Letter of

Rabbi  S.V.Artman

to the

Messianic Congregations

1999

Shalom to you, dear brothers and sisters! I want to speak of one more subject called: “Our Cross”, or “What does it mean to take up your cross?” Today, in the sermons much is said about the cross, the Messianic cross. What is it in reality? Maybe we don’t know what the cross of Yeshua is? Today I want to ponder and discuss this subject together with you. Take the Word and we will work over the Scriptures.

So, what does the cross mean? What kind of cross is it? How is it expressed? Let’s look up a few places in the Old Testament. First, though, let’s read from the New Testament, from the Letter of Rabbi Mattithyah, ch. 10, vs. 16-24, 32-38:

"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. The  disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.”

“Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven.  Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me.”

These are the words of Yeshua, Who gives us the cross. Dear friends, it is important to think of what this cross is like that we must take it up to be worthy of the calling, the Messianic calling, worthy of Yeshua, worthy of the Heavenly Kingdom. So Yeshua is offering us His cross. What kind of cross is it?

We will look into the Old Testament. Did this cross exist for the holy people before the coming of Yeshua? Let’s see Isayah, 66:2,5:

“For all those things hath Mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word... Hear the word of the Adonai, ye that tremble at His word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for My Name’s sake, said, Let the Adonai be glorified: but He shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.”

Here, an outline of a cross appears. A cross that is laid by Elohim upon His child: “poor and contrite spirit”. “Hear the word of the Adonai, ye that tremble at His word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for My Name’s sake, said, Let the Adonai be glorified: but He shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.” So then, their brothers that cast them out will hate those who are of a poor and contrite spirit. Those who will be of poor and contrite spirit will be cast out. The Cross acquires the nature of humiliation, persecution, disgrace, and condemnation.

However, what is said of the cross furthermore in the Scriptures? Let’s see: the prophet Amosyah in chapter 5, verse 10 says the following words, addressing the disobedient slaves of Elohim: “They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.” From this we see that he, who took up the cross of Elohim, surrendered wholly to Him will be hated because he “rebuketh at the gate”. He rebukes at the gate because he sees each one  who comes in and goes out. Naturally, he rebukes for the outward appearance, for unbridled behavior, for high-handedness. But the people will abhor those that speak uprightly and that is normal for those who took up the Lord’s cross. Let’s read from the Apocrypha, Book of Wisdom of Jesus, the son of Sirach, 2:1-5:

“My son, if thou come to serve the Elohim Adonai, prepare thy soul for temptation. Set thy heart aright and constantly endure, and make not haste in time of trouble. Cleave unto Him and depart not away, that thou mayest be increased in thy last end. Whatsoever is brought upon thee take cheerfully, and be patient when thou art changed to a low estate. For gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity.”

Here the cross is almost completely outlined. Here it is said very specifically and clearly that people who found favor in Elohim sight will be tested. Not just anyhow, but “in the crucible of humiliation”. An intelligent person doesn’t need to be explained what humiliation is. Humiliation… it is when you are trampled upon, when you are hated, when you are abhorred for not being silent, for speaking the Truth despite the time, fashion, rules, laws of this world. You are speaking the Truth…

Therefore, Yeshua cross is the cross of disgrace and humiliation. The bearer of this cross cannot brush anyone off and slander under its weight. This cross is the cross of teaching. However this cross, the only cross - is the road to heaven. This is the cross of salvation.

Let’s open the New Testament. Each person who comes to Elohim says: “Adonai, I want to serve You!” Then this person must accept a number of conditions. These conditions are your and my cross. If you agree to carry it - you belong to Elohim; you don’t agree - you are the servant of devil.

