Highlighted New Testament Bible

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Thursday, April 7, 2011

St Matthew, Chapter 10, verses: 38, Who is worthy to fight?

Our paragraph topic is:  (We must give up all for Christ) Part 4.  

Are you worthy of Christ?  Are you strong enough to fight in the battle for the kingdom?  Are you worthy to follow our Lord into this battle that he and his disciples are engaged.  Christ tells them and us who is and who is not worthy.  Love is the deciding factor.  If your love is not strong enough then you are not worthy.  If your love is distracted by someone else then you are not worthy.  If your love is not given completely, then you are not worthy.  Think of the consequences.  Men are going into battle.  They must be able to depend upon each other.  A bond must be established between them and their cause.  If that bond is shaky, if that bond is unreliable, if that bond is easily broken, then there is no foundation for strength among the members.  At the first instance of demand, the bond that binds the soldiers is broken and the soldiers scatter.  

Even today with our modern armies, there must be a bond that binds the soldiers together.  Command structure is one way of binding the soldiers together.  Fear of persecution is another.  But the strongest bond is love, love for one's country, love for one's beliefs in the cause of the battle, love for one's comrades that fight with you side by side.  Christ is telling his disciples, if your love is not strong enough then you will flee, you will be scattered, you will not be the victor.  The enemy will come amongst you and create doubt and fear.  The enemy will cause you to waver in your resolve to win the war. 

Christ says that,  "And he who does not take up his cross and follow me, is not worthy of me."  Christ is telling his disciples and us today, that there is a cross for each and every one of us.  But he who does not accept his cross, he who does not carry his cross, he who does not bear the burden of his cross is not worthy. 

This must have been a shock for the disciples because Christ has not spoken of a cross before now.  What is a cross?  Why do we have to carry it?  What will it do to us to take up the cross?  Are you worthy of Christ by not taking up your cross?  Well, the disciples find out later what is meant by the cross as they watch Jesus take up his cross and carry it to his grave.  He died for mankind.  He gave his life for us.  Are we willing to do the same today?  Are we willing to die for our fellow man?  Are we willing to take up our cross and suffer for our brothers and sisters?  Christ did and yet we were not worthy of the sacrifice that he made.  Can we become worthy of Him?  Take up your cross and follow him.  Become the warrior.  Carry the banner into battle and believe in the cause.