24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. 28 I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
The Lord Jesus states similar Words presented in our verses for today earlier in Matthew - red flagging us of their importance. Indeed, these Words are included in like fashion by Him in all four Gospels:
37 “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matt 10:37-39 (NIV)
Jesus is to be first in our lives and we as His followers are to be cross-bearers. Our Lord could not be clearer: a true disciple of Christ must take up his/her cross and follow in the Master’s footsteps. He set forth the example of faith for us to follow and we are to fix our eyes upon Him. Paul tells us in Philippians:
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phil 2:3-11 (NIV)
So how are we doing in this highly important endeavor? Do we even know what that entails? I have found in my studies of God’s Word that He does not mindlessly throw Words out for us to simply disregard and ignore. It does us much harm as all He requires of us is always for our good. Remember as well, His Word is alive, active, perfect and penetrating. Scripture tells us:
5 “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. 6 Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.” Prov 30:5-6 (NIV)
In Jesus’ time Roman criminals were forced to carry their own cross as a tacit admission that the Roman Empire was correct in executing the death sentence on him. In like fashion, disciples were to take up their cross as an indication of admission to Jesus’ right over their lives. In so doing, the believer swaps the empty dead way of life for the life of fullness and abundance Christ came to give. Sounds like a no-brainer to me!
10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 (NIV)
Self-denial is a difficult lesson and cuts across the grain of flesh and blood. We are often affronted by and bow up at the very thought of it. We are all about us – gratifying our own natures, seeking our own ways. Yet, self-denial is the fundamental law of admission into Christ’s school. We must not be admirers of our own shadows seeking only our own end. We do so to our own ruin. Many a soul has ruined their eternal interest by a preposterous and inordinate care of the temporary - the tyranny of the tangible. The loss of a soul is such a great loss that the gain of the whole world does not make up for it. A soul is worth more than all the wealth, honor and pleasures of this day. The winning of the world is oftentimes the loosing of the soul. The great encouragement of steadfastness to faith is to dwell on the Lord’s inevitable return in all His glory.
“Costly grace is the Gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son. ‘Ye were bought at a price,’ and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the incarnation of God.” Dietrich Bonheoffer “The Cost of Discipleship”