Take up Your Cross, and Deny Yourself.

Luke 9:23-26 reads, "Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.  What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?"


The firs thing that strikes me about this passage are two things.  One, "he must deny himself," and two, "and take up his cross daily."  What does it mean to deny ourselves and take up our crosses daily?


Lets take a look at "denying ourselves" first.  


This means more than going with out things that we like.  Think about this.  Why is your heart beating right now?  Why do we wake up each morning?  What is the fundamental purpose of our being?  In Colossians 1:16-17 it takes about how ALL things were created by Jesus and for Jesus.  Denying ourselves should be a lifestyle of discipline and self-control.  Denying ourselves should be putting away "youthly passions," and replacing those with seeking holiness.  What would this look like if each person decided to start denying themselves, denying the body, and begun to love others, love Jesus, like we should.  


What about "taking up our cross daily?"


First begin by closing your eyes.  Imagine the cross.  Imagine what it stands for. Imagine the blood that was shed for your sin so that you may have LIFE.   When we suffer on account of Jesus we are not to be surprised.  


Check out John 15:19-21..
"If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me."


Living radically will mean persecution.  Paul lost everything...but, it didn't even compare to knowing Christ more.  We often times get caught up in thinking our life is our own, but it was truly never ours to begin with.  Christianity doesn't equal comfortability.   


Reflecting back on Luke again, what does this passage mean to you?  Take each word at a time.  Let the scripture come alive.  


Blessings to you all.  Sorry for the scatterbrained thoughts this evening, its been a long day!  More to come.