Pick Up Your Cross: The Sacrifice of Serving

"Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals. And don't greet anyone on the road. "When you enter a house, first say, 'May this house be blessed with peace.' If someone there loves peace, your blessing of peace will rest on him. If not, it will return to you. Stay in that house. Eat and drink anything they give you. Workers are worthy of their pay. Do not move around from house to house.

(Luke 10:3-7) Jesus sent out seventy others after sending the twelve (Luke 9:1-5) with similar instruction. They were to go into areas where He Himself would be visiting in the near future. They were not to take food or money, but rely upon the same Spirit who would guide their teaching to provide others to meet their physical needs as well. Jesus had just finished teaching on true discipleship (Luke 9:57-62) and He now lays out the plan. The committed Christian worker (pastor, minister, missionary, laymen) is to work as God called him or her, and trust Him to provide. The harvest in indeed plentiful, and we all need to answer the call God has given to each of us: To go or to support those who have gone. We cannot muzzle the ox (1 Timothy 5:18) or shut down the work by not providing for his living expenses as he shares the Good News. Those who deliver the Gospel day after day throughout the land, in churches, on the city streets, or among the various neighborhoods in which we live receive their living (support) from the Gospel.(1 Corinthians 9:14) Serving God's people their job! We are their support system! It’s am embarrassment to the church and to us who believe when those who are called to serve are hamstrung by finances. God commanded some to go but He commanded us all to give. Even during tough economic times we can’t stop giving, because the servant does not stop serving! (2 Corinthians 9:10) Our commitment to Christ is a witness to the world of our dependence upon Him to supply our needs, as we trust Him. (Philippians 4:19).

Let’s allow His light to shine through us, whether we are actually doing the work or supporting the work of the Gospel. There is a cross for us all in the sacrifice of serving!