Let’s compare our cross that we carry with the cross that the Word describes. Is our cross right? Is it similar to the one that was carried by all Elohim people? The Letter of Rabbi Mattithyah 5:10-16, the words of Yeshua:

“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in Heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you…”

We see here these words: “for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you”. Throughout all times, from Adam to the second coming of Yeshua, when He will come for His congregation, the cross remains the same. The prophets in the Old Testament are carried over into the New Testament by the Adonai words, the words of Yeshua Himself: “for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” and you will be persecuted in the same way. We see another part of the cross: the prophets and we are one if we are carrying the same cross.

 Also, let’s read from the Letter of Rabbi Mattithyah 16:22-23:

“Then Kifa took Him, and began to rebuke Him, saying: Be it far from Thee, Adonai: this shall not be unto Thee. But He turned and said unto Kifa: get thee behind Me, satan: thou art an offence unto Me: for thou savourest not the things that be of Elohim, but those that be of men.”

Friends, we are simply discussing what kind of cross we should carry and what we are carrying already. So here we are facing a fact that we must think not the things of men, but those that are of Yahweh. This means completely denying yourself. The Letter of Rabbi Mattithyah. 16:24:

“Then said Yeshua unto His disciples: If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”

Has anyone paid attention to the words “deny himself”? It means to push away from yourself. It means: stop walking on the leash of your flesh, your principles, and your thoughts. You are not you own ! You are not your own, you belong to Yahweh! This is the cross of Elohim. The Letter of Rabbi Mattithyah. 16:25-27:

“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels and then He shall reward every man according to his works.”

Here we see that if we take up the cross of Elohim, then we must be ready to die for this cross. We must be ready to stand up to the end for this doctrine of Yeshua.

Furthermore, Yeshua “shall reward every man according to his works”. Then we must understand that “cross” also means - our works. What kind of works? What are we doing today? Dear friends, we have gone very much into vanity, yet we need only one thing - come to Elohim, try to renew our spirit, and try to carry this cross without throwing it off if it is heavy.

In Rabbi Kepha’s first epistle, ch.1, vs. 17-19 it is said thus:

“And if ye call on the Father, Who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious Blood of Yeshua, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot…”

Therefore, we are redeemed by the precious price: the Blood of Yeshua. We must pass our sojourning through life on earth with fear and trembling before the greatness of our Adonai. We must be in reverence before our Elohim. This is another feature of the cross of Yeshua. Luke 14: 26,27,33:

“If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple... So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple.”

Do you understand what our cross is like and what are we approaching? Yes, the world may say: “This is a fanatic, a madman!” However, dear friends, this is the real life in Messiah. Today, let’s compare ourselves: what cross are we carrying? Maybe we took up only a half of one? Maybe it’s someone else’s cross, made up of images that are strange to us? What kind of cross are we carrying today, you and I?

I-Cor. 4:9-13: “For I think that Elohim hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Messiah’s sake, but ye are wise in Yeshua; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; and labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of this world, and are the offscouring of all things to this day.”

We are not any better than the first Apostles; we are not better than Messiah; we are not better and wiser than the prophets who were before us. The promise of suffering, banishment, disgrace, buffeting, thirst, hunger, labor - everything remains as it was. Check which of these things pursue you today, or why do they not? Maybe somewhere you slipped and compromised with your conscience? Maybe you befriended sin? Dear friend, you have no right to be silent! You have no right to be silent about Truth, about chastity, about piety, about reverence, about righteous life! It is our portion! It is our cross!

The Letter of Rabbi Mattithyah 19:27: “Then answered Kepha and said unto Him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed Thee…” We see that the Apostles did take up the cross - they forsook all. The Letter of Rabbi Mattithyah. 19:28-29: “And Yeshua said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My Name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold and shall inherit everlasting life.”

So, we see that we must forsake the earthly existence. Dear friend, how much are you tied to this life today, to this world, to all the vanity thereof? How do you regard this world and what distance do you maintain from the life thereof? This is what will play a big part in your and my salvation. Messiah says that each one who forsook this life here on earth will be saved. So this cross is a very important step to salvation. It is an integral part in the life of a believers. All the rest is then built upon it. Thus if we are not taking up that cross we will not inherit Eternal Life.

