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Context Matters: My Cross to Bear

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Greg Rosenke (2019), public domain

Perhaps you’ve heard people talk about the crosses they bear. They might mention chronic pain, their role as a long-term caregiver, or trauma they’ve suffered at the hand of another. Your friend might carry a heavy burden, but if they believe that God is in control, they may affirm his call to follow Jesus with this weight on their back. “That’s just my cross to bear!”

For Christians, the cross brings to mind specific events and theological realities. Does the Bible speak about followers of Jesus also bearing a cross? Does it describe that cross-bearing in this way we commonly hear it?

Context matters. Many words and phrases may sound religious, but we should take care in our speech. When we learn to read the Bible carefully—and not just as a grab bag of holy words—we’ll find that God’s call on our lives is more comprehensive than we may have assumed.

Not in Scripture

Let’s dispense with one question up front. Referring to an acute challenge as a “cross to bear” is not in the Bible. God tells us a lot about suffering and burdens, but we don’t find this specific phrase in Scripture.

By itself, that doesn’t mean this saying should be discarded. The phrase “in the world but not of the world” is nowhere in Scripture, but it captures some important truths in a helpful way. Perhaps the same could be true of “my cross to bear.”

The closest we come to this phrase in Scripture is a sentence in Luke.

Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:25–27)

Let’s consider this passage in its context in Luke.

Discipleship in Luke

As Peter has pointed out, Jesus starts to head toward Jerusalem in Luke 9:51. Until he arrives, Jesus talks about the nature of his kingdom and, by extension, the nature of discipleship.

Jesus teaches about the cost of following him (Luke 9:57–62). The 72 disciples are sent out and they return (Luke 10:1–20). He teaches his disciples how to pray (Luke 11:1–13) and about the folly of anxiety (Luke 12:22–34). He uses parables and metaphors to teach about God’s kingdom (Luke 13:18–30).

In the immediate context of Luke 14:27, Jesus is speaking about the cost of following him. Specifically, he mentions three requirements—anyone who neglects these cannot be his disciple.

  • Disciples must, having come to him, hate their family and their own life (Luke 14:26).
  • Disciples must bear their own cross and come after him (Luke 14:27).
  • Disciples must renounce all that they have (Luke 14:33).

In the midst of these requirements are two stories about the need to count the cost (a landowner building a tower, a king engaging in battle). Disciples of Jesus must know what they are getting into.

Jesus has used the language of the cross before.

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. (Luke 9:23–24)

The cross was a Roman instrument of torture and execution, so Jesus did not invoke it lightly. Those who heard would have known exactly what Jesus meant when he brought up a cross.

Jesus called his disciples to hand their lives over to him. To save their lives, they were to lose their lives for his sake. They were to renounce everything, including their closest family members.

Both Good and Bad

There may be a good intention behind the phrase “my cross to bear.” A person might be striving to be faithful in the midst of God’s difficult providence. If they know this responsibility is part of God’s calling on their life and they’ve handed their lives over to God, they embrace this burden as a disciple.

And yet, using this phrase could have the effect of compartmentalizing Jesus’s call. Referring to a particular aspect of one’s life as a cross to bear may soften the blow of Jesus’s expectation that in every aspect of our lives we are to bear our cross and follow him. We do not just give up our comfort, time, or opportunities—we are to renounce everything.

This call from Jesus is heavy, but we must not forget it is also joyful. We only need to turn the page in Luke to see the celebration we are welcomed to as repentant sinners following King Jesus (Luke 15:1–32). Jesus calls us to bear our cross, but that is not any one particular duty or condition. Bearing our cross means giving control of everything—family, possessions, vocation, life—over to our wise Master.

