Take up your cross daily, and follow me

By Evangeline Unity Esaaba Folson

Luke 9:23-24

And He said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

The passage above brings to mind a song, son by Calvary Road Singers it says 

Chorus

Take up your cross

Follow me

Deny yourself

Follow me 

Take up your cross

If you wanna be my disciple

Verse 1

If any man wants to come

After me

I will receive him in peace

To my rest

Only he should know that

Any man who holds the

Plough

And looks back isn’t fit

For my kingdom

Chorus

Verse 2

To live for Jesus isn’t easy

It isn’t easy

But God has promised to

Sustain you

Don’t be afraid for He is

Faithful

Chorus

The song brings out some very important Christian principles:

1. You cannot hold the plough and look back. Meaning, you cannot surrender your life to Christ by accepting the gift of salvation and deny or give up your faith because of challenges.
2. The Christian life is not easy but God has promised to sustain you.

John 16:33 says

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

1. You have to learn to endure and overcome challenges instead of quitting That is, take up your cross daily, deny yourself and follow Christ.

 

Do what you have to do as a Christian instead of neglecting your duties.

• If people keep rejecting you because of your faith. Do not give up Trust in God and do what is right.
• If you are faithful in your service to God, you win souls, you give to the poor and needy etc. but you have one prayer request that has not been answered for years do not give up 

In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

The Apostle Paul had a similar problem and this was God’s word to him

And He said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

There are two phrases in the passage (key verse) that need elaboration also!

• Deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow me 

Genesis 12:1 – 5 (Abraham’s call)

1. Corinthians 9:24 – 27 (Run to win)

• Whoever shall save his life shall lose it

Acts 5:1- 11 (Ananias & Sapphira)

Deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow me

Genesis 12:1- 5

Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee:

And I will make thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.

And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee…

The passage above gives details on how God called Abram.

• Abram had to deny himself, leaving what he liked and was comfortable to him, that is he had to leave his comfort zone (Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred)
• He was leaving or had to set-off on a journey with no destination because God did not give him details on where he was going. He was just trusting God to take him to a better place.
• I am sure most people in his time found him strange or probably mentally unstable. What does he tell his family and friends about his journey?
• Yet, he trusted God and was faithful. God rewarded him by making him the “father of many nations” To be precise, He is the funding father (     ) of the people of Israel.

1 Corinthians 9:24 – 27

Know ye not that they which run in a race, run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

I therefore so run, not as uncertainly: so fight I, not as one that beateth he air.

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

The passage above gives details on how we can deny ourselves, take our cross daily and follow Jesus daily:

• We should run to win or live according to the principles of the bible so we can reap eternal rewards like, having eternal life and living with God and the heavenly brings in heaven forever.
• To be able to do this, I “keep under my body” other translations say “I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should” or “but I treat my body hard and make it my slave so that, after proclaiming the Good News to others, I myself will not be disqualified”

 

(The Complete Jewish Bible)

 

Whoever shall save his life shall lose it 

1 Kings 13:8 – 24

There is a story in the passage above that cautions us about the danger of believing and acting in accordance with false prophecy.

A young prophet lost his life because he trusted an old prophet and deviated from instructions he received from God.

Acts 5:1 – 11 

Ananias and Sapphira in the story above tried to save extra money for their own use instead of giving all to the apostles for the use of the people of God. they tried to hide their actions by telling a lie but they were punished instantly. 

They tried to save their lives but ended up losing it.

 

Conclusion

When you accept the gift of salvation, pray and ask God for the grace and strength to serve Him to the very end.

Also determine in your heart that, no matter what happens you are in it to stay.

 

Reference

1. King James Bible 
2. Oxford English Mini Dictionary
3. Google.com