130317 CrossWalk: It's a Being Thing

Mark 8:34 “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.” Being a crosswalker means we come to grips with the seriousness of the invitation – this is a call to put your life on the line, in Someone else’s hands, for Someone else’s purpose.

St. Patrick died on this date over 1,500 years ago in 462 AD. His story, which it has probably been embellished some, is incredible. He was kidnapped as a teenager and enslaved in Ireland for six years. Then he escaped and felt a call to become a priest. Once ordained, he wanted to return to Ireland to serve the Christians and take the Good News to the majority of Irish people. He used their language and symbols to communicate the good news of Christ, and is credited with transforming it into a Christian country. He lived the life of a crosswalker.

When pastors use a ton of scripture, it sometimes is an indicator of amateur status. But sometimes seeing a wide range of scripture along a certain line of thought is incredibly eye-opening. I hope that’s happens for you in this reading.

Last week, I had us look at what a crosswalk does. Today, I want to take a look at crosswalk as a way of being. Enjoy the verses below…

• Mark 1:15 “Repent and believe”. Being a crosswalker means we continually (re)turn toward God with our thinking, our being, and our doing.
• Mark 1:17 “Follow me and I will show you how to fish for people.” Being a crosswalker means we are passionate about reaching others with the Good News. To not be about this is to not follow.
• Mark 2:14 “Follow me and be my disciple.” The tax collector understood being a crosswalker meant he was going to be learning a new way of life and faith with Jesus.
• Mark 3:35 “Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” Being a crosswalker recognizes God’s work wherever its done, regardless of tribe or tradition.
• Mark 4:22 “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given – and you will receive even more.” Being a crosswalker is to pay attention and pursue deeper understanding. Not listening leads to misunderstanding, which leads to being misled.
• Mark 6:31 “Let’s go rest for awhile.” Being a crosswalker means taking rest seriously.
• Mark 6:37 “You feed them.” Being a crosswalker means we are partners in this ministry thing, not couch potatoes.
• Mark 6:50 “Don’t be afraid.” Being a crosswalker will push us way out of our comfort zones in many ways, which will create anxiety. Knowing that ahead of time may be helpful!
• Mark 9:35 “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.” Being a crosswalker means we gladly look after others before ourselves, knowing that it winds up achieving both.
• Mark 10:21 “Go sell your stuff, give it to the poor, and follow me.” Being a crosswalker means we are aware that nothing is more central to life than God, and sometimes that requires radical surgery.
• Mark 10:39 “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering.” Terrible marketing … Being a crosswalker means we get that there are going to be tough rows to hoe.
• Mark 10:43 “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave of everyone else. Being a crosswalker means our orientation is to serve, not to be served.
• Mark 12:30 “Love God with all you’ve got, and love others as you love yourself.” Being a crosswalker gets that abiding fully by these two principles, the rest comes on line.
• Mark 13:33 “Stay alert and pray!” Being a crosswalker understands that the Spirit may move at unexpected times in unexpected ways, and we don’t want to miss it.
• Mark 14:30 “You will deny three times that you even know me.” Being a crosswalker swallows the hard truth that we will blow it like Peter. Our humanity has a way of keeping us humble…
• Mark 14:34 “Stay here and keep watch with me.” Being a crosswalker means we realize that we will fall asleep at the wheel now and then, which really stinks.
• Mark 16:15 “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” Being a crosswalker means we go global all the time, not just when we’ve got our backyard all nice and tidy. While we are reaching our neighborhood we are also reaching well beyond our borders.

The above verses represent most of what Jesus said about what it meant to follow him. Of course, we know that the majority of communication we give and receive is nonverbal – some say as high as 93%. This means that being a crosswalker means that we pick up most of our queues from Jesus’ actions, expressions, tone, and expressions. He touched lepers. He redeemed prostitutes. He ministered to gentiles. He partied with the wrong crowd. He did life as God led him, and it was messy. He stood for peaceful justice. He took a beating without retaliating. He forgave the people who hurt his feelings, disrespected him, accused him, betrayed him, disowned him, slapped him, spit on him, publicly humiliated him, crucified him. That’s what being a crosswalker is. Paradoxically, this counterintuitive way of being and doing truly leads to the best that life has to offer. Few find it. Have you?

What part of being a crosswalker comes easiest to you? What comes hardest?
How are you sensing God’s invitation to be a crosswalker in new ways at this stage of your life and during this season?