Context matters.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

Tips for Reading the Bible with Another Person

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Drew Hunter offers 7 great tips for reading the Bible with another person:

  1. Keep it simple
  2. Pick a section of the Bible
  3. Make a short-term commitment
  4. Read with coffee or a meal
  5. Read with other Christians
  6. Read with non-Christians
  7. Keep God and his grace in view
  8. Respond with openness and prayer

I especially would highlight the first point. You don’t have to spend hours preparing an extensive Bible study in order to meet with someone to read Scripture together. As Hunter remarks:

Here’s what it can look like: Briefly pray to thank God for his word, and ask for help with understanding and responding to his word. Then read a section of Scripture out loud together. Afterward, briefly respond by sharing thoughts you had while reading the passage. End your time together by praying again.

David Helm offers further help with this sort of discipleship in his book One-to-One Bible Reading. But Hunter’s article is a great introduction to the topic.

Check it out!

One Easy Way to Grow Your Church

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Colleen McFadden has a terrific piece on one of the easiest and most effective ways to grow your church: one-to-one Bible reading.

If you would like to grow as a Christian, be more disciplined in reading the Bible, reaching out to unbelievers, and discipling other believers unto maturity—and if you would like to see others grow in these ways as well—all you have to is read through a book of the Bible with one other person and talk about it.

Perhaps it sounds too simple. But McFadden has some great stories to tell about how it works.

Check it out!

The Best Book of the Bible for Teaching OIA

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When people get excited about the OIA method of Bible study and want to teach it to others, they often ask me what the best books of the Bible are to use for this purpose. In other words, which book (or books) will make it easiest for newbies to acquire the basic skills of observation, interpretation, and application? Which book should I use as my example to make it easiest for people to learn to study the Bible for themselves?

And herein lies the beauty of the OIA method: it works equally well on any book of the Bible.

Built into the method is the need to observe the genre and ask corresponding interpretive questions. The OIA method requires you to adjust your expectations for narrative, poetry, prophecy, law, and epistle. It requires you to discover the author’s main point for his audience in their historical circumstances. It expects you to remain aware of the context so you can follow the author’s train of thought. It pushes you to connect the main point to the person and work of Jesus Christ before you attempt either inward or outward application.

And you can and should do all of these things on any and every book of the Bible.

Therefore, my stock answer to the question of which book you should use to teach the OIA method is whichever book you want. People are more likely to catch a vision for OIA Bible study from your enthusiasm for it than from any particular book of the Bible. If you try to teach the method using the “right” book or a recommended book, but you are not thrilled to your core by what God is teaching you in that book, people will tend to think the OIA method is dry and dusty.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

In 20 years of teaching the OIA method, I can remember using each of the following books at various times:

  • Genesis
  • Exodus
  • 1 Samuel
  • 1 Kings
  • Proverbs
  • Ecclesiastes
  • Joel
  • Amos
  • Nahum
  • Haggai
  • Matthew
  • Mark
  • John
  • Romans
  • Galatians
  • Ephesians
  • Philippians
  • 1 Thessalonians
  • 2 Timothy
  • Hebrews
  • James
  • 1 Peter
  • 3 John

None of these books were any better or worse than others for teaching the method. What made each one work was that I was intrigued by it at the time.

Therefore, the best book of the Bible for teaching OIA Bible study is whichever book you are currently most interested in and excited about. It’s more important for you to be enthusiastic than for you to select the “right” book. Your enthusiasm will be infectious, and the people you teach are then most likely to experience firsthand the riches of the method.

Context Matters: Count the Cost

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coins

Michael Longmire (2018), public domain

Perhaps you’ve heard that Christians need to count the cost. They must plan and be prepared; they should always know what they’re getting into.

The advice to “count the cost” often comes up when raising money for a new building or a missions trip. (Let’s color in that thermometer!) I’ve also heard people use this expression when launching a project or undertaking a new venture.

What does Jesus mean by this little phrase? In Scripture as in life, context matters. If we learn to read the Bible properly—instead of as a loose collection of proverbs and pull-quotes—we’ll find that some familiar phrases and verses have far different meanings than we’ve assumed.

