Picking up your Cross

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.  For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.

Luke 9:23‭-‬24 NIV

We see from the above scripture, that in order for anyone to be a disciple of Christ, the prerequisite is that they deny themselves and daily pick up thier cross

So what does Jesus mean?

Let's investigate a few things together. Like what is the cross? 

First off the cross is an instrument of death...that is it's primary function, like the gallows or electric chair in today's terms.

This is where we are invited to put to death the works of sin in my flesh and soul, to be identified with Jesus in death. 

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20 NIV

It was Jesus who paid the price for our sin, but spiritually we died and rose again in the newness of life, a new creation, born again by the Spirit of God. We cannot hope ever to pay the price, its a free gift of grace, we have no reason to boast. Yet we are called to deny ourselves and put to death the works of sin still evident in our mortal bodies and thinking.  

If you think that sin is not part of you, try to go one day WITHOUT sinning, in any form or fashion.  That is to be like Christ in thought, word and deed, 100%, attitude of gracious love, patience etc, you will quickly discover just how much you need a saviour daily.  

AW Tozer put it like this in his book The Pursuit of God.

"We must invite the cross to do its deadly work within us. We must bring our self-sins to the cross for judgment. We must prepare ourselves for an ordeal of suffering in some measure like that through which our Saviour passed when He suffered under Pontius Pilate."

Picking up our cross is where we invite Jesus to put to death our struggles to still be the masters of our own destiny, to get off the throne of our own heart.  To surrender just like Jesus did in the garden of Getsemane, NOT my will but thy (The Father's) will be done. Unlike Adam in the garden of Eden, where he thought he could be like God, and died. 

Oh do not be decieved and think that this can be accomplished without pain, everything in us rebels against relinquishing control, pride steps in and says I have got this....Yet only as Jesus said, if we lose (voluntarily) surrender of our lives do we truly find real life and freedom. 

It is my view that unless we are prepared to deny ourselves and lay down our own lives, that many, that call themselves believers are not diciples or apprentices of the way, found in biblical standards and are in fact self decieved. 

I know that I want to hear well done good, and faithful servant, and not depart from me I never knew you. It's important to note that the affirmation is not to the perfect, or famous or outward human conditions that we normally associate with success, but to those who Christ knew.

So how does Christ know us?

At the cross, in confession, and intimacy with God, Jesus and Holy Spirit.  Where we pour out our hopes, expectations, failings, dreams and all that is within us. Where we learn to expose my stuff to Jesus, good or bad, thereby inviting him to know me personally and laying down our own lives and inviting Him to help us conform to His image, plans and purposes for our lives.

If this sounds contrite and I repeat myself, I make no apology. I would rather please God than man. I am fully aware that this is a daily choice and is not a once off and done thing. The pride of life has a habit of wanting to rise, over and over again. It requires the brutality of the cross often enough as a reminder of Christ's finished work on the cross and the power of the Gospel and victory I have over primarily my own selfish desires to rule in my heart and life.  It is no longer I who live but Christ in me...the hope of Glory. 






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