Mark 8:34 “Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.’”
Take up your cross and follow. Let’s discover what Jesus was saying to this crowd at this time and how they may have interpreted it. At this point Jesus had revealed to his disciples that He would be killed and then raised on the third day. Peter rebuked him. Jesus rebuked Peter. It was here that He made his declaration about each one taking up their cross.
So what did the cross symbolize to them? It was a form of execution imposed by the Roman government. It was not an unfamiliar sight. Those going to their death never actually carried a cross but rather the crossbeam of the cross. The condemned man was led through the streets or dragged on a cart to the place of execution. The crowds watching this grim parade knew what awaited the person at their destination. The person heading for the cross knew that all their earthly ambitions and hopes were worthless.
The cross was cruel. There wasn’t a manual on crucifixion. They tied some, which prolonged the death. They nailed some. For others it was both. Some even had seats to sit on so it would take longer for them to die.
Most of the time a vertical stake was permanently positioned in the ground. In those cases, the criminal’s hands would be nailed to the crossbeam that they have carried. Then forked poles would have been used to raise them to the top of the vertical stake. Next, their feet would have been nailed to the vertical stake. Most often, the nail was driven through a piece of wood before being driven into the person’s feet thus acting as a washer to hold the feet in place.
Now imagine trying to process this image in the minds of those standing there of carrying their cross . This was not a piece of jewelry that He was speaking of. What exactly was Jesus telling them? Some understood that He was telling them they must be willing to die for him. Perhaps some felt He was leading a revolution to execute those in power by following him into an uprising.
He also added the feature of turning from selfish ways to follow him. We have heard this referred to as self-denial. I think this question will help grasp what Jesus was clarifying with this statement. What did the condemned man on the cross lose besides his life? He lost his hopes, his plans, his ambitions, his likes and dislikes, and those nearest and dearest to them. Jesus said to be his follower they must do the same. They must relinquish all selfish hopes, plans, ambitions, likes and dislikes, and even loved ones for the cause of the Kingdom.
Imagine for a moment you are dying. You have invested a great deal of time and effort into leaving a legacy with those who have been closest to you. There are things you wish to impart with your final breathes but you know your breathes are limited. So you carefully select what you will say to leave that lasting imprint. Jesus did just that with his final words from the cross. He gave not only his disciples instructions on how to live that life of unselfishness but us also. Today let’s study those final seven statements given from the cross and how they apply to us.
1) Statement of forgiveness
Luke 23:34 “Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.’ And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.”
Imagine Jesus looking down at the very soldiers that crucified him now gambling for his clothes. Perhaps He sees in the crowd members of the Sanhedrin who are responsible for him hanging on the cross. Perhaps He looks at the crowd who only days before sang his praises and now chose Barabbas over him. Perhaps He notices that aside from James, none of his followers is there and remembers how Peter denied even knowing him.
How would most people react? Would they be angry? Would they want to call fire from heaven to destroy this sorry bunch? Jesus had the power to do so. Instead, He chose to be the intercessor between God and man even before the resurrection.
To take up you cross and follow Jesus means to forgive. It means to forgive those who have dashed our hopes, plans, and ambitions. It means to offer forgiveness to those that we may dislike for whatever reason. It means to forgive those who we are commanded to love including our enemies.
In John 20:22-23 we read where the resurrected Jesus appears to his disciples. Let’s read “Then he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’”
Last week I talked about the power we have within through the Holy Spirit. We have within us the power to release a spirit of forgiveness. This power cleanses us both. But we also have the power of unforgiveness. That containments only the individual not willing to forgive. We don’t supersede God’s ability to forgive.
2) Statement of salvation.
Luke 23:43 “And Jesus replied, ‘I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.’”
Jesus is hanging on a cross between two criminals. One of the criminals is mocking him even though he is going to die himself. The other criminal is defending Jesus and asks to be remembered when Jesus comes into his kingdom. Jesus promises him so much more.
To take up your cross and follow Jesus is to offer the gift of salvation to a world deserving condemnation. It is to stand strong when others mock your beliefs and still pray for their salvation because there is nothing more important. It is to listen for one who would share their desire just to be remembered by God and lead them to the assurance that they can have salvation.
This promise of salvation often goes against our grain. We must guard against our selfishness. We know the story of Jonah. God called him to speak to the people of Nineveh so they would repent. But Jonah wanted them destroyed instead so he fled by sea. A great storm came. He confessed to being the cause of the storm due to his disobedience. He was thrown overboard and swallowed by a great fish. After three days, he repented and was deposited on the land. He delivered God’s word of impending doom. It was received, the people repented, and all was saved. One would think that Jonah would be overjoyed but not so.
Jonah 4: 1-3 “This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. So he complained to the Lord about it: ‘Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.’”
There may be people living certain lifestyles that we dislike. Maybe there are some enemies that we look forward to seeing destroyed one day. To follow Jesus is to push our selfish desires for righteous justice aside and concentrate more on the salvation of those who do not deserve it.
3) Statement of compassion.
John 19:26-27 “When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, ‘Dear woman, here is your son.’ And he said to this disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from then on this disciple took her into his home.”