I am simply mentioning a few places in the Scriptures, but may each one of you meditate individually: what are you carrying today? What kind of a cross? Where are you taking it? Whose cross is it?

“Forasmuch then as Messiah hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourself likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of Yahweh.” (1 Kepha 4:1-2)

How vividly expressed! Dear friends, this fisherman who didn’t know anything, but took up the cross of Messiah writes such wise, clear words because he was filled with the Holy Spirit. We must arm ourselves with the thought to suffer. This is the cross! And he says that we must suffer in the flesh “for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin”. How do you suffer in the flesh today? On a luxurious couch or an easy chair? What is happening today with your flesh? Is it being persecuted for carrying the Holy Spirit within, or not? Then we must consider: what is going on with us if the world does not persecute us? Are we of this world? Are we one with this world that it acknowledges us as it’s own?

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Messiah sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Messiah, happy are ye; for the Spirit of Glory and of Elohim resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other man’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a believer, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify Yahweh on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of Yahweh: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of Elohim? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of Elohim commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” (1-Kepha 4:12-16)

How vividly, how straight, how powerfully our cross is portrayed here! “If ye be reproached for the name of Messiah, happy are ye”! Dear friends, what is happening with us today? We fit too well into the interior of this corrupt world. Nothing is different: the apparel, the walk, the smile, the raising of the eyes… This is all spoken of in the Scriptures. The behavior of our youth today is impossible to tell apart from the world. It even becomes worse than that of the world. It is fearful, dear friends that people are taking up someone else’s cross - the cross of satan. A cross that is completely foreign to the cross of our Adonai!

 It is written that you shouldn’t be ashamed if you suffer as a believer. Today we must forbid ourselves to be ashamed of speaking about the Word of Yahweh. Uncomfortable, unattractive, can’t make it sound convincing… It is not that complicated: speak the Truth of Elohim - simply speak it. Yahweh will see you as you are. It is important to wholly surrender your heart. We are constantly facing these issues in our life. We are obliged to constantly think of how to act in this or that situation, and we at times choose what pleases our flesh. But, dear friend, if we are Messiah we must choose His constitution, we should act according to His Will in our situations. What cross are you carrying today? Children, possessions, jobs? The world also carries all this. Our cross is different. Arm yourself with the thought to suffer. This is our cross! This is our foundation! This is our rule! The cross of him who is at peace with Messiah - is light. It is written: “for My burden is light, and My yoke is easy”. For him who is not at peace this cross is unbearable because carrying this cross one must deny many things. Therefore the new generation of believers is carrying another cross: one that is lighter, modern, fashionable - trying somehow to be saved also. But no! There is no other way! You’ll say: “how is it that they don’t take up the cross?” Here is how: by not speaking about behavior, about inner and outward appearance, about childbearing, adultery, gossip, etc. If you are not going to speak of these things - no one will touch you, no one will persecute. Try and say something today and you will be hated! But it is our cross, and we cannot escape from it if we want to be saved.

Today many believers adjust their cross under the plane of the world, and no one will persecute you for sanded sermons, poems and songs. The children of the cross are notable for being persecuted constantly because they are visible, they are not hiding, because the son of Yahweh who took up the cross carries it obediently, without lingering upon the thought what will happen to him for this. And everybody sees that he is carrying this cross because he cannot hide it, because this cross shouts of the Truth, because this cross cries for justice! This cross is the cross of Messiah. He who takes up this cross is considered retarded, ignorant, crazy, foolish, but the carrier knows and is sure in his heavy burden. He knows what he is carrying and where he is taking it. He knows that it is the Truth. What cross are you carrying today? Whose cross is it? Who gave it to you?

