Luke 9:23-24
Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

Application:

In light of the path he must take as the Messiah, he informed them of what it would look like for believers to identify with him on the path of true discipleship. The one who wants to follow God’s Messiah must deny himself—that is, place Jesus’s glory ahead of his own. He must also take up his cross daily.*

This is a clear allusion to crucifixion. People condemned to it were required to carry their crosses to the place of execution. Likewise, true disciples must daily submit to Christ’s authority over their lives, even suffering and death. To follow King Jesus is to live according to God’s kingdom agenda, which is the visible manifestation of God’s comprehensive rule over every area of life.*

The cross of Christ became relevant to us the day we accepted Jesus as our Savior, but we don’t leave it behind after salvation. Instead, we’re to carry it with us.*

Our “cross” refers to our public identification with Jesus. To bear our cross is to endure hardship specifically because we’re visible and verbal followers of Him. If we’re unwilling to do that, we’re unworthy of Christ—that is, our relationship is distant (Matthew 10:38).*

Denying ourselves and carrying our cross daily also means forsaking the sins that so easily ensnare us (Hebrews 12:1-3) and grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). Forsaking our sin declares we love God more than the temporary sinful pleasures that separate us from our Lord and Savior. Carrying the cross daily means our old self no longer lives; our pride, our sinful desires, have been crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20). Today, let us honor God by the way we live!

*Ref: Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2019), 1375–1376.

To God be the glory!

Our Lord Jesus Christ created everything! By Him, For Him!

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26

Disclaimer

When God inspires me, I write or post articles that glorify God. I invite you to view this post as a Bible study. Like the Bereans in Acts 17:11, I encourage you to search the Scriptures to determine whether what I have posted is true. Always consult your church ministers regarding biblical matters. I am not a professional writer, so there may be grammatical or spelling errors. I strive to write as clearly and efficiently as possible. Your brother in Christ, Ricardo.

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