Jump Start # 893

Luke 9:23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

We have been looking at this passage the past few days, which defines discipleship. Jesus identifies three principles: denying self, taking up your cross daily. There is one final thought, follow Me. After denying self, after taking up your cross, a person must still follow Jesus.

Following Jesus is the reason why a person will deny self. That is the cause, the motivation and the reason. Following Jesus is the reason why a person will take up their cross daily. These steps are hard. They require about all we have to do it. Without following Jesus, we would never do those things.

Follow Jesus. That’s what the apostles did. They left their nets and followed Jesus.

He showed them things that they had never seen before, such as lepers being cleansed and demons being cast out. They saw withered hands restored and the lame walking. They saw the dead coming back to life. He calmed storms and stilled fears. It was amazing what they saw. No one could do what Jesus was doing. Nearly every day was a journey of amazement.

Following Jesus took them places that they probably had never been before. Jesus took them to Samaria, a place where Jews didn’t travel. Following Jesus took them to the middle of heated debates about who Jesus was and His right to say and do what he was doing. For most of the apostles, their lives were pretty simple, spent on the lake, catching and selling fish. The arrest of Jesus put them around armed soldiers and a very tense situation. Jesus took them places that they would have never gone on their own.

Following Jesus led them to doing things that they had never done before. They preached. They cast out demons. One walked on water. They healed the sick. They must have looked at their hands and marveled at how these things were happening.

Following Jesus made them witnesses to the most pure, holy, perfect and selfless example that they would ever see. No one equaled Jesus. No one topped Jesus. No one always said the right thing, did the right thing, and thought the right thing, other than Jesus. They saw Jesus’ compassion. They saw Jesus when He was thrown into the storm with those who opposed Him. They saw Jesus forgive when others wanted to throw rocks. They heard those passionate lessons about the coming kingdom and the way of righteousness. They saw Him pray.

No one knew Jesus as well as the apostles did. They had their very feet washed by Jesus. After His ascension into Heaven, those witnesses spoke passionately from both the Holy Spirit and their hearts. They knew. They saw. They heard. They had followed Jesus.

One of my favorite hymns is “Footprints of Jesus.” Love that song. It is a song about following Jesus. Deny self, take up your cross and FOLLOW Jesus. Follow Jesus in purity. Out goes trashy shows, border line talking, suggestive language, immodest clothing. Follow Jesus.

Follow Jesus in service. Jesus had the heart of a servant. He cared and He helped. Denying self will help you. Serving others. Doing things for the sake of helping out. Being a true friend. Being one that can be counted upon. Dependable. A person of your word. A servant. Following Jesus will take you there.

Follow Jesus in worship. Jesus loved His Father. He prayed. He worshipped. He followed His will. He spoke the message of the Father. Following Jesus will lead us to doing the same. Sunday is the best day of the week. Sundays are so different from all the other days. Our routines are different on Sundays. We gather with God’s people on Sundays. We sing. We pray. We remember the Lord’s death. We read God’s word. Sunday is good day, no matter what the weather. Sunday reminds us that God is still upon the throne. Sunday helps us get our order in order, our perspective. Sunday is about God. Sunday reminds us of righteousness, Heaven, and holiness. Without Sundays, our world seems dark and messy.

Follow Jesus. Follow Jesus all the time. Follow Jesus when you don’t feel like it. Follow Jesus when it takes you to uncomfortable places, such as forgiving someone who has hurt you. Follow Jesus in sharing His story. Follow Jesus when others won’t. Follow Jesus when it is hard. Follow Jesus when you want to quit. Follow Jesus all the way to Heaven.

You follow Jesus by doing what the Bible says. I can’t say that I’m following Jesus when I’m not following His word. The way of Jesus is the Bible way.

Deny self…take up your cross daily…follow Jesus. Three principles. There is an order to those principles. If you follow without first denying, you’ll soon part ways with Jesus and start doing what you want to do. Deny self, that must be first. Take up your cross, if you don’t, you won’t follow long. There are sacrifices. Without my cross, I won’t do that. Then, follow.

Follow, follow, follow. The Bible way becomes your way. You start seeing things from Heaven’s side of things. Your interests become deeper and more spiritual, the more you follow.

Not everyone will do this. They could, they just don’t want that commitment. They will follow at a distance and follow Jesus into the things that they feel are nice and easy. Standing alone for what is right is something few will do. Calling sin, sin, is not something many will do. Following that simple N.T. pattern is outdated for most. Follow Jesus.

Will you do it? Will you do it if it makes you different from others? Will you do it if it means most will not agree with you? Will you do it?

Follow Jesus

Roger

Jump Start # 892

Luke 9:23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Yesterday, we began looking at this verse. Here Jesus defines discipleship. There is a cost to following Jesus. There are requirements and responsibilities that are involved. It isn’t a free ride. We are not hitch-hiking our way to Heaven.