Jesus Teaches About Discipleship

The phrase “count the cost” (or “calculate the cost”) only appears one place in the Bible: Luke 14:28. The larger context is Luke 14:25–35, where Jesus lays out the demands of being his disciple.

Jesus punctuates this sermon with three statements about what qualifies a person to be his disciple; the phrase “cannot be my disciple” appears in verses 26, 27, and 33.

These are indeed hard sayings!

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. […] So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26–27,33)

It is between the second and third warning that Jesus uses two illustrations about counting the cost. In the first (Luke 14:28–30), Jesus tells of a man who wanted to build a tower. If the builder lacks the proper finances and supplies, he will end up with an unfinished project and ridicule. In the second illustration (Luke 14:31–32), a king ponders an upcoming battle. Outnumbered two-to-one, if he foresees disaster for his army, he will pull out of the fight and ask for a peace treaty.

In the first illustration, the question is: Do I have enough? In the second: Am I strong enough?

What is the Cost?

In the middle of a discourse on discipleship, Jesus’s illustrations raise a natural question: What is the cost of being a disciple of Jesus?

The answer from Jesus flashes as stark as lightning. “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). Combined with verses 26 and 27, the comprehensive answer is as simple as it is difficult. Being a disciple of Jesus may cost you everything.

Christian discipleship is not about frequent cost-counting and recalibration. It must be obvious from the beginning of your journey with Jesus that you may lose everything. In fact, you must be willing to lose all family, all possessions, all respect, all dignity—even your very life—as a Christian disciple.

The question of counting the cost only needs to be raised once, because the answer is always the same. The only fruitful disciples are those who are willing to drop everything, as Jesus highlights in the last two verses of this chapter (Luke 14:34–35). Like tasteless salt, a Christian still clinging to family, possessions, or life is not effective or useful.

Lose Everything to Gain Everything

Jesus demands everything of his followers. But those who give up everything for Jesus will not find loss, but gain. Those who have Jesus have everything.

And in giving up everything, Christian disciples follow the pattern of the same Jesus who issues the call. He laid aside all family, possessions, relationships, glory, and dignity—at both his incarnation and at the cross—to purchase the salvation of his people.

Have you counted the cost of following Jesus? There is no discount, and the bill is extreme. But Jesus supplies what you lack and gives joy along the path.

Context matters.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

 

Context Matters: The Parable of the Talents

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Perhaps you’ve heard that your talents are a gift from God, and that he wants you to dedicate them to his service. Maybe you can sing or teach. You might be good at volleyball. Perhaps you enjoy setting up chairs or planning baby showers. I can play the trombone, and I’m pretty good with numbers and accounting. But in Jesus’ parable in Matthew 25:14-30, all these things are beside the point.

Context matters. If we learn to read the Bible for what it is—and not as a collection of independently assembled inspirational stories—we’ll discover that some of our most familiar passages don’t actually mean what we’ve always assumed.

Lars Hammar (2012), Creative Commons

Part of a Single Speech

When we come to the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14, we ought to look closely enough to ask an obvious question:

For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.

You see it, don’t you? I mean this literally: You see “it,” don’t you? “For it will be like a man going on a journey…” Perhaps, to understand this parable, we first need to grapple with what “it” is. What is it, exactly, that will be like a man going on a journey?

In studying this parable, we should see that it’s only one small part of a long lecture given by Jesus on a single occasion. This lecture, starting in Matthew 24:4 and continuing to Matt 25:46, is his answer to his disciples’ questions in Matt 24:3. When will the temple be destroyed? What is the sign of your coming? What is the sign of the end of the age?

We could even probably include Matthew 23 as a part of this discourse, as it provides the setup for the the judgment pronounced in Matt 24:1-2. But even if we consider only chapters 24 and 25 as making up this speech, we’ll be off to a great start.

So, now that we’ve realized this parable is merely one point in a longer speech, what help can we get from the rest of the speech about what “it” is?

