I can't expect the kingdom without the cross

In preparing for yesterday's Sunday school lesson, I just ran across Matthew 16:21-26 again. It's the passage in which Jesus--right after Peter has spoken aloud the truth that Jesus is the Messiah of Israel--explains the part of the Messiah prophecies He has come to carry out: He has not come to rule but to die. That doesn't line up with Peter's expectations for the Messiah, no sir! It's at this point in the story that Matthew 4:8-10 comes to mind for me; Jesus was offered a short-cut to gaining the kingdom He has been promised by God the Father . . . & He refuses to take the easy way. He chooses the part of suffering; He chooses the cross & all the shame & indignity & misery & defeat that comes with it. That choice is what He explains to the incredulous disciples in chapter 16. The way of the cross seems an unlikely path to  greatness, to power, to influence--to any of the things we long for down deep inside. But according to Christ, this death is the only way to the life I truly want.

Traitorous nostalgia!--lying to me that the flowers of the past contain everything I long for, while All I truly desire is in the present! Luke24:5b & John8:58

III John 4

Just heard from a former student of mine. I taught him in 7th grade, and he graduated last June. In his first year of college, God has been working in his life and he plans on going on a missions trip this summer. He was writing to ask for support--prayer and financial if possible. I'm reminded of III John verse 4 "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."

He ended his letter with this: "Today during Bible Study, we went over a small bit of 2 Timothy and I was fondly reminded of how you made our class memorize the whole entire book, it was worth it."

That does this ol' teacher's heart a world of good today =)

Just heard ad on the CA classical station: "The San Francisco Symphony presents the St. Louis Symphony this Saturday @ Davies Symphony Hall"!