Martha Olawale

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Matthew 16:24

I heard a story from one of my pastors. He said while standing in the hallway greeting people as they left the church after service, he shook the hand of a man, attending the church for the first time. Striking a conversation with him, he asked him how he enjoyed the service, and his answer was “It was great, but I don’t like Jesus sitting on my lap.”

Some people would love to wrap Jesus up in a box and only unravel the package when they need something from Him. They want the “feel good” side of identifying as a Christian, without the sacrifice that comes with discipleship. They prefer the cradle of His birth to the cross of His death. They’d rather sing “Bless me Lord” than “I surrender” and live to self than die to sin.

Following Christ is not about laying on a bed of roses, and sipping lemonade. Following Christ comes with a deep resolve to carry your cross and go where He leads. Before He told the disciples to follow Him in Matthew 16, He explained to them what would happen to Him in Jerusalem—how He would suffer and die there. It was not a conversation that stemmed from “You will always be happy when you follow me.” Jesus did not try to attract them by what He could give them physically but by the sacrifice, He was willing to make to save their souls.

Jesus was telling the disciples, you have a choice; a choice to follow or retreat. He was going to the cross regardless. Thinking Jesus was sentimental about His assignment to die for humanity, Peter assumed Christ’s decision was up for debate. He called Jesus aside in Matthew 16:22 and told Him “This shall never happen to you!” At that moment, Jesus knew who was speaking through him and said, “Get behind me, satan!”

Many of us act like Peter in our walk with Christ. When everything is rosy and nice—we are healed, the children are doing well, and our mortgage is paid on time, we stick by Him but when He calls for a sacrifice, we retreat and try to negotiate our way out. Although following Christ comes with all the beauty life could ever offer—love, peace, joy, freedom, hope, and grace, it also comes with a cross and we have to be willing to follow Christ with our cross. Jesus told the disciples in verse 24, “Take your cross and follow me.”

The man that said He didn’t want Jesus sitting on his lap, loved the singing and clapping at church, he enjoyed looking at the smiling faces but got uncomfortable with the call to surrender and follow Christ. I don’t know if he ever returned to the church or found another church where Jesus was far, yet His goodness was near enough for comfort. But until we are willing to take up our cross to follow Christ, we can’t fully understand the fellowship of His suffering.