Working Backwards

The immediately preceding paragraph tells another parable, also about two groups of subordinates, one faithful and the other unfaithful—just like the parable of the talents. And this preceding parable begins like this:

Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. (Matt 25:1)

So we have the same set up, except there is no “it.” The subject, the thing which “will be like” the story that follows, is: the kingdom of heaven. So far, so good. But what does he mean by “the kingdom of heaven,” and how it will be like a man going on a journey?

Backing up further, the next paragraph speaks of a faithful and wise servant who receives a reward (Matt 24:45-47) in contrast to a wicked servant relegated to a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt 24:48-51). This is very closely connected to what happens in the parable of the talents. And Matt 24:45-51 uses more straightforward language than what we find in the parable of the talents. The difference between the faithful servant and the foolish servant lies in how they each treat their Master’s household. For the one who treats the Master’s people and other servants well, there is a reward of greater responsibility over “all his possessions.” For the one who beats his fellow servants and abandons his duties, there is an assurance of removal, destruction, and torment.

Backing up even further, the next earlier paragraph highlights the fact that the Son of Man will return at an hour his own followers do not expect. Because of this uncertainty, they must always be ready for him (Matt 24:44).

So we can draw a few conclusions:

  1. The IT in Matt 25:14 is the kingdom of heaven.
  2. The parable continues the theme of the Master’s return at an unexpected time.
  3. The Master’s judgment of his servants is based on how his servants treat his people.

So What are My Talents?

So when Jesus tells a story about a man going on a journey, calling his servants, and entrusting to them his property, we must understand that his property, the “talents” he leaves with them, is the people of his kingdom. In Jesus’ day, a “talent” was a very large sum of money. The NIV translators had good reason to translate the Greek term “talents” as “bags of gold” (Matt 25:15, NIV). These people are valuable to the Master.

These “talents” are a metaphor of the people of God. The members of God’s household. Our fellow servants and co-heirs in the kingdom.

In telling this parable, Jesus is not primarily concerned with whether you use your personality traits and unique skill sets to help the Christian community. He is much more concerned with how you treat the people themselves. Are you investing in them or burying them? Are you putting them to good use? Are you putting them to work so they can help recruit even more people into the kingdom, or are you making decisions from fear of losing the people you already have? Are you multiplying their efforts for the sake of his glorious kingdom?

Do this, and great will be your reward when your Master returns and calls for accounting. Fail to do this, and your fears will find you out.

If you see yourself more in the latter class than the former, what is your way out? Remember who your Master is. He is not hard and demanding (Matt 25:24-25), but gentle and lowly in heart, showing you the narrow way of rest (Matt 11:29, 7:13-14).

Confirmation From the Following Context

And lest you think I’m completely crazy in reading the parable of the talents in this way, consider where Jesus goes next, in the conclusion to his speech. What is the only observable difference between the sheep and the goats, between those who find eternal life and those sent to eternal death?

Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me. (Matt 25:40)

Jesus’ most precious possession is his people. Make sure he returns to find you treating them well and multiplying their efforts.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations… (Matt 28:19)

Context matters.

Recommendation: Best Christian Discipleship Manual

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I love it when I find others directing people to the Scriptures, instead of the latest and greatest workbook or study guide, to answer important questions. So I was delighted to see this article by Joe Tyrpak recommending the best manual for Christian discipleship, to which we already have access.

Would you like to train new or young believers in basic doctrine, worldview, finances, Christian character, marriage, sanctification, mission, conflict resolution, forgiveness, church life, endurance through suffering, the meaning of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and anticipation for Jesus’ return? All of these things—and more—are right there for you in The Gospel According to Matthew.

Matthew wrote his gospel to this end: to disciple people into maturity of faith in Christ Jesus. We are free to use his work for that purpose. Next time you want to start a discipleship class, or meet with someone to help them grow in Christ, why don’t you try it for yourself? You’ll cover all the bases God wants you to cover. And you can’t doubt the quality of the source material.

Tyrpak shows you how it can be done. Check it out!

