This was the lesson for the Bible Club at school. I thought it was so powerful, why not spread it to others more so than the people that are in this club.
It is based on the video by Rob Bell- Dust. You must watch it if you have not seen it yet.
Take a look at Mark 8:34. "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."
We separated this verse into 6 parts and dissected the meaning of the words individually.
For Example:
If anyone would- if is a choice; anyone extends the invitation to all
Think of what each word/section of the verse means to you. The point of this lesson was to realize that we can't pin point what it means to deny ourselves and take up our cross. It isn't a simple act. It isn't waking up for the day saying: "I am going to wash my neighbor's car today" because I think that is taking up my cross. I think that taking up our cross is happening all the time. There is so much that defines taking up our cross that it is even hard for me to understand. Maybe it is biting our tongue instead of saying something we will regret; AND washing our neighbors car out of our love for our neighbor AND our love for God. Maybe it is doing things that we do on a regular basis different because we are following Him.
But first of all one of the students shared a devotion about this saying...it requires us knowing ourselves, knowing where we stand and what our talents are. The funny thing is that this message has been "appearing" in everything this club has been doing lately. So, this past week, we seized this opportunity as if maybe God is speaking to the entire club.
In the video it talked about following our Rabbi (Teacher) so closely that we are covered by whatever he walked in throughout the day. We are covered in his dust because we desire to be like Him. We desire to walk as though He walks. Then one of the students brought up the question: Sometimes, it seems like an obligation to walk so closely rather than a desire. She said it was the fact that we are sinners that unfortunately we cannot feel that constant desire to walk so closely to Him. But then again...isn't that what the cross is for? He took up His cross for us. So that instead of out of obligation to follow Him, we may feel a desire to follow Him.
i like the idea of biting our tongue before saying something we regret. thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteComittment certainly comes from the heart. so often i dont even recognize the crosses that i need to bear because the world has blurred my vision so much. it seems the longer i walk with christ the sharper the immage is.
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