This is the slogan we get to see many ardent followers of Anna Hazare donning on their caps as they continue their campaign against corruption. To drive the point home many have started wearing face-masks of Anna Hazare. It shows the strong commitment of the followers of ‘Anna Hazare’ in not just identifying with the cause but in also completely identifying with their leader. This basically is a defiant challenge to the government saying: if you want to arrest Anna Hazare you can arrest me too, if you want to penalize him – you can do so to me, if you want to put him behind the bars- you can go ahead and do that to me, whatever his fate so it will be also mine, we are no different - we are the same person. I am Anna Hazare!
It is a shame that many Christians cannot nearly as much identify with Christ who died to save them from so much more. Jesus Christ clearly mentions the cost of being his disciples in Luke 14:26 If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Many of us modern day Christians have invented various ways to wriggle out of these words. Some say they are not to be taken literally – they are just symbols, some say they were only meant for that time it is not practical today, some have so spiritualized these words that all they do is pretend to practice inward detachment but at no point shall they ever do so literally. We are unwilling to count the cost. The idea of participating in the suffering of Christ is unbearable to us but ironically we all gladly look forward to share in the future glory.
The one who carried the cross in New Testament times was someone who was condemned to die, this was the death-walk from the roman court to the place of crucifixion. A person so condemned to die, lost all his rights of being a normal citizen. He could have no claim anything anymore on any status, family, wealth or even his own life. People could kick him, curse him, abuse him, spit on him, throw filth at him and he could do nothing to protest. To carry the cross meant to accept a life of condemnation, separation, loss, humiliation, suffering and death.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his book Cost of discipleship argues that the call of Christ is inseparable from his grace. Grace without discipleship is Cheap grace. Costly grace is costly because it costs a man his life( in following Christ). Grace is costly because it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ; it is grace because Jesus says: ‘My yoke is easy and my burden is light. This yoke, bonhoeffer says is the cross. God provides grace to such who choose to carry the cross.
Very often we describe troubles of everyday life as ‘the cross we carry’ but to say this is to actually trivialize the cross. If we are truly committed to follow Christ set out to obey Christ we may soon start becoming unpopular at work, with friends, in the church and even in our own homes -to the point that someday we may be eliminated. Bonhoeffer acted upon his convictions as the follower of Christ and was hanged by the Nazis 3 weeks before the Germany surrendered in World War II.
Though it is not necessary that all of us will be called for martyrdom, in principal we are all called to count the cost even if it means to die for Christ in following Him. We may wonder if only there were some other way of following Christ. If only there was a way to avoid carrying the cross in our following of Christ. But the words of Christ are plain and chilling at the same time: And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
May we all become so one with our Lord whom we follow and gladly say what Paul says For me to live is Christ and die is gain.
Hallelujah
It is a shame that many Christians cannot nearly as much identify with Christ who died to save them from so much more. Jesus Christ clearly mentions the cost of being his disciples in Luke 14:26 If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Many of us modern day Christians have invented various ways to wriggle out of these words. Some say they are not to be taken literally – they are just symbols, some say they were only meant for that time it is not practical today, some have so spiritualized these words that all they do is pretend to practice inward detachment but at no point shall they ever do so literally. We are unwilling to count the cost. The idea of participating in the suffering of Christ is unbearable to us but ironically we all gladly look forward to share in the future glory.
The one who carried the cross in New Testament times was someone who was condemned to die, this was the death-walk from the roman court to the place of crucifixion. A person so condemned to die, lost all his rights of being a normal citizen. He could have no claim anything anymore on any status, family, wealth or even his own life. People could kick him, curse him, abuse him, spit on him, throw filth at him and he could do nothing to protest. To carry the cross meant to accept a life of condemnation, separation, loss, humiliation, suffering and death.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his book Cost of discipleship argues that the call of Christ is inseparable from his grace. Grace without discipleship is Cheap grace. Costly grace is costly because it costs a man his life( in following Christ). Grace is costly because it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ; it is grace because Jesus says: ‘My yoke is easy and my burden is light. This yoke, bonhoeffer says is the cross. God provides grace to such who choose to carry the cross.
Very often we describe troubles of everyday life as ‘the cross we carry’ but to say this is to actually trivialize the cross. If we are truly committed to follow Christ set out to obey Christ we may soon start becoming unpopular at work, with friends, in the church and even in our own homes -to the point that someday we may be eliminated. Bonhoeffer acted upon his convictions as the follower of Christ and was hanged by the Nazis 3 weeks before the Germany surrendered in World War II.
Though it is not necessary that all of us will be called for martyrdom, in principal we are all called to count the cost even if it means to die for Christ in following Him. We may wonder if only there were some other way of following Christ. If only there was a way to avoid carrying the cross in our following of Christ. But the words of Christ are plain and chilling at the same time: And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
May we all become so one with our Lord whom we follow and gladly say what Paul says For me to live is Christ and die is gain.
Hallelujah