Our Jump Start yesterday looked at the first thing Jesus requires, denying self. That’s hard. It means putting Jesus before me. It is living with a purpose and a reason. It is no longer existing and making decisions based upon how we feel. Some only go to work or school if they feel like it. If they don’t, they won’t. Those days are over when we become a disciple. We deny self. Paul told the Galatians that he crucified self. That is the process of denying self. It is killing the inner wants and selfishness and replacing those with what God wants. God takes over the helm of our life. God runs our life. God says and that ends the discussion. Repentance is turning toward God. The prodigal got up and came home. Denying self is giving God the keys to your heart. It’s giving up the control. It is no longer feeling or saying, “I have a right.” It’s living by, “What does God say?”

Denying self is something we do, not God. Jesus is telling the disciples to do this. If God did it for us, then we would just sit back and let it happen. It is up to us to deny. It is up to us to put God first in our lives. Seek first the kingdom of God is what Jesus said. Set your minds on things above is what the Colossians were told. Fix your eyes upon Jesus is what we read in Hebrews. Deny self. You can do it because Jesus said so. Hard, yes. Impossible, never.

The second principle of discipleship is to take up our cross daily. This statement is greatly misunderstood and misused. Notice a few things.

• First, it is OUR cross, not His cross. Jesus already carried His cross. He doesn’t need us to carry that. Every year around Easter, there is someone out walking the highway with a huge cross. He tries to mimic Jesus. He fails. He misses the point of this passage.

• Second, the cross represented death. Today, people wear crosses as jewelry and tattoos. That would have been weird in the first century. The cross was the form of execution the Empire of Rome used upon criminals and foreigners. We wouldn’t wear a lethal injection needle and iv bag around our necks as something to be admired. Most would think that is sick. Same thing about crosses in the first century. The cross was a one-way, dead end road. A person didn’t walk back from the cross. It meant death.
• Third, the cross represents the supreme sacrifice. That’s what Jesus was. He wasn’t Heaven’s left over. He was God’s gift. He was the best of Heaven. He was the sinless son of God. He was the perfect example. He was without mistakes. Our cross is a sacrifice. It is something that we give up. It is something that we offer to God. That’s the point of discipleship. Our cross is a choice. It is not something that is beyond our control. The cross is not something that is forced upon us. We are to “TAKE UP” our cross. That’s choice. We choose to do this. We have a say in all of this. This is what we want.

I’ve heard some say that their handicapped child was the cross they carried. No. They didn’t choose that. They didn’t willingly give that to God. Others have said a short temper is their cross. I heard a lady once say that her drunk husband was the cross she bore. No. No. No. Sin is not our cross. Bad attitudes are not our cross. Those are things we must repent of and get rid of. Our cross is something of sacrifice that we offer to God. It is a gift to God. It is not something wrong, but something good. That’s what Jesus was. He was our sacrifice.

For the early disciples, leaving home and following Jesus was a sacrifice. Leaving the safety of the Jewish religion which they grew up with, enduring hostility and doing things they had never done before, such as preach and teach was what they gladly bore for Jesus. Sacrificing time for Jesus is cross bearing. Devoting our talents for Jesus is cross bearing. A talented song writer, instead of pursuing a career that could make him rich, devotes his ability to writing hymns. There is no money in hymns. He sacrifices himself for the Lord.

A man who could run a major corporation, be very wealthy, devotes his life to preaching the gospel. People don’t get rich preaching. There are no baseball cards with preachers on them. He does this because he is sacrificing himself for the Lord. A young mother who could have a serious career instead stays home to be devoted to her young children, sacrifices herself for the Lord. A person who turns down overtime on the weekend so he can worship with God’s people is sacrificing for the Lord. A person who turns down free tickets to a concert that is going on the same time church services are, is sacrificing for the Lord. Giving up for God—that’s cross bearing.

Your cross is not poor health, bad teeth, a wife who died early or any of the other hardships we go through. Your cross is not bad or sinful things in life. Your cross is what YOU give up for the Lord. Even among us preachers, there are crosses we bear. I think about the man who spends his time overseas rather than the safety and comfort of America. I think of the man who leaves a large church with a large salary to go help a small church. They are making sacrifices. They are doing without and they do that for one reason, they love the Lord.

Jesus said to take up your cross. This isn’t done once in your life. This isn’t even a now and then event. Jesus said to take up your cross DAILY. Every day I choose to make sacrifices for Jesus. Everyday shine the light. Everyday speak the word. Everyday make a difference.

Understand, in Jesus’ day, crosses weren’t shiny and pretty. They were rough wood and heavy. Carrying a cross was hard. Many couldn’t do it. Even Jesus had help carrying His cross. Our crosses may not be easy either. It may be hard. Hard choices. Radical decisions. Doing what others would not. Crosses aren’t for those who are looking for comfort. Crosses aren’t for the lazy.

