Take up your cross

1. Take up your Cross – 1st
June 2016
Then Jesus saidto His disciples,“Ifanyonewishesto come after Me, let him deny himself,andtake up
hiscross, and followMe.” (Matthew16:24)
WhenJesussaid above stated toHis disciples,“If anyone wishestocome afterMe,” theywere doubtless
remindedof the time He hadcalledeachof them.Some twoanda half yearsearliertheyhadleft
families,friends,occupations,andeverythingelseinordertofollow Jesus. Tounbelieversamongthe
multitudeswhowere presentonthatoccasion – as we alsosee in Mark 8:34, Jesus’wordscome after
Me appliedtothe initial surrenderof aChristians“bornagain”new birth.It refers whenapersoncomes
to Christfor salvationandthe oldlife of sinisexchangedforanew life of righteousness.Tothe believers
there,includingthe Twelve,come afterMe reiteratedthe call tothe life of dailyobediencetoChrist.
As Christianswe mustknowthatitis sadlypossible forbelieverstolose the love they initially hadwhen
theyreceivedChrist acceptingHimasone’s Lordand surrenderedtoHim:“YetI hold thisagainstyou:
Youhave forsaken the love youhad at first”(Revelation2:4).It is a constanttemptationtowantto do
whatwe gave up.It is possible toagainplace one’sownwillabove God’s requirements.One mayeven
getback to sinand sinfulness thatwere relinquished whenwe came toHim. One may evencompromise
the commitmentwhenthe cost of followingJesus becomeshigh.Althoughimperfectobedience is
inevitable becauseof one’s unredeemedflesh, we mustknow that the basicdesire andlife-directionof
the true Christianisobedience tothe Lord. We needto be remindsthatthe keydiscipleshipprincipleof
winningbylosinginvolvesself-denial,cross-bearing,andloyal obedience.
The firstrequirementof followingJesusChrist isself-denial whichmeansthe actof not allowingyourself
to have or do somethingyouwant.A personwhoisnot willingto denyhimself cannotclaimto be a
disciple of JesusChrist. The selftowhichJesusrefersisnotone’spersonal identityasadistinct
individual.Todeny one’sself istoconfess likewhatthe apostle Paul saidof himself in Romans7;18, “I
know that nothinggooddwellsin me, that is,in my flesh”.Todenythat self isto have the sincere,
genuine convictionthatone hasnothinginhisor herhumannesstocommendbefore God,nothing
worthwhile toofferHim as we are and before receivingone’ssalvation.The believerismade acceptable
before God only whenhe or she developsfaithand trustinJesusChrist, receivesalvationand created
as a newentity inrighteousness andholinessof the truth”.We can learnthisin Ephicians. 4:24, “…and
to put on the new self, created to be likeGod intrue righteousnessand holiness” .Todenyself isto
subjectoneselfentirelytothe lordshipandresourcesof JesusChrist,inutterrejectionof self-will and
self-sufficiency.
The secondrequirementof discipleship (followingJesus) istotake up one’scross. Thisideahas
profoundmeaningwhichmustbe understood.Takingupone’s crossisnot some mystical levelof
selfless“deeperspiritual life”thatonlythe religiouselitecanhope toachieve.To take up one’scross is
simplytobe willingto ‘payanyprice’ forChrist’s sake.Itis the willingnesstoendure shame,
embarrassment,reproach,rejection,persecution,andevenmartyrdomforHissake. AsChristianswe
needtolearnthisdo this as one’spriority. Whenthe disciplesandthe crowdheardJesusspeakof taking
up the cross as inMatthew 16:24, there wasnothingmystical tothemaboutthe idea. Inaccordance to
the Roman methodof execution,theyimmediatelypicturedapoor,condemnedsoul walkingalongthe
road carryingthe Crosswhichisthe instrumentof hisexecutiononhisownback.A man whotook up his
cross beganhis deathmarch, carrying the verybeamon whichhe wouldhang. Butas for the Christian it

2. meansforhim to be willingtostart a deepcommitmentandnotreallyadeath march. To be a discipleof
JesusChrististo be willing,inHisservice,tosufferthe indignities,the pain,andeventodeath.
The cross representssufferingthatone mayhave to experience because of ourrelationshiptoChrist.
The gospel tellsusthat Jesushadtakenup “His cross” on Hisback that isreflective of the sinsof the
whole world. Tocome to JesusChrististo come to the endof self of conceitedness andsin,,tobecome
so desirousof ChristandHisrighteousnessthatone will make “anysacrifice forHim”.
The third requirement forfollowingChrist isloyal obedience.Onlyafterapersondenieshimself and
takesup hiscross,Jesussaid,ishe preparedto followMe.True discipleshipissubmissiontothe lordship
of Christthatbecomesa pattern of life.“The one whosayshe abidesinHimoughthimself towalkinthe
same manneras He walked”.We can learnfrom 1 John2:6, “Whoeverclaimsto live inhim must liveas
Jesus did”.Jesusalsotaughthisdisciplesthatsimply“statingorwordsalone”doesnotsuffice… but
onlythe one whodoesthe will of my Father!We can learnfrom Matthew7:21, “Noteveryone whosays
to me,‘Lord,Lord,’ will enterthe kingdomof heaven,but onlythe one whodoesthe will of myFather
whois inheaven. AsChristianswe needtounderstanddeeplythatinorderto continue inHisWord is to
be His true disciple aswe can learnfrom John8:31, “To the Jews who hadbelieved him,Jesus said, “If
you holdto my teaching,you are really my disciples”.
Therefore asChristianswe needtobearinmindthatJesussaid: “
Whoever serves me must followme;
and where I am, my servant alsowill be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.” (John12:26).
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my
Disciple must deny themselves and take up their
Cross daily and follow me"