Mark 8 - What Does It Mean to Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus?
Verses of the Day
The Way of the Cross
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?
Commentary
Jesus had done many signs and wonders including: raising someone from the dead, healing every disease and sickness, casting out demons, and even taking a few loaves of bread and a few fish and feeding thousands of people. But today he has some sobering words to say to them. We might say this is a, "Come to Jesus talk".
Jesus' words distill what it means to be his follower. Jesus had just told them that he would be handed over to the religious leaders and be killed. Jesus' simple invitation was, "Whoever wants to follow me must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow me."
It was bad enough for the disciples to hear that Jesus would suffer, be rejected, and die on a cross. Now Jesus told them that they had to do the same thing. - Guzik
Everyone in Jesus' day knew that the cross was an instrument of torture reserved for the worst criminals. When Jesus said to deny yourself, he was not saying it in the sense we think of self-denial. I.e. When we denial ourselves some earthly pleasure. Jesus is saying that the first step to following him.
“Denying self is not the same as self-denial. We practice self-denial when, for a good purpose, we occasionally give up things or activities. But we deny self when we surrender ourselves to Christ and determine to obey His will.” (Wiersbe)
To deny ourself and take up our cross goes against our sinful nature, which wants to about "me, me, me" Our sinful nature is all about doing what we want to please ourselves at all costs. From young age a child learns his favorite word, "me", but we see people of all ages who exhibit this character trait. We also call this person "self centered".
The world revolves them. Rather than truly listening to a conversation and focusing on what someone else is saying, they are always trying to bring the conversation back to them. Or, they try to "one up" the other person's story. And to some extent we are all like this. But a Christian's "modus operandi" is the the very opposite of this. Instead of being self-centered we are "others' centered. Paul said it very well in Philippians 2:4,
"Each of you should not only look to your interests but the interests of others."
When Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow him, he is not asking him to do anything he wasn't willing to do. In the next verse Paul says,
"Jesus who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God has something to hold on to, but emptied himself and became a servant, even unto death on the cross." Philippians 2:5
So here's the thing. In denying ourselves and losing our life, we actually find it.
Jesus says, "Whoever wants to save their life should lose it but whoever loses their lives for me and the gospel will save it."
Jesus says we not only lose our lives for him but also for the gospel. What does that mean?
Giving one's life for the gospel means fully surrendering personal ambition, comfort, and self-rule to live as a dedicated follower of Jesus, prioritizing His mission above all else. Google AI
Giving our lives to Jesus and for the sake of the gospel are really the same thing. Since Jesus' mission was bring the gospel to the world, if we follow him we will be doing the same thing. This is summed up in the last words Jesus gave to the 12,
"Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded." Matthew 28:19-20
Part of denying ourselves is using the time, talents, and treasures for the sake of the gospel not just for our own desires.
Application
1. Are you denying yourself and picking up your cross to follow Jesus? What does that mean for your daily life?
2. Are you living your life for the sake of the gospel? Is it your mission to be part of the the Great Commission? Are you using the gifts God has given you in your church to help fuel this mission?
Prayer of the Day
Jesus, help us to deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow you. May Your Holy Spirit help us to die every day to being on the throne of our lives. If there is anything in our live more important than you may we put your above it. Send us out to make disciples in Your name. Amen.
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