Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus

“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Matt. 16:24

Jesus is with His disciples and ask them “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?  They answered His questions with who the people were saying that He was.  The people thought that He was a reincarnation of one of the prophets. However, Peter received the revelation that He was indeed the long awaited Messiah, the Son of the Living God.  Caesarea Philippi was influence by Greek and Roman culture which included pagan temples and idols everywhere. Peter identified Jesus as the one that they had been waiting on to fulfill the promises of God, the only Living God. 

Jesus warns them not to tell anyone.  Why did He not want them to tell anyone?  The disciples had yet to fully understand the kind of Messiah that He came to be.  He did not come to overturn the government or become king.  He came to suffer, carry a cross and die for the sins of the world. Peter tried to protect Jesus from suffering but He had to endure to give us life, eternal life.

 The Life Application Bible says, “When Jesus used this picture of his followers taking up their crosses to follow him, the disciples knew what he meant.  Crucifixion was a common Roman method of execution, and condemned criminals had to carry their crosses through the streets to the execution site.  Following Jesus, therefore, meant a true commitment, the risk of death, and no turning back. The possibility of losing their lives was very real for the disciples as well as for Jesus. Real discipleship implies real commitment – pledging our whole existence to his service.  If we try to save our physical life from death, pain, or discomfort, we may risk losing eternal life. If we protect ourselves from the pain God calls us to suffer, we begin to die spiritually and emotionally. Our lives turn inward, and we lose our intended purpose.  When we give our life in service to Christ, however, we discover the real purpose of living.”

 Jesus knows that walking with Him comes with sacrifice and suffering. But He also promises in 2 Timothy 2:12 that, “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:” If we surrender our life to Christ, to His will for our lives, we will have the victory and be able to spend eternity with Him.  But if we deny Christ, live our own way, we will still suffer and have not part with Him in eternity. 

 Taking up your cross takes real commitment to His will and His service. It is surrendering your will, your plans, and your life to God.  No, you do not become a robot or a zombie.  Surrender to God gives you new life and freedom.  You cast all of your cares on the One that knows all, sees all, and can work it all out.  Surrender takes trust but He is trustworthy.  God’s plans are to prosper us and not harm us, to give us hope and a future.  (Jer. 29:11) If we take up our cross and follow Jesus, we will be so much better for it because He alone knows the way we should go and He will help us carry the load.  Take up your cross today and follow Jesus.

 Be blessed.