The Way of the Cross, Your Cross
This week’s post is meant to help us prepare to follow Jesus intimately. It is our prayer that you will be edified and equipped. We also ask that you share our weekly post with others, tweet, repost, email to your friends, or just tell someone about them. Enjoy the read!
Mark 8:34-38, “….. “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
A Moment to Meditate
This is where we are tested in our thinking and are forced to examine our belief and faith. This passage may be the most important passage about discipleship or following Jesus stated in the New Testament. As we grow in our faith, we must be willing to be challenged in our fundamentals. Have you ever thought about what it means to deny yourself? What is the self and how do you deny it? What exactly does Jesus wants us to do when it comes to cross bearing? Are there incentives involve in denying ourselves and taking up our cross? Think about what Jesus actually told us that we each should have a cross of our own. He is not asking us to bear His cross but to bear our own cross. As we study the passage, be reminded that Jesus never tells us to do something just because, He provides reason and rewards. That is very good news and contrary to popular view concerning becoming a disciple and surrendering your life to Jesus.
Let us examine this chapter and verses to see our role in this:
Mark 8:34-38 - “And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Notice that there are two (2) major parts major, four (4) main fundamental parts, three (3) criterion and four (4) motivations that are involved in this command of cross-bearing. When the text says For, this means because or why and there are four reasons provided in the text. He also starts by calling the crowd to him. So there is a call, end result, direction, criteria and reasons or in another way of looking at it and consequences. Another amazing part of this statement indicates that our life depends on it. This is capture in the first For and represents how critical this command is and how it is linked to our life.
If anyone would come after me (Jesus) or to follow me let him do three things, Jesus says. The come after me could be the same as follow me, but it is not really. Come after me has three parts and that included following Him. So He says he or she is to:
Deny himself
Take up his cross
Follow me
We are led to believe that “take up his/her cross” and “deny self” plays a massive role in coming after him. In the interest of time, lets take a look at the two major parts that we should touch on each of the components involved.
1.One Take Up Your Cross
What do you know about the cross? It was a horrible instrument of execution it was done by the Romans. They nailed people to a cross, they let them hang there until hey suffocated or if you didn't suffocate they broke their legs. The lungs would collapse so in order to breathe they had to push up their body while nail is the only resistance to push against, It was a horrific way to die. Yet Jesus says if we want to be His disciple, want to come after Him and follow Him, then pick up our cross. He was going to the cross to conquer it so that we would have the power to take up ours. Imagine the implications of a cross on our shoulders, it would mean a few things. It meant official opposition, to be officially opposed comes with it. Facing crucifixion is an execution meant for a criminal so be ready to be treated like a criminal, they were killed in public so it was utterly shameful or humiliation, they were stripped naked, beaten hung up for everybody to see. It brought unspeakable suffering, thinking about what it took to breath and it ultimately led to death.
The things implied about taking up your cross:
Are you willing to endure official opposition?
Are you willing to be shamed or treated like a criminal?
Are you willing to suffer, publicly?
Are you willing to die?
2. Self Denial
Self-denial, what is that? The self does not like the things mentioned above, the self says no I don't want to be in opposition I don't like being shamed, I do not like suffering and I don't want to die. Self would mean our right to ourselves, our right to run our own lives. It signifies what I have come accustom to doing and to self-deny we must refuse to accept or associate with the self that is oppose to Jesus. There are two (2) selves implicated there, there is an old self and a new self when Jesus is our Lord and Savior. Recall what we need to do to be saved, John 3:16, however when the new self is being formed or birth by The Holy Spirit we have a new self that plays the role in following and being led. The old self that says I want to live opposition free, shame free, suffering free and death free. The new self is saying I want Jesus more than I want that comfort, an opposition free or suffering free life. Jesus and the Gospel means more than all the four things above associate with the things that without Jesus I would run from. Again, He is not saying that you should mindlessly suffer, but suffering comes as a result of the battle with righteousness, sharing and living the gospel.
Why? For “Me”, Jesus and my message.. Notice this is for “My”, Jesus, sake and The Gospel's and this is not random suffering. Are you willing to do that for me? That's what He's saying if you are, you can be my disciple. If you're just playing games with me you're not willing to die and suffer and be shamed and be opposed with me then you can go follow somebody else. What happens when you hold on to your way of living, words and thoughts? It will cost you if you keep living the way you want.
Respond and Implement
How are you responding to this command?
How do think about denying yourself? What is practically involved?
What was the “old self” and how do you describe the “new self”?
Grace and Peace Be With You,