Cross thoughts: Christian ideas seen in Sudanese every day life.
“… Entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others”,
2 Timothy 2:2;
These folk are discussing my 3rd book, Christian Theology in a Sudanese Context, soon after it was produced in Khartoum in 2004. You can read it, listen to it and/or download them from this website. As I get older – I’m 66yrs – I become more aware of trying to leave a useful legacy of books and a website of teaching materials behind me when I am called into glory.
“Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Jesus Christ”, 2 Timothy 2:3
“Endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory”, verse 10
“If we endure, we will also reign with Him. …”, verse 12
Paul wrote these words to Timothy from his prison, awaiting execution, see 2 Timothy
4:6-8. He not only wrote to his young friend in the ministry; throughout their times together he set a great example for all to see. He practised what he preached.
The word, “entrust”, means “to give someone responsibility for an important job or activity”.[1] Paul passed his ministry over to this one man (and we know of many others), and Timothy passed it on to several others too, notice the plural in 2:2.
The word, “endure”, means “to suffer something unpleasant (probably lasting a long time) without becoming upset”.[2] People who expect that living as a Christian in a non-Christian world is easy are in for a shocking surprise. Our Lord Jesus embraced the executioner’s cross that has since become the symbol of our Christian faith all around the world. He told His followers – disciples like you and me – to “carry (the) cross and follow”, Luke 14:27. He went further by saying that those who avoid carrying their crosses, definitely “cannot be my disciple(s)”.
“To carry” means, “to hold someone or something using your hands, arms or body and take them somewhere”.[3] For the Christian disciple we hold both – “someone”, our Saviour the Lord Jesus in our hearts – and “something”, the crucified life He has planned for us from before the creation of the world, marking every aspect of our lives.
God has granted me a pleasant life. True, I have had many troubles along the way, some very deep troubles I face even now, yet God has never left me on my own to battle alone. Losing my voice box to cancer in November 2006 and therefore being unable to continue my preaching and teaching ministry in UK and Sudan, were among the times when I struggled with the burden of obeying God’s will. Loving God with 100% of heart, soul, mind and strength is sometimes very, very hard, Mark 12:29-31. But the rewards for enduring are great. A Christian’s crucifixion is followed by his or her resurrection into a brilliant and indestructible terrific new life, Romans 5:17.
This is our 99th Cross thought.
God-willing, after number 100 due on November 1st , there will be other items on this website you will find helpful in your ministry for our Lord Jesus.
God-willing, all past Cross thoughts will still be available here too.
October 2015.
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