Deny Oneself & Take Up The Cross

DENY ONESELF & TAKE UP THE CROSS

Matthew 16:21-28

What is the most important decision that you have ever made in your life? Maybe

your answer is similar to others. Some would answer: going to college, choosing jobs,

getting married and applying for green card. Of those listed, which is the most important?

Let's see what crucial decision the disciples of Jesus took. He says “If anyone

would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” This is

a very difficult decision to make, but that is what every follower of Christ must do.

There are three actions of importance in this passage; and they all require decision

making. There are three tasks for us: to deny oneself, to take up the cross and to follow

Jesus.

1. To Deny oneself

What is self-denial? Denial could mean ignorance and irresponsibility. Even though

Jesus? disciples have lived and served for quite some time with Jesus, apparently their

understanding of Jesus as the Messiah was inaccurate. Their understanding is very

secular, just as accused by Jesus about Peter's.

For Jesus, what Peter did was an obstacle. That is why in verse 24, Jesus clearly

said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and

follow me.” The word “anyone” literally means anybody, without exceptions or

priority. At that time, following Jesus to his disciples meant following Him to

Jerusalem. But today, following Jesus is not about going to Jerusalem, but about self

sacrifice.

“Deny oneself”. Another translation of “deny oneself” is “put aside your selfish

ambition” (NLT). Jesus never asked us to live ascetically when He said this. He does

not prohibit us from eating certain types of food. Neither does He want us to torture

ourselves. Self-denial means to have the courage to say no to “certain habits” that we

usually could not resist, due to our pleasure in doing them. But now we can stop our

old habits, especially because we have denied ourselves.

Someone once said: The first man: Cannot sin, After the fall: can naught but sin,

After Grace: Can not-sin.

To live in denial means to live a life of actual change. To remember the past is

very embarrassing if now we are together with God. But, he who denies himself to

follow the Lord must leave his horrible past. In the past we live like a criminal, or to

be crude, like a “bastard”. But once Jesus said: “Come follow me”, everything of the

past must be cast away and left behind.

2. Take up the Cross

The original root word of “take up the cross” could be translated as carrying or

raising the cross. Many exegetes translate it to “carry” or “lift”. Why does it say take up

the cross? This is certainly different today, the cross is considered as ornament, worn as

necklaces, earrings and some may even be inappropriate like when attached to the belly

button.

The cross is actually one method of executing capital punishment used by the

Romans on criminals. The cross was an instrument of slow and painful death. Romans

usually use cross to punish slaves or foreigners. One with such punishment must take up

his cross or at least the horizontal log to the location of execution. In Jesus' time, the

citizens often publicly view those crucified, as a representation of the fate of believers.

So when it is said to follow Jesus is to take up the cross, that means there will be

suffering and probably even death (martyrdom). If this really happened, do you have the

courage to face it?

3. Follow Me

The word “follow me” in Greek means “behind” (Matt 10:38). Apparently to follow

Jesus, there are two very important conditions. They are nonnegotiable and you cannot

bribe your way through. That is why even though the young man who came to Jesus was

rich, he went home with nothing because for that rich young man, Jesus' command was

very difficult. Matthew 19:22 (NIV) “When the young man heard this, he went away sad,

because he had great wealth.”

To follow Jesus in this world could mean “To be a discipleship”, “To be His

follower” or “They go with Him”. So one can imagine what will be done by a follower of

Christ, most likely he will: - - - - - - - - -

Leave his job

Leave his parents

Leave his siblings

Leave his house

Leave his wealth

Leave his friends

Leave his girlfriend

Leave his hometown

Leave everything

All these conditions are not easy, right?

What can we learn?

A follower of Christ must deny himself, take up his cross and follow Jesus. Have

you taken this risk? Leave everything that you like and cherish? Those who like to lie, or