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THE WAY OF THE CROSS
MATTHEW 16:14 Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself [disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests], take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying, also].
MARK 8:34 And Jesus called [to Him] the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] follow with Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me].
LUKE 9:23 And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown himself, forget, lose sight of himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in denying also].
MATTHEW 10:38 And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conforming wholly to My example in living, and, if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of Me.
All are free to come after Jesus. There are no specified groups of people stated here. I notice that in each of the first three verses, the Lord uses three different terms; desires, intends, and wills. Let us take a closer look as to what these terms imply.
In Matthew 16:24 Jesus says ‘If anyone desires to be my disciple’, let him deny himself. Desire means that there is a longing for or a craving for someone or something. Another definition of desire is to ask or request for. You have a burning desire is to ask or request for. You have a burning desire in your heart to be used of the Lord and you have prayed time and time again saying ‘Lord, I want to be used by you’. The Lord’s reply to you is to deny yourself.
In Mark 8:34 Jesus says ‘If anyone intends to come after Me’, let him deny himself. Intend means ‘to purpose or to plan’. If you have purposed in your heart to go after Jesus, He said ‘deny yourself’.
In Luke 9:23 Jesus says ‘If any person wills to come after Me,’ let him deny himself. Will means having a strong or fixed purpose in the heart to do something. Also will is a strong determination to do something. That is you have a made up mind to go after Jesus. His word to you is to deny yourself.
Three conditions to being Jesus’ disciple and coming after Him are;
1. Let him deny himself.
2. Take up his cross.
3. Follow Me.
We are going to discuss these three conditions one at a time.
LET HIM DENY HIMSELF
To deny oneself means to disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interest. It is putting yourself on the back burner, so to speak, for the sake of someone or something. In this case, denying yourself the pleasures of this world to live a godly life in order to be used of God to do those greater works that Jesus talked about. It involves spending time with the Lord and getting to know Him and His way of doing things. It requires a lot of quiet time in the Word of God and communication or fellowship with the Father. Sacrifices are to be a way of life for you. You must be open unto the Lord and prayed up in order to be in the Spirit of God.
Fasting is another way of denying oneself. One definition of fasting according to the Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary is going without food or drink voluntarily, generally for religious purposes. Fasting, however, could also be done for other reasons. Fasting teaches discipline. When the flesh is denied its worldly pleasures enough, it becomes subject to the Spirit of God. For more on fasting, it would be a good ideal to invest in a book called ‘God’s Chosen Fast’ by Arthur Wallis.
Denying oneself often calls for a separation from friends and family who do not share your beliefs. They don’t quite understand what is going on with you and things of the Lord. In Luke 14:25-33 Jesus talks about counting the cost. Oh yes, it is going to cost you dearly to follow Jesus.
25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient funds to finish it?
29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
As you can see in the above verses, Jesus talks about the cost of being his disciple. You may sometime find yourself all along going the way of the cross. It is a price to pay, however, it is worth every bit of it. Your determination to deny yourself despite all cost can also have a great affect on your loved ones as they watch the movement of the Lord in your life. You have to love Jesus more than you love anyone, including your family. One of the greatest commandments Jesus gave his disciples was to love the Lord thy God with all your heart, mind and soul. It is obeying God rather than man. Jesus warns of the persecutions you would suffer being a disciple. Matthew 5:11 Jesus says, ‘Blesses are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake’. John 15:18 Jesus says, ‘If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.’ You will never win a popularity contest going the way of the cross.
You are very important to Jesus because He loves you so much until He lets you know what to expect and how you can overcome it. I love it when He says even the very hairs on your head are numbered. You can take comfort that even though the way of the cross is hard, Jesus is with you as you take your journey leading and guiding you all the way.