Remember how Yeshua prayed for us in Gethsemane? He knew that there would be tests for us. He knew that His disciples would follow in His Way - the Way of disgrace, spits, and trials. This is His Way. There is no other way to Heaven. If you are seeking a different way trying to avoid sharp corners and conflicts with sin, then you will somehow carry something, but it will not be the cross of Messiah.

We read in The Letter of Rabbi Yahchanan 7:7:

“The world cannot hate you; but Me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.”

Thus, if you are not testifying of the world that it’s works are evil,if you are not saying the Truth, then no one will persecute you, then you will be, not exactly loved, but simply blended in with the gray crowd of the world. This is exactly what the satan needs. You see, if you will speak the Truth to the world - you will be hated; if you will not speak it - you will be the world’s own and a stranger to Yahweh. But Rabbi Yahchanan also writes:

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

(Yahchanan 15:18-19)

Dear friend, dear brother and sister what is going on with you today? How does the world treat you? From this you will be able to see to whom you belong and what path you are standing on today.

“Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for My name’s sake, because they know not Him that sent Me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.” (Yahchanan 15:20-22)

Dear friend, today you are responsible to speak the Truth. If you are not going to speak the Truth Yahweh will demand the blood of this world from your hands.

“He that hateth Me hateth My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now had they both seen and hated both Me and My Father.” (Yahchanan 15:23-24)

We are not better than Messiah, not higher, not stronger than Him. If our Adonai, our Teacher, our Father was persecuted then the promise of disgrace remains for us, too. Such is our way. For by many sufferings shall we enter the Kingdom of Heaven. This is our life. This is our principle of life. We must not have any other. We even have no right to think about a different life. This is our life!

“But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, they hated Me without a cause. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, Which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Me: and ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with Me from the beginning.” (Yahchanan 15:25-27)

How do we testify of Yahweh today? Those baptized in the Holy Spirit, how are we carrying this Truth today? Does the Holy Spirit not burn in you to speak the Truth? If He doesn’t burn and doesn’t call then we should wonder where is the Holy Spirit that was given to us by Messiah? Where did we lose Him? What have we done with Him? You need to think about it, dear friends. We are His followers and we don’t need another cross. Another cross is deception and death. And the world hates us. Hates because we are carrying the real cross, the right cross!

“And Yeshua answered and said: Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My sake, and the gospel’s, but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” (Mark 10:29-30)

It is not worth to cling to everything here on earth. It is not ours. Look around, look at yourself in the mirror - all this will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. All the things, this whole earth - all this will not enter the Heavenly Kingdom. The cross that you have carried will enter. Only through this cross you may enter into the House of your Father. What do we need all this dust for, all this decay that takes away our time, takes away our holy thoughts, takes away the Eternal Life itself? Let’s die for this world! Let’s live for righteousness!

“Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of Yahweh, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of Yahweh, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. Now for a recompense in the same, (I speak as unto my children) be ye also enlarged. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Messiah with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of Yahweh with idols? For ye are the temple of the living Yahweh; as Elohim hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be My people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Adonai, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Adonai Almighty.” (2 Cor. 6:3-18)

Read this place again on your own. It is very important! It is our cross. We cannot escape from it.

Once more I want to go back to the Gospel of Yahchanan and thus finish my short discussion with you. I did not try to make it sound artistic. It is simply a conversation with you. After all, let’s learn to approach Elohim and each other in simplicity. I’m wrapping up this discussion with a few verses from The Letter of Rabbi Yahchanan 16:1-3, the words of Messiah:

“These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth Yahweh service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor Me.”

Dear friend, we are destined. Messianic, we are destined - and in this is our joy! It is foolishness for this world, but for us it is a cross laid upon us by Messiah. Those who are already walking with this cross - be strengthened, for you are on the right path. Those who are not - take up this cross, the cross of suffering and humiliation and don’t act like enemies of Yahweh. Amen!

Rabbi S.V.Artman

“Am Yisrael”

Messianic Tabernacle

Wasilla, Alaska USA

rabbiartman@yahoo.com

www.artmanrabbi.tripod.com