17/04/2025
The cross was before the interrogation. He was interrogated to be accorded an opportunity to either deny or obey God. Having surrendered to God during the interrogations (notice how many people interrogated him),he was led to the cross.Remember the pre-warned in Peter succumbed during interrogation. At the cross,the whole body,will, emotions and feelings were crucified.
The cross that Jesus says we carry daily is not one we put in the neck (as Roman Catholics do) nor hang in vehicles but one of obedience.
One reformer prayed and wrote, "oh God,let me die right, rather than living wrong. Keep me from ever hardening down to the state of being another average Christian."
Jacob's cross was himself. Job's cross was the devil and Daniel's was the world system of Babylon.All by the grace of God overcame. Your and my cross will often come from our day to day life and most from what we love. Will we obey (carry the cross) or do as we want (Jacob)? Will we do as the devil wants (Job) or as the world (Daniel) wants?
This is the darkness,the crucifixion and resurrection shall be the resurrection or light. There's no resurrection without the crucifixion (painful obedience). He the Bible says was raised by the glory of the Father; the Father was so pleased that He could not allow the body that so obeyed Him to decay. This is the cross we ought to carry; standing true to the family values espoused by the heavenly Father.