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