Genuine Love/Taking Up Your Cross

 Matthew 16:21-28, Romans 12:9-21

 In Matthew 16, Peter who was praised for knowing Christ was the Messiah is now being rebuked by Christ. When Jesus tells the disciples he must suffer and be killed, Peter’s reaction is very human, “May it never be.” To this Jesus replies, “Get behind me Satan – you are setting your mind on human things not divine things.” We are surprised at this rebuke thinking Peter said this out of his love for Christ – that no harm would come to him. Yet Jesus talks about a genuine love of sacrifice – of Christ needing to carry out his mission of salvation and Jesus talks about taking up one’s cross and following him.

In Romans, Paul talks about genuine love that holds fast to what is good and hates evil. We are to love each other with mutual affection, rejoice in hope and be patient in affliction. We are to persevere in prayer and contribute to those in need and pursue hospitality to strangers.

But in verse 14 comes the “carrying your cross” requests. We are to bless the people who curse us – like Christ did to those who ridiculed him as he carried his cross to crucifixion. “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

We are to rejoice with those who rejoice – no place for envy here, and weep with those who weep. We are to be humble, living in harmony with the lowly and not arrogant in our claims of wisdom. Paul tells us to live peaceably with all not repaying evil for evil – an unfortunate human tendency. Taking up our cross here means we give up our need to seek vengeance and give it over to the Lord in faith that God will repay.

I wish I could tell you that when the boss who made my life miserable was put into forced retirement I didn’t jump up on my desk and sing, “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead.” The Lord had already repaid her by taking away her job.

Paul then tells how genuine love truly acts. To many this is another taking up of their cross. It is by feeding our enemies and offering them drink – by serving them out of love. In this way it will be like heaping burning coals on their head. This is how we overcome evil with good. Though in human terms it makes no sense, but in living this genuine love to all we are following Christ our example, by setting our minds on divine things. Amen.

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