Gospel-Centered Mentoring Embraces the Cross
#7 in the Gospel-Centered Mentoring Series
Gospel-Centered Mentoring Embraces the Cross
Because of the freedom available to God’s People, there are many paths they can walk on the journey to wholeheartedness. Mentees may have many hopes, dreams, and plans to honor God with their lives; they may ask their mentor to help them develop and achieve related goals. This is all wonderful and God-pleasing; but both mentee and mentor must always consider the cross.
Jesus once asked his disciples, “Who do people say I am?” They shared some of the popular theories. He followed up, “But what about you? Who do you say I am?” Peter wisely answered, “You are the Messiah” (Mark 8:27-30). Then Jesus started teaching them about his cross, and the disciples were shocked. Peter even rebuked him for suggesting something so foolish; the Messiah should not die an ignominious death! He should drive out the Romans, exalt His people, and reign on earth in glory! Jesus retorted by calling Peter “Satan” (Mark 8:31-33).
Jesus went on to introduce something shocking: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it” (Mark 8:34b–38). How important is this concept of denying yourself and carrying your cross? Jesus said you cannot be his disciple unless you do it. In the “The Theology of The Cross” Professor Daniel Deutschlander writes, “The cross for the Christian is a consequence of discipleship. It is a necessary consequence. No cross, no Christian!”
Just to be clear: the cross is a consequence of discipleship, not the cause of it. In other words, you don’t become acceptable to God by carrying your cross well. God graciously accepted and adopted you in Jesus when the Holy Spirit created faith in your heart. You are now Christ’s disciple. But the consequence of being His disciple is that you must carry your cross.
Some people like to think that our cross is every nuisance that we experience in our lives—“We ran out of granola this morning; the car won’t start; and my arthritis is acting up; well, we all have our crosses to bear!” But the Christian cross is the suffering we experience when we deny ourselves—that is, our own sinful reason and strength—to follow God’s Word. Deutschlander adds, “By nature we love self most of all and before anyone or anything else. By nature we trust our own will, our own cleverness, our own instincts, our own selfish and often very twisted definition of right and wrong…” (p. 21). God knows that our greatest fulfillment is only found through resting in Christ fully and reflecting him faithfully—not in our accomplishments, approval, security, comfort, or control. So, he sends the cross to loosen our white-knuckled grip on our own plans, and to tighten our grip on Him and His promises. He asks us to deny what we might want in favor of his promises and direction.
While the gospel-centered mentor often encourages mentees to develop goals and action plans, he/she also urges them to hold it all loosely. When things are not going according their vision for life, he/she helps mentees consider how God may be asking them to deny themselves. And when they feel the crushing burden of the cross, he/she reminds them of God’s unfailing love (Joshua 1:9, Romans 8:28-39; Hebrews 12:7-11; 1 Peter 4:19, etc.).
Next: Gospel-Centered Mentoring Patiently Seeks True Transformation