Did Jesus Really Say That? Part 8
Week 1: One Way -> Jesus
Week 2: Healthy Fear and Reverence
Week 3: Repent and Turn to New Life
Week 4: Live by God’s Word
Week 5: Respond to God and Help Build His Kingdom
Week 6: His Body and Blood celebrates His Love and Freedom
Week 7: Love Like Jesus
Matthew 10:37-39 (NLT) - If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. 38 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. 39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.
Matthew 16:24-27 (NLT) - Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?
“TAKE UP YOUR CROSS”
“I guess that’s my cross to ___________”
“Man, he knew THAT was coming… he read the writing on the _______.”
“Well, we all know, a leopard can’t change his _______.”
“Guess it’s just a sign of the _______.”
Today’s challenge:
"Not only understand it better, but CONSIDER the WEIGHT of its IMPACT”
Matthew 16:24-26 (AMP) - Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]. 25 For whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake will find it [that is, life with Me for all eternity]. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world [wealth, fame, success], but forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Matthew 16:21-23 (NLT) - From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead. 22 But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”
Luke 9:23 (NLT) - Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross DAILY, and follow me.
“Today, I’m going to live this day for You and not myself.”
Jesus hasn’t called us to do something that He didn’t walk out Himself
Deny Themselves
Take Up Their Cross
Follow Him
He knows where we are … because He’s been there
Mark 14:32-36 (NLT) - They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “Sit here while I go and pray.” 33 He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he became deeply troubled and distressed. 34 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 35 He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. 36 “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
Deny Himself - (“… I want your will to be done, not mine…”)
Take up His Cross - (Allowing Himself to be sentenced to crucifixion)
Follow Him - (Fulfilling the Father’s plan of salvation through His death, burial and resurrection)
1 Corinthians 15:31 (AMP) - I assure you, believers, by the pride which I have in you in [your union with] Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily [I face death and die to self].
“When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.”
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer “The Cost of Discipleship”
Taking Up Your Cross Means "You Are Surrendered”
1 Corinthians 1:18 (NLT) - The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.
Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT) - Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.
Taking Up Your Cross Is a Call To
Pick Something Up By Laying Something Down
A "YOKE” is something that brings two burden-bearers TOGETHER