I find it interesting that there are verses most Christians don’t like to talk about or focus on in God’s Word, the bible. One of those verses is Matthew 16:24…Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
I would say most Christians want to be considered a disciple of Christ Jesus. The question is, are we willing to follow through on this verse. Most humans do not like change, especially the older we get. Let’s dive in and see what Jesus is telling us in this verse.
Whoever is anyone, any person. That would be all humans. We obviously want to be a disciple of Jesus. What does that word really mean? A devoted follower of Christ who believes in Jesus and accepts his teaching and understands that the bible is the inspired Word of God through many different writers of actual accounts that took place in History. It is full of the truth. If I want to be a disciple of Christ, my life must imitate His life and His character. I must be willing to share the gospel with others. My life will be a living testimony of what Christ can do once someone surrenders their will to the will of God and gives the controls to God, “ I am not able to live this life on my own and I need you, Jesus, everyday to guide and direct me in my steps. I need the conviction of the Holy Spirit living within me to alert me when I am about to commit a sin or to do something stupid. Life without you in it, is not an option for me.”
Obedience is a key ingredient for a disciple of Christ. The Ten Commandments are not old school religion. They apply as much today as they did when Moses was given them. Don’t think that just because something is in the old testament and not in the new testament that it is not something we need to read or learn from or apply to our lives.
Deny themselves, is in this verse, so what is Jesus talking about here? This is not something we do once or twice. This is an everyday, as long as we live, commitment to Jesus. God expects us to put Him first and foremost in our life. Nothing comes before Him in our walk. Our personal desires and successes or ambitions are not to be more important than Him and our relationship with Him. It means being in this for the long haul. Jesus is not a backpack we put on when we want to on Sunday morning and then take it off at noon and live life according to our wants and desires without any boundaries. That is a hypocrite. It means giving up control of our life and trusting God to steer us on this journey. It is closing our pie hole so we can listen instead of running our mouth. Yes, our tongue is a dangerous part of our anatomy, it can sing praises to God and destroy someone within minutes.
We will always experience hard times and challenges in this life no matter what. Some people ask the question, “why do bad things happen to good people?” . Newsflash… bad things happen to everyone. No one is immune from trials. Matthew 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
“Take up their cross and follow me.” Huh?? The cross in the time Jesus was on earth was a brutal form of execution. The public display of humility, shame, and death. Taking up our cross implies our willingness to endure hardship, persecution, or even loss for the sake of loyalty to Jesus. Being one of the 12 disciples of Jesus during His ministry on earth was no cakewalk. They literally dropped everything and followed no matter the cost, even death. That is no small thing.
Being a disciple today relies on our being willing to endure challenges and difficulties, make sacrifices, and sometimes face opposition for the sake of living as Jesus taught us to live. It’s about prioritizing our life and making Jesus first in our faith and obedience to God above personal comfort or social approval from onlookers. Talk the talk and walk the walk. This is not a game folks, this is eternity we are talking about.
Make sure your relationship with Jesus is deep and intimate, up close and personal. Always spending time with Him alone and in his Word. Listening for that still quiet voice as He speaks to your heart.
In His Steps,
Jim Everett
