Introduction

Friends, welcome. Some of us arrived with hurried hearts and heavy hands. Some of us smiled at the door and sighed in the seat. Wherever you are, come close. Hear the whisper of Jesus that cuts through the noise and the nagging: I see you. I love you. Walk with Me. He doesn’t wave us onward like a distant coach; He draws us near like the truest Friend. He stands near the ache and the ache knows His name.

There is a sentence from Dietrich Bonhoeffer that has echoed across generations and still lands with holy weight: "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship) That may sound heavy, and it is. Jesus never hushed the cost. He also never hid the treasure. He invites us into life—the kind of life that breathes courage into tired lungs and places purpose inside ordinary Mondays. The call to follow is not a summons to spiritual stardom. It is the daily, deliberate, grace-filled act of saying, "Lord, You first." In the kitchen and in the office, in classrooms and in hospital halls, He invites us to carry a cross and discover a love that carries us.

What does it mean to take up a cross when our calendars are crowded and our minds feel thin? What does self-denial look like when self-promotion is the language of the age? And what happens inside a soul when Jesus, the worthy One, becomes the reference point for every choice and every step? These are tender questions. They meet us where we live—where we parent and pay bills, where we forgive and make mistakes, where we long to see God’s fingerprints on days that feel ordinary. The Savior’s words are as fresh as this morning’s mercy, as firm as His everlasting arms.

We’re not here as experts. We’re here as children, asking our Father for clarity and courage. We’re here as a people who believe Jesus is worthy of anything He asks and generous beyond anything we can imagine. We’re here to bring Him our yes, to place it in His hands, and to watch Him write redemption lines through our weakness. He asks us to follow. He hands us a cross. He walks every step with us. Grace goes before us. Grace meets us. Grace lingers behind us like a goodness that won’t let go.

Hear the words of Jesus in these passages:

Matthew 10:38 (KJV) "And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me."

Matthew 16:24 (KJV) "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

Let these words sit with you for a moment. Let them steady your soul. "Take up his cross" is not a phrase for stained-glass windows. It’s for sore backs and busy schedules. It’s for mornings when you want to quit and nights when sleep won’t come. It’s for the new believer and the seasoned saint. It’s for the mom in the minivan and the widower at the small table. It’s for pastors and plumbers, teachers and teenagers. Cross-bearing is not about chasing pain; it’s about choosing Jesus. It’s saying yes to His direction when detours look easier. It’s answering Him when other voices shout. It’s trusting His worth when our feelings wobble. He isn’t asking us to impress Him. He is inviting us to belong to Him.

So today, as we open our hearts to His call—to see His worth and respond, to shoulder what He gives and keep in step with Him—let’s ask for help. He delights to give it. The Holy Spirit comforts, counsels, and strengthens. He warms cold hearts and softens stubborn places. He teaches our hands how to hold a cross and our feet how to follow the Savior who carried His cross for us.

Let’s pray together.

Opening Prayer: Father, we come to You in the strong name of Jesus. Thank You for seeing us, for loving us, and for calling us. Your Son has spoken, and our hearts answer, "Here we are." We confess that we are often distracted, discouraged, and easily swayed. Forgive us. Cleanse us. Lift our eyes to the worth of Christ. Give us grace to deny ourselves without grumbling, to take up the cross without fear, and to follow Jesus with faith and joy.

Holy Spirit, breathe courage into weary souls. Light our minds with understanding. Steady our steps where the path feels steep. Replace our pride with humility, our hurry with holy attentiveness, our anxiety with assurance that our Savior is near. Make obedience sweet to us. Make Jesus precious to us. Let these words of Scripture take root deep within and bear fruit that blesses homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods.

Lord Jesus, You are worthy. You have our yes. Lead us today. Teach us to walk behind You, one faithful step at a time, carrying what You give and trusting that Your grace is enough. In Your name we pray. Amen.

Christ's worthiness and our response

When Jesus speaks, He speaks as Lord. His words carry weight because He carries all authority in heaven and on earth. He is the Maker and the Master. He is the Lamb and the King. He is the One through whom all things hold together. When He calls, the only fitting answer is yes. Our hearts find their right place when we treat His voice as the loudest voice.

His worth shows in what He has done. He drew near to sinners. He carried guilt we could not carry. He rose with power that death could not hold. He reigns and He intercedes. He keeps promises and He keeps people. He loves with a love that does not cool. Trust is the right response to a Lord who has already given Himself fully.

Worth also shows in what He is like. He is holy and kind. He is strong and gentle. He is wise and true. He does not lie. He does not change. He does not fail. Worship is the right response to a Lord whose character never shifts.

He is worthy of first place in every room of life. He is worthy of our plans. He is worthy of our time. He is worthy of our money and our words. He is worthy of our reputation and our comfort. He is worthy of our calendars and our dreams. Obedience is how that worth takes shape in real days.

When we see Him clearly, lesser things lose their grip. Fears shrink. Old loves lose their shine. New desires grow. We begin to want what He wants. We start to say yes where we used to stall. We learn to seek Him before we seek relief.

This vision of His worth trains us to answer Him quickly. We do not bargain. We do not wait for better terms. We do not ask to lead from the back seat. We say, Your way is good. We say, Your timing is wise. We say, Your command is life.

This is why the call of Jesus always includes the whole person. Mind, heart, body, and will. Private and public. Quiet thoughts and loud choices. Every part of life in His hands. Every part of life turned toward His smile.

"Let him deny himself." These words go to the core. Denial here means a new center. The old center says, My way first. The new center says, His way first. It touches cravings, plans, and rights. It touches how we spend and how we speak. It shapes what we pursue and what we release. It can look like holding our tongue when we want the last word. It can look like setting limits on screens so our minds can be clear to hear. It can look like giving when saving feels safer. It can look like forgiving when the wound still throbs. Self-denial is not a mood. It is a choice made again and again, because Jesus deserves the first yes every time.

"Take up his cross." The first hearers knew the cross as a cruel tool. It meant shame and loss. It meant a path that others would not choose. Jesus uses that image for a reason. He is telling us that following Him will cost. It may cost ease. It may cost praise from people. It may cost open doors that once looked bright. Each person has a cross that fits their lane. Some carry sickness with faith. Some carry a hard call to stay faithful in a hard place. Some carry a burden to serve where thanks is rare. We do not go looking for pain, yet we do not drop what obedience puts on our shoulder. We carry it because His worth is greater than what we give up.

"And follow me." The order matters. He calls, we come. He leads, we move. To follow means we keep Him in view. We listen to His Word and shape our steps by it. We speak with Him and let our prayers direct our plans. We stay with His people, because He walks among His church. We copy His way with enemies, with money, with power, with time. We come behind Him in humility, in mercy, in truth. We seek to be near, because nearness brings change.

"He that taketh not his cross…is not worthy of me." These are strong words. Jesus is not talking about merit. He speaks of a response that fits His value. If He is who He says He is, then a half-step does not match. A life that refuses cost does not match. A discipleship that wants the name without the way does not match. He is worth a life that lines up with His call. He is worth a love that holds nothing back. He is worth a loyalty that remains when the wind turns hard.

The necessity of taking up the cross

Jesus brings the cross into clear view ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO