And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23
Most are familiar with this well-known line from Jesus, but what does it really mean to take up your cross daily?
At the beginning of Luke 9, Jesus gives His apostles the power and authority to enter villages and cast out demons, cure diseases, proclaim the Kingdom of God, and to heal. Before Jesus sends them away, He tells them to leave everything behind… “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics.” Luke 9:3
When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are given power and authority on His behalf. Most Christ followers are aware of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) and the importance of fulfilling it, but become crippled by the fear of inadequacy. If you take another look at the scripture I just quoted, Jesus gave the apostles the power and the authority to do ministry. They were not sufficient in themselves; they were chosen and simply willing to respond. If you know Jesus, you are also chosen- the twelve apostles were sinful, fearful, doubtful humans just like you and I.
Jesus then informs the apostles that there is nothing they need for their journey other than that which He has already provided. All we need for effectiveness in ministry Jesus so graciously provides us with! Withholding the Gospel due to a fear of inadequacy magnifies self and minimizes His work. There will never come a time when we feel prepared enough, equipped enough, selfless enough, bold enough.. but He is enough!To take up your cross daily is to continually deny yourself and place all reliance on Jesus. God does not call the equipped, He equips the called.
“And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them. And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.” Luke 9:5-6 … notice that Jesus says wherever, meaning you will face rejection somewhere, in some way. To take up your cross daily is to know that suffering is promised, but to take heart, and pursue faithfulness anyway. “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” Luke 10:16 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:10 … rejection and persecution marked Jesus’ life on earth. To be rejected or persecuted for your faith is to become more like Christ in His suffering.
As a result of the apostles’ willingness, Jesus gained a great following- a crowd of 5,000. The apostles, having only five loaves of bread and two fish, asked Jesus to send the crowd away as they did not have the means to feed them. “And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” And they did so, and had them all sit down. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.” Luke 9:14-17 … to take up your cross daily is to place your trust in the Lord’s provision.
“For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” Luke 9:24-26
In the Roman law, a convict physically carried a cross into their own punishment as a public profession of submission to the Roman authorities. Jesus carried His cross in submission to the Father’s plan for our salvation. We carry our crosses in submission to Jesus’ sacrifice. But, why must we do this daily? Until Jesus calls us home or comes back Himself, we will be in an ongoing war with an enemy who hates us and loves corruption. Failure to align with God’s will and deny ourselves of our fleshly desires is to submit to our enemy. This is not a battle we can win alone, and were never meant to. To take up your cross daily is to continually abandon self, comfort, hopes, and fears in complete submission to a loving God who goes before you. Following His lead is the only way to find lasting joy.
Will you take up your cross today?
