The Cross and the Good Life

Isaiah 53: 4-12           Luke 18: 18-34

All around us are people who seem to be journeying in the good life.

It looks to be all here in this world and in what we have, our nice homes, our god community, our cooler climate, the lovely green and the wonderful facilities.

However, as we know in our honest moments, all that we have here is temporary and has serious shortcomings.

In todays passage in Luke 18 of the Rich and the kingdom of God we see the contrasting of two forms of riches; earthly riches and God's true and lasting treasures.

To enter into God's true life is to find a life that deals with eternal and lasting gains. It is a life of discipleship, under the cross, following God's directions and maintaining loyalty to a higher calling.

The pathway of the cross leads to life in God's kingdom with many times as much in this life and in the age to come, eternal life (Luke 18: 30).

The young ruler went away sad (Luke 18: 23) because he had invested in a good life without the cost of association with Jesus and to follow Jesus seemed secondary, even wasteful of life itself.

Yet Jesus insisted that the good life involves His own cross bearing and belonging to His kingdom which is an eternal kingdom.

Jesus embraced the cross for us (Luke 18: 31-33). At the last supper He said "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer" (Luke 22: 15).

"And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it saying "This is my body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me". In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying "this cup is the new testament in my blood, which is poured out for you"." (Luke 22: 19,20).

Let us eat and drink and celebrate the cross and the good life He gives.