Savior and/or Lord? The Cross.

[continued]

What does the “cross” mean to you?

What were the first references to “cross” by Jesus?

Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:37-39

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” Matthew 16:24-25

Interesting that the first reference to “cross” by Jesus refers to discipleship, not conversion, would you agree?

Context - Who did Jesus spend his time teaching? Almost exclusively Jews and religious people. Yes, wayward Jews, Samaritans, even devout Romans. But the point was he was usually talking to people who had grown up around the teachings of rabbis, people who understood what it meant to take on a “yoke“. Would you agree?

Jesus had discipleship implicit in all of his teaching, even his conversion teaching.

Before the cross of Matthew 27 - conversion - there was the cross of discipleship, or, lordship - Matthew 10, Matthew 16.

If you were following Jesus before Matthew 27 and I asked you, “What does the cross mean in Jesus teaching?“, what would you say?

You would say the cross is a symbol of lordship. You would not yet understand its meaning for salvation.

So, here is your question about salvation and lordship:

Are there 2 different crosses in Jesus teaching? Is there one for those who want to be saved and another one for those who want him as Lord?

Or - maybe there is one cross - with two sides. As I walk up to the front of the cross I lay my sin down and the blood covers me. As I walk past it the backside points me down the road of lordship.