How to Give Bibles Away at Your Church

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anonymous (2016), public domain

Bible ownership is a crucial aspect of evangelism and discipleship that we don’t often discuss in the church.

And even though the Bible is available for free in thousands of digital formats, there’s something powerful about a physical copy. It sits as a reminder on our bookshelf or table of the permanence of God’s word.

With this post I’ll explain one strategy to make sure that everyone who visits your church owns a Bible.

Why Give the Bible Away?

The Bible is God’s word. It is the authoritative, perfect source of true information about God, the world, humanity, sin, salvation, love, forgiveness, and eternity. God gives it to us to teach us, to correct us, to train us in righteousness, to encourage us, and to give us hope. There is nothing more important for us to read and study in all the world.

As we urge our friends, Christian and non-Christian alike, to draw near to God, handing out Bibles gives everyone access. We pray and depend on God to work within hearts for conversion and growth in holiness even as we distribute the tool he most often uses for these purposes.

How to Give the Bible Away

The first step—obvious, perhaps—is to buy a bunch of Bibles. Cases of pew Bibles will secure the cheapest price per book. Here’s a link to a case of ESV Pew Bibles, but other translations are easy to find.

The best time to give Bibles away is during the reading of Scripture in the worship service. It’s important that everyone who does this public reading have a similar approach. Before they read the passage, they should invite the congregation to follow along by providing the Scripture reference and the page number in the pew Bible. This is a way to show hospitality for those who aren’t familiar with the Bible.

Now you give the invitation. Try something simple like this.

If you don’t have a Bible of your own, we’d love to give you one. Please feel free to keep the one provided for you where you’re sitting.

Finally, make sure someone checks the worship area after each service and replenishes the Bibles. This way your church is ready for the following week!

How to Pay for these Gifts

Physical Bibles cost money, so if your church would like to begin this practice, you’ll need to come up with the funds. Ideally, this expense would land in the worship or outreach sections of your church’s annual budget.

However, if adding this to the budget isn’t possible, consider asking for a special donation. I’ve found many church members are eager to get behind this sort of initiative.

A People Ablaze

God works powerfully through his word. When we hand out Bibles at church, we’re distributing kindling and lighter fluid. Let’s pray that God would provide the spark to set his people ablaze.

Disclaimer: If you make a purchase through the link above, you will support the work of Knowable Word at no additional charge to you.

Learning From Young People Who Wrestle With Difficult Scriptures

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Writing at Discipleship Research, Ruth Perrin addresses the uncomfortable topic of acts of violence, committed by God in Scripture. She uses this topic to discern how young people tend to deal with such difficult parts of Scripture. Her keen insights deserve serious consideration.

From her research through focus groups, Perrin identifies 5 ways these young folks tend to grapple. These responses range from unquestioning acceptance to outright denial.

She moves from these observations to ask some great questions:

How SHOULD I help young adults make sense of the complicated, beautiful, ancient literature we believe was inspired by God Himself? How can we help our guys to do that well – not just be boggled, resigned or confused by how to make sense of the word of God?

And her conclusion:

This really matters – when faced with aggressive secular atheism and well documented biblical illiteracy we have to equip our young people to be confident in handling Scripture in a meaningful and life-giving way.

I commend Perrin’s article to your consideration. She is absolutely right: it really matters to equip our people (including our young people) to confidently handle Scripture in a meaningful and life-giving way.

Check it out!

 

 

5 Ways Loving Your Neighbor Will Change Your Bible Teaching

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To help you teach the Bible more effectively, Mark Ward writes of the basic but crucial matter of loving the people you teach. Loving them will strengthen your teaching in at least 5 ways:

  1. Love will keep you from assuming knowledge they don’t have.
  2. Love will keep you from using words not in their vocabulary.
  3. Love will help you work at finding the best ways to help them take the next step.
  4. Love will give you the energy you need to push them forward.
  5. Love will alleviate improper pressure on you to please others.

Check it out!