You want to follow Jesus? He wants you to carry your cross. Everyday. That starts with today. Today, turn the TV off and open His word. Today, pick up the phone and connect with someone spiritually. Today, use your God given talents for God. Today, give up for Jesus. Today, carry.

My cross isn’t yours. Yours isn’t mine. We each have one. You can’t carry mine and I can’t carry yours. That’s not what Jesus wants. He wants each of us to carry our own. That makes us committed. That makes us think about how serious we are. Comfort or cross? Keeping or sacrificing? Me or Jesus?

Do you recognize your cross? Have you picked it up in awhile? It’s about time, don’t you think?

Roger

Jump Start # 891

Luke 9:23 “And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”

Following Jesus—that is the key to discipleship and fundamental to Christianity. Following anything, shows interests, commitment, acceptance, approval and a desire to learn more. This is true of political campaigns, TV shows, sports teams and Christianity. Rock stars have a following. Environmental efforts have a following. Baseball teams have a following.

In this passage, Jesus identifies what following means. It’s not at a distance. It’s not passive. It’s not a weekend warrior. It’s not once in a while. It’s all in or nothing. It’s Jesus’ way or nothing. There are many who wish to come after Jesus. What Jesus says makes sense. Jesus is found to be kind, accepting and especially forgiving. The social outcasts found a friend in Jesus. But mostly, folks understand that if they want to go to Heaven, then they must follow Jesus. Many wish to follow Jesus. To do that Jesus gave three requirements.

First, a person must deny self. Selfishness is gone. What I want is out the window. No more, ‘here’s what I think.’ Deny self. Push self to the back. To follow Jesus we must let Jesus’ will prevail. There was a book many years ago entitled, “God is my co-pilot.” If God is the co-pilot, then who is the pilot? Self? That concept is getting close but it still misses what Jesus says. When it comes to what I want and what Jesus wants, unless I deny self, I’ll still do what I want. If I don’t feel like it, then I won’t do it. Too many still operate that way. If I don’t feel like going to church services because I’m tired, stressed or just not into it today, then I won’t. Self hasn’t been denied. If I don’t want to be nice to someone, then I won’t. Self hasn’t been denied. Jesus took the apostles to Samaria, a place that they would not have gone to. Deny self. Jesus allowed a sinful woman to wash His feet, while the Simon the leper stewed about that. Deny self. Jesus went to the home of Zacchaeus, a tax collector. The Pharisees blew a gasket on that one. Deny self.

Self is our biggest problem. Self gets in the way of doing what we should. Self talks us out of the difficult, the risky, the things Jesus would have us to do. Self is about feelings. Self is about appearance. Self is more interested in being happy than holy. Self wants to look good, feel good and have a good time.

Deny self. Say no to self. That means doing things that you don’t particularly feel like doing, but it’s what Jesus wants you to do. Denying self will have you pick up the phone and call someone to see how they are doing. Denying self will have you talk to the guy at work about coming to church services. Denying self will have you apologize to someone you gossiped about. Denying self will have you give up your favorite TV show, a Saturday morning, a day off, to do something for someone else. Denying self will have you visit a small congregation during a Gospel meeting to encourage them. Denying self will have you giving some dollars to a family that could use it. Denying self is more interested in others than self. Denying self is more about Jesus than self. Denying self is being humble. Denying self is being a servant. Denying self is the hardest aspect of following Jesus. It will keep us going when it is hard. It keeps us going when we are tired. It keeps us going when it seems that little good is being done. It keeps us going.

The spirit of denying self is counter to the American way. Our founding fathers gave us liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That pursuit has led to selfishness. I get to do what I want, whether it’s right or not or offends others of not. Isn’t that the drive behind abortion or same-sex marriages? We want it, so we will have it. It makes us happy. If you don’t agree with what I want, then you are wrong. Have you sensed that spirit lately? It’s everywhere.

Gone is denying self, even in churches. If someone doesn’t get what they want, off they go to find a church that they want. Worship has become, in many modern churches, about pleasing the audience and not pleasing God. Fun is in. Exciting is the theme. Many have given up on following the pattern of the New Testament and remaining true to the old, old Gospel. What’s happened? We’ve forgotten to let go of self.

Deny self. Choose Jesus over self. You aren’t really following Jesus until you have done this. Sure, you can still go to worship services, read your Bible and even pray. But the moment you come to the intersection of self and Jesus, you’ll find ways, reasons and excuses to do what self wants. This happens every time until self has been denied.

This isn’t easy. Jesus never said it was. This is a constant struggle. You’ll do well some days and other days, you’ll sense self rising to the top and trying to take control again. Don’t let that happen. Deny…deny…deny.

Roger