Here is the plan

HERE IS THE PLAN

Take nothing…meaning put your trust in Jesus…Herod is confused because he thinks he is in control…the disciples are trying to put their trust in food…again Jesus says put your trust in me…I have given you Power and Authority…Peter gets it…then we hear the plan—to die…and finally Jesus says take up your cross…the way is the way of dying…letting go all you think you can use instead of me…and oh by the way, when you are carrying a cross you tend to leave the other stuff behind.

In many ways, what we are reading today, is the plan…to follow him, taking nothing with us, only our cross. He, and those who follow him, disrupt the power brokers of the day…not in a political way…but in an other-worldly behavior…and the Herod’s of every age are confused by it all.

Take a read through this section and then I have a closing thought.

9 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, ² and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. ³ And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics.^[a] 4 And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. ⁵ And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” ⁶ And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Herod Is Perplexed by Jesus

⁷ Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, ⁸ by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen. ⁹ Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see him.

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

¹⁰ On their return the apostles told him all that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida. ¹¹ When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing. ¹² Now the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.” ¹³ But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” ¹⁴ For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” ¹⁵ And they did so, and had them all sit down. ¹⁶ And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. ¹⁷ And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ

¹⁸ Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” ¹⁹ And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” ²⁰ Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”

Jesus Foretells His Death

²¹ And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one,²² saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus

²³ And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. ²⁵ For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? ²⁶ For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. ²⁷ But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

Take up your cross—the only way I know how to do this is to get closer to Jesus. If I turn “take up your cross” into me “working harder”…well it does not turn out very well. But if I meditate upon Jesus, think about Jesus, read His Word and more…then He becomes the center of my life…and following Him becomes more natural. If I decide I am going to “do it” (rather than decide to “be with” Him) then I start looking like the disciples in the episode of feeding the 5,000…I start looking to everyone but Jesus for resources…or I get confused like Herod because I look to the world…the Plan is simple…look to & be with…Jesus.