Some believers in Jesus as Savior choose not to go to the Cross. Lent is ignored often, and for some the Cross cannot be mentioned without mention of the empty tomb and its triumph.
I am a grief counselor for hospice. Grief is normal and necessary as a part of loving one who has died. Facing tragedy and death are very difficult, and folk, even or especially Christian folk, often try to deny the loss and their grief. It is normal to do so to some degree, and especially to defer grief (pick a place and time to actively grieve), but suppression of grief can have negative consequences on one's life, relationships and emotional health.
Desire to avoid real pain can be strong and it can be hurtful, in the end. It does not allow one to fully experience life and even the positive and joyful things of life. Denial of the Cross guts the significance of the empty tomb. Focusing on the Power and Glory and ignoring the Humility and Self-Sacrifice can lead one to embrace Jesus as Savior and ignore Jesus as Lord of one's life. It can lead one to a limited understanding of Jesus, Jesus' Good News and what it means to follow Jesus.
American Civil Religion has contributed to this problem. The strong drive to be "the best", to always "win" and to have "power over" others, take what one wants and exploit the creation and conditions around oneself for the benefit of oneself does not allow for the humility, vulnerability, intimacy and even scandal of Jesus willingly going to the Cross. God's Power and Glory, even supernatural interventions are lifted up by many, while ignoring the willingness of Son of God to give up wealth, power, security, status and even His life for the sake of all who God loves. God did not supernaturally intervene, though Jesus claimed God could, because real power comes from actions in commitment to the other (Agape Love), even to the denial of self and sacrifice of self. This is power in the Kingdom of God. Power in empire is different.
From His birth and throughout His life and ministry, Jesus identified with the poor, powerless, vulnerable, downtrodden, outcast and victimized, according to the Gospel witness. Jesus confronted and resisted the Empire, the King, the corrupt Temple Cult leaders and those who colluded with them in valuing wealth, power and status above children of God. Jesus did not call down legions of angels to militarily defeat Rome or dethrone the King or oust the corrupt Temple Cult leaders and false teachers of the time. Jesus instead taught the way of Agape Love and applied it to how others might live in resistance to and confrontation with those who put themselves above others. Then, Jesus gave the strongest example of this possible by willingly being arrested, put on trial under false pretenses, tortured and executed, rather than call down the legions to save Himself. This is power in the Kingdom of God. Why? Because it is Love. It is perfect love. It is love for the "other", even stranger and enemy, and certainly for the most vulnerable. God is love. Jesus taught, commanded and modeled Agape Love as God's Way for us. Jesus calls those who would call on His name and claim His name to follow HIM in living it.
If I am to follow Jesus, I must go where Jesus went... to the Cross. The empty tomb is promised. God does that action. In this time and in THIS PART of the Kingdom of God, here and now, I am called to live what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled in Agape Love which means denial of self and even self-sacrifice. That is not a popular message in an age of prosperity, blessed and highly favored and church (institution) growth. It is the message of the Gospel of Jesus.
People are seeking power from God by imitating the empire that has victimized them and by adopting its values, while asking God for supernatural interventions. Jesus is about the transformation of individual hearts and minds, communities and systems that oppress into life in the Kingdom, here and now. That transformation comes in believing His Good News message of Agape Love, as Jesus commanded in His first public statement, as we have that recorded in the first chapter of the first Gospel ever written (Mark 1:15). It is not about receiving the trappings of empire and believing that they have been given by God. It is about being satisfied with enough, resisting the empire values that hold us down, back and out and making sure our neighbor has enough of all that brings SHALOM - completeness, wholeness and well-being. It takes self-denial to live Agape Love. Sometimes it even takes self-sacrifice. It is ultimately a more sustainable, just and healthy way for the world. We have witness to that in the book of Acts, in which we find that poverty has been eliminated among those who lived Kingdom values, well-being has been restored, people are liberated from their oppressors, people are included in the community who have previously been excluded and in spite of empire people have Shalom. I believe in Jesus' Good News as a better way for life in this part of God's Kingdom, here and now.
We cannot follow Jesus and not go to the Cross. Jesus commanded self-denial in the living of Agape Love (active commitment on behalf of the other, even stranger and enemy and especially the most vulnerable). It is not about the Power and Glory until the transformation is complete in this part of the Kingdom. It is not about the Power and Glory until God declares that transformation complete.
Until then, we must follow Jesus - live what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled for us in the living of Agape Love, denying self and even sacrificing self for the sake of all. THAT is the mission of the Gospel - to make disciples (student followers) of Jesus, here and now.
I love the Cross. In it I find a God who did not stay in Power and Glory, but who gave it up for my sake and for yours. I find a God who bases our salvation on Grace in Agape Love, rather than earned merit. I find a God who is Love and who calls me, commands me to be love also in this part of God's Kingdom. It is only in the Cross that we are redeemed and saved. The empty tomb is just the message that what was done on the Cross is completed in life over death.
I willingly go to the Cross, because it is Jesus who I follow there. The rest is up to God, who I love and trust.
Pastor Jamie
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