crosses and follow Him – today, tomorrow, and always.