TAKE UP HIS CROSS
The second condition is ‘and take up his cross’. We all have a cross to bear. According to Strongs’ Dictionary, this statement denotes that portion of affliction which is endured by pious and good men as a trial of their faith and to conform them to the example of their crucified Master. The expressions of taking up or carrying the cross allude to the Roman custom of making the criminal carry the cross on which he was to suffer. When we read of the antagonism to the cross of Christ, we must understand it as antagonism to a redemption which was accomplished by the deepest humiliation, not by the display of power and glory. In the cross it is not the idea of sacrifice as such which is emphasized, but the blood of Christ and what Christ experienced from the world as the full measure of His rejection which, however, has become the means of redemption. The cross shows this peculiarity of His death which also was a sacrifice – but the cross refers also to the shame. Now – we come to what people fear most, that is being made ashamed through suffering. That is why we have to truly love Jesus so much so until it does not matter what we look like to people. Jesus has already taken care of all of that. Just heed the warnings that Jesus gives in Matthew 10:16-42;
16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise serpents, and harmless (or simple) as doves.
17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in the same hour what ye shall speak.
20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant is not above his lord.
25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing: and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on the earth: I come not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39 He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
41 He that receiveth a prophet I the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.
42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
The way of the cross is not a easy way. It is no fun being hated, talked about, scorned or alone. It is more people partying and having fun than you will find going the way of the cross. You will find out that people are not who you thought they were in the Lord. They are the wolves in sheep clothing trying their best to act just like you in order to deceive you. You will be hated in some of the very churches you attend because of what you stand for, which is the truth. Even your own family whom you may think are so strong and mighty in the Lord will be against you because they are not on the same road. There will be times when the Lord will use you to bring forth a word to someone which will bring about a change in their lives, such as deliverance, healing and miracles and they will accuse you of dealing in witchcraft. Certain places you go with the word of God, you will not be received. But be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places. Keep lifting up the name of Jesus and watch Him draw all men unto Himself. You can make it. You are being conformed to the image of Jesus. Knowing these things have been fore told you by the Lord Jesus Christ, take up your cross.
FOLLOW ME
Last, the third condition is to ‘follow Me’. Jesus said to follow Him, not anyone else other than Him. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Strong’s Dictionary had this to say about the word follow; ‘to accompany or go with’. The individual calling to follow Jesus involved abiding fellowship with Hi, not only for the sake of salvation known or looked for, which presented itself in this fellowship. The first thing involved in following Jesus is a cleaving to Him in believing, trust and obedience, those cleaving to Him also following His leading, acting according to His example. Hence the constant stress laid by the Lord Jesus upon the need of self-denial and fellowship in the cross. Thus following Jesus denotes a fellowship with Jesus, however, could not continue without inner moral and spiritual fellowship, without a life resembling His and in a self-denying sharing of His cross. Remember as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. We have to follow Jesus.
Jesus came to be an example for us. He stated in John 14:6, I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me. Jesus has all that you will ever need in this life to follow Him. When Jesus went the way of the cross, remember he had you in mind. It is not all bad. There are great times of triumphing in victories when in battle. There is unspeakable joy being in the presence of the Lord. Psalm 37:4 says if you delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Following Jesus is a fight to the finish, but, you can do it. The joy of the Lord is your strength.
John 15:20 states: Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
He ever warns us lovingly so no one can say they were not told about this journey. The way of the cross is a straight an narrow path. The Word of God tells us that there will be few that find it. Many that have started down the road found it to be too lonely and hard, full of trials and allowed their faith to fail them.
Going the way of the cross, we may even find that we have to help those that are fallen by the wayside get back up again.
Actually, going the way of the cross can be exciting to the child of God that has built a relationship with Him along the way because you become a partaker of His divine nature. The way of the cross has to do with a renewed mind showing what is that good and perfect will of God. You get to experience it all going the way of the cross. You get to know the peace of God which passeth all understanding. We go from glory to glory skipping along experiencing gladness of heart. There are some wonderful times to look ahead for going the way of the cross, such as seeing Jesus one day face to face.
Besides the reward you get here on earth while you are yet alive, there is a reward when Jesus comes back for all those who have endured until the end.
Make up your mind to go the way of the cross.
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