Carl Witty
09/06/14
Lk. 9:23 “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me”. Many people were following Jesus at the time referred to by Luke. Some followed for one reason, others another. Jesus speaks on this occasion of the seriousness of really following Him. Parallel passages are Mt. 16:24-28 and Mk. 8:34-9:1. The coming kingdom of God (to come in the lifetime of some who heard Jesus) would require a commitment far beyond what they may have imagined.
Jesus begins with the word “If”. This is a very big “if”. Many say they are following Jesus, others plan to do so someday, but have little idea as to what is involved. An old song asks the question and includes some practical details: “Who will follow Jesus?”
“Standing for the right
Holding up His banner
In the thickest fight
Listening for His orders
Ready to obey
Who will follow Jesus
Serving Him today?”
When someone would come to Bro. Gus Nichols, stating their desire to serve the Lord, he would ask them the following three questions:
Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, tells the Corinthians (Cor. 1:18-31) that “not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called” (vs. 26). The pure gospel does not appeal to certain people. While God would have “all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (I Tim. 2:4), not all men are interested in their own salvation.
Jesus says two fundamental things are required to follow Him: (1) Self-denial (2) daily cross bearing. Self denial is the most difficult of denials if done consistently. Self denial may involve many things and may differ in different people. The list Paul gives in Col. 3:5-9 includes sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, covetousness, anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk, and lying. Other passages (and other translations of this passage) would make a rather long list of matters for self denial. In the three accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke) of this remarkable statement of what is truly involved in following Jesus He goes on to ask “for what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Following Jesus is a commitment of such magnitude as to cause Him to say “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it” (Lk. 9:24). Following Jesus is giving all to Him. “All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give”. What would you give in exchange for your soul? Your job, home, far, some prized possession, a moment’s passion, --- the list could go on. Such thoughts lead us logically to the second requirement for following Jesus.
Daily cross bearing is the result of a true commitment to follow Jesus. It is “24/7” and involves all that we are and can be. The “cross” was used literally and symbolically. One Jewish King (Alexander Jauneus 103-76BC) is said to have ordered the crucifixion of 800 Pharisees for holding to their convictions! “Daily” shows that Jesus in not using the word “cross” literally, however, but is speaking of the daily responsibility and struggle to follow Him. It is a daily dying to self and choosing to live for Him. It is the ultimate unselfish life; it is altruistic love in action. Paul clearly understood cross-bearing as a he wrote “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world”. Many of our songs emphasize this principle: “If Jesus goes with me, I’ll go anywhere…”; “None of self and all of Thee”; “Must Jesus bear the cross alone----no, there’s a cross for every one, and there’s a cross for me”.
A great promise involving the time when the “Son of Man shall come in the glory of His father with His angels”, follows these statements about cross-bearing spoken by Jesus. The promise is that “He shall reward every man according to his works” (Mt. 16:27). Often the path to glory lies through the Valley of suffering and always through self-denial. The rewards to come are worth it! Are you following Him today?