“Spiritual Disciplines: Preparation for the Cross”

For several days, the disciples were shocked, confused and lost as Jesus had been betrayed, arrested, beaten and executed before their very eyes. They had no idea that it would all lead to this even though Jesus tried to tell them. Gloom and doom had now gripped their hearts. Fear and hopelessness welled up within them. But things soon changed. The women who had gone to the tomb to anoint Jesus discovered something strange. The stone was rolled away and the grave was empty. Unsure of what was going on, they returned to the disciples reporting what they found and Peter ran back to the tomb to see for himself. Later, their glimmering hope exploded into joy as Jesus appeared to them revealing that He had indeed risen from the dead! 

The historical birth of a new era had begun. The King has risen and elevated to His throne where He would rule and reign extending His Kingdom throughout all the earth through those who would follow Him in the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus, the King, did what most sovereigns of a kingdom or nation do. He sent an ambassador of the Kingdom to the earth (the Holy Spirit) to represent the King in the lives of those who would become citizens. He would direct citizens to become like the King through the power of grace that enables the spiritual patterns of the King to become our spiritual patterns in life. When these patterns become our true lifestyle, we then know that the Kingdom of God has become a reality. 

The Kingdom of God can best be defined as “God’s way of doing things.” I have taught that you can put that phrase in where the Kingdom of God goes and it makes perfect sense. For example, 

“Seek first (God’s way of doing things) and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33) 

“And Jesus said, repent for (God’s way of doing things) is at hand.” (Matthew 3:2) 

The Kingdom of God is about the exercise of spiritual authority that comes through yielding to the Kingdom’s ambassador – the Holy Spirit. It is His work of guiding us into the life and death of Christ that produces results. It is His job to develop spiritual disciplines in our lives that cause us to be like Christ.

It is important to note that spiritual disciplines led Christ to the cross. They are also purposed to lead you into death as well. Now that may not be a destination you want to arrive at. But everything the Spirit of God does is to bring you into the crucified life. I have often said that it is the Spirit’s work to kill you so He can fill you! We understand this concept from Scripture. Galatians 2:20 says, 

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” 

Without spiritual disciplines, we give no evidence of death to flesh and life in the Spirit. This, I believe, has devastated the effect of the church upon the world. Without the power that spiritual discipline produces, there can be no transformation of individuals, families, communities and culture. Of course we know that the Holy Spirit is the power of God personified in the life of a true believer, but we must recognize that the Holy Spirit is released through our lives as a result of spiritual discipline. 

What we mean by spiritual discipline is the patterned practices that were so evident in the life of Christ. These disciplines are prayer and fasting; study and meditation; silence and solitude as well as service. 

The question that we all must ask ourselves is … “Do I have a lifestyle that is preparing me to follow Christ in death and life? Are spiritual disciplines active in my life?” 

There are some startling statistics that indicate a shift in the church from a priority on spiritual disciplines to a more touchy feely religion. If this trend continues, we will be a people that become totally irrelevant concerning the things that really matter to God. Jesus said, 

“Take my yoke upon you and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30) 

These words of Jesus are certainly attractive to most but are most often seen as a hope rather than a reality. While it is desired, there seems to be a ‘disconnect’ between this promise of Christ and the reality of our lives. Because of the inability to embrace such a promise, we are void of the strength we need and Christian behavior becomes burdensome and heavy. The result of this is that the teachings of Christ are then treated as a theoretically good idea rather than a tangible promise to incarnate. 

A yoke is a long wooden beam with two recessed areas on the underside to fit over the necks of a pair of draft animals, usually oxen, to harness them together to pull a plow, a cart, or some other load. Yokes for humans were also used. These were simple beams or poles carried across the shoulders with a load attached to each end. With them, laborers were able to carry heavy loads. What, then, is the yoke that Jesus invited those who come to him for refreshment to take upon themselves? Recall that he said: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.” (Matthew 11:29) 

Picture Jesus carrying the cross beam upon His shoulders. Now imagine that this cross beam serves as a yoke enabling Him to bear the sins of the world. Jesus said, “Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me.” We too often want to carry the weight of our problems and the issues of life with unprepared shoulders. Jesus said, 

“And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’” (Luke 9:23) 

In other words, carry the cross beam (the yoke) that Jesus carried and you will have the wherewithal to bear up under the weight of this life. But know this, Jesus was only able to bear up under the weight of His purpose because He was completely submitted to the Father’s will. He was spiritually disciplined to fulfill this purpose. Jesus said that we are to learn of Him! 

A learner is a disciple. So then, to take up Jesus’ yoke simply means to become his disciple – a burden bearer. The burden we are to carry is the gospel of the Kingdom in a world that is intent on rejecting it! Our calling is to shape this world after God’s design by releasing the right spirit within it – the Spirit of Christ!

This, however, requires more than just giving mental recognition to His teachings. It requires actions in harmony with them—doing the work he did and living the way he lived – praying, fasting and meditating on and studying God’s Word; stillness, silence, solitude as well as submission and service. This is what empowered Jesus to be the Christ. This is the real, private side that produced power in the public ministry of the Son of God. This yoke that Jesus was speaking of is meant for us so that we can provoke change in a world that needs a holy re-presentation of the living Christ. So let us learn of and from Christ that we may apply His life to ours! Jesus prepared Himself for the cross through an active lifestyle of prayer and fasting!