Imagine the agony of what Jesus is going through. He is unable to breathe unless He pushes himself upward, which causes excruciating pain. His whipped back rubs against the rough wooden cross. His hands and feet throb from the nails that were driven into them. But as He looks down, He sees his mother. He feels her anguish. He senses her fears of being alone. He has compassion on her and charges James, the only disciple who dared stand at the foot of the cross, to take care of her.
To take up your cross and follow Jesus is to place the needs of others above your own. It is seeing others in anguish and deciding to assist them in spite of your discomfort or even your own needs. Philippians 2:4 tells us “Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”
We are to listen to others as they share their heartaches, fears, and disappointments. We are to allow the spotlight to be on them and not us. We should not try to outdo them with our problems. We should show compassion by concentrating on their situation. For us to seek pity from someone who has come to us to be comforted is selfish. To follow Jesus we must turn from our selfish ways.
4) Statement of study.
Matthew 27:46 “At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, (AY-lee luh-MAH sah-BAHK-tah-nee)
“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
As a child I was taught that at this moment Jesus almost sinned by questioning God. I realize now how ridiculous that idea was. I also heard the teaching that Jesus expected to be rescued by God and was in anguish by God’s failure to do so. Another ridiculous idea. Some say that it was at this moment that God turned his back on his Son. This seems to be the most popular reason for Jesus crying out from the cross.
However let’s look at another possibility. One thousand years before Jesus was crucified David had written a psalm that was considered prophetic. The psalm held a lot of imagery and mystery. For one thousand years, this psalm had been debated as to whom it was written about and what was being described. The psalm began with “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” We know it as the Psalm 22. Let’s read portions of it. Vs1 “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help?” vs. 6-8 “But I am a worm and not a man. I am scorned and despised by all! Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, ‘Is this the one who relies on the Lord? Then let the Lord save him!
If the Lord loves him so much, let the Lord rescue him!’” vs. 14-18 “My life is poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me. My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead. My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs;
an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet. I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat. They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing.”
None of these things happened to David. All of these things happened to Jesus. Even the crucifixion was described in detail one thousand years before it was used. Jesus’ message from the cross was the mystery of Psalm 22 was solved and He was the one spoken of. Every Jewish leader standing there would have recognized the beginning of that psalm and would have known it by heart.
To take up your cross and follow Jesus is to study the scriptures daily. Paul instructed Timothy of its importance in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”
We must turn from our selfish desires to always be entertained and find time to study God’s word so we can be prepared and equipped to do good works for God.
5) Statement of need.
John 19:28 “Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, ‘I am thirsty.’” The scripture referred to is Psalm 69:21 “But instead, they give me poison for food; they offer me sour wine for my thirst.” which is exactly what they are about to offer him.
However, here again He is pointing them and us to scripture.
The Bible tells us to thirst for God with not only our soul but our body. We are to thirst for God as a parched land thirsts for rain.
When we thirst, it is our brain sending a signal for a necessary need. Fifty to sixty per cent of our weight is water. A loss of 20 per cent of the total body water can lead to death. The human brain is more watery than blood — it is four-fifths water. On the average, we can only live three days without water.
We must learn to listen to our soul as it pants for water. Unlike our body our soul requires 100% of the living water.
To take up your cross and follow Jesus means to thirst for the things of God. It is to replenish our spirit by drinking of the living water that is offered to us.
We must turn from our selfish desire to find water for the soul in worldly things. We must accept the offer of the living water.
The final chapter of the Bible includes this command. Revelation 22:17 “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who hears this say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.” We are the bride. We are charged to offer the water of life to everyone we encounter. How can we offer something if we are not experiencing it ourselves?
6) Statement of completion.
John 19:30 “When Jesus had tasted it, he said, ‘It is finished!’ Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.”
The final atonement for sin was completed. No longer would the shedding of innocent blood be necessary. Now it took only believing in the sacrifice of Jesus.
To take up your cross and follow Jesus means to walk in faith alone. We cannot work hard enough; we cannot give enough to earn salvation. Ephesians 2: 8-9 tells us “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”
God did not award us with salvation. He gifted us with salvation. We must turn from our selfish desire to promote our righteousness before others and realize that we cannot stand upon it. We instead must humble ourselves before those we encounter. It is only through the finished work of Jesus that we are saved.
7) Statement of surrender.
Luke 23:46 “Then Jesus shouted, ‘Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!’ And with those words he breathed his last.”
Not much can be added to this. He surrendered everything to God. To take up your cross and follow Jesus means to surrender your soul to God. It means to accept the free gift of salvation that has been offered and to offer your body in return as a living sacrifice just as Jesus did. It means to say you are finished with living a life that does thirst for the things of God.
It means to place your hopes, plans, and ambitions in the hands of God and declare “Your will be done.” It means to push aside your preferences and to be obedient to the things of God whether they please you or not. It means to love God more than your own loved ones so your love for God can be measured by commitment.
Today represents the new life offered by the resurrection of Jesus. Today can be a new life for you. All Jesus asks is for you to turn from your selfish ways, pick up your cross, and follow him.
