…Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” -Mark 8:34
In order to fully capture the meaning of what Jesus was saying to His disciples here and to be able to relate it to our lives today, we need to understand what the cross means and represents.
After Jesus was crucified, I am sure this statement became crystal clear in the minds of the disciples. As eyewitnesses, they understood that taking their cross meant several things:
1. The individual that was carrying a cross was going to the place of death. When we read this statement of Jesus, it means that we too, when accepting Christ, go to the place of death. Following Jesus means the end of self rule, the end of our own old desires and dreams, and the end of our old way of living. We die to SELF and SELFISH ambitions for the cause of the Kingdom.
2. The individual being crucified as a sinner was done with sin. In taking up our cross, it is imperative to realize this. The crucified murder can no longer kill. The crucified thief can no longer steal. The crucified adulterer can no longer commit adultery. These sinful desires can no longer be fulfilled because the individual is dead. “…our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.” (Rom. 6:6-7) As those carrying our cross, we are no longer able to sin for we have died to sin.
3. The individual being crucified is demonstrating the ultimate form of self-denial. Think about it: when you are crucified your arms are stretched out, nailed to a beam, and you are hanging from the air. There is nothing you can do! Your life is no longer your own!
Now Jesus wasn’t telling us in Mark 8 that he wanted us to torture ourselves or that we all would be crucified in a literal sense. However he was saying that we must say “NO!” to our own desires for our own lives, no matter the cost. Our desire has to be CHRIST and HIS will, purpose, and plan.
A.W. Tozer said, “It’s not that people don’t want God-it’s that people found something they wanted more than God!” How sad to think about that. When weighing their options on the scale of life, they found their own pursuits to be a better investment. As followers of Jesus, he may call us to give up a life of prestige and pomp to be missionaries in the third world. If the Lord said so, I would rather sleep on a dirty floor infested with white ants and cockroaches as a missionary of the gospel rather than to have a Hollywood life of luxury and ease. Remember our works will be tried one day. And if God didn’t tell us to do them, they will turn to ash (1 Cor. 3:11-15).
Today, surrender your hearts to the Lord. Come to him sincerely and ask him what it is He would have you to do. Although certain things may be years ahead, today commit to Him you will stop any carnal actions and follow his commands. You will find that once you sell out to Him, His “yoke is easy” and His “burden is light.” (Mt. 11:30).
Prayer:
“Father, in the name of Jesus, I am yours today. I come to you and completely surrender all that I am. I realize that I have pursued my own desires, ambitions, and will for my life at times. Yet today Lord, I lay them down and ask you to show me your will. No more of what I want for me. May my life be pleasing to you. Lead me, guide me, and direct me, Father. Here is my life. It is yours. I am yielding to your Spirit and walking in your Word. Thank you for your mercy. In Jesus name, AMEN!”
