SUNDAY February 9, 2020
Take Up Your Cross
…Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Matthew 16:24-26
Jesus’ disciples had gathered to Him. He sat and taught them the Beatitudes. Those called to be Jesus’ disciples have been born again of the Holy Spirit (John 3). They have the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit living within them (John 14:23; 25).
As disciples of Christ, what does Jesus expect of our lives? Jesus gave this understanding of discipleship: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” When you take up your cross, it means there has to be a dying to self––self-denial. Those called to be Christ’s disciples have to count the cost of becoming His disciple. We do not follow Christ blindly. We pick up our cross and follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.
In your commitment to Jesus Christ, you cannot get sidetracked from seeking first the kingdom of God. Hold lightly to the things of this world, because you are to be ready for heaven––real simple. Most people make the mistake of living for this world, and not for the next.
Seriously, think about everything we have accumulated materially in this world; it will be left behind. The only thing that will last is what you do for Jesus Christ––period!
Discipleship is a call to me, but it is a journey of "we.” “Jesus of Nazareth always comes asking disciples to follow him--not merely "accept him," not merely "believe in him," not merely "worship him," but to follow him: one either follows Christ, or one does not.
~A.W. Tozer~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!