The Cross Before the Crown

Matthew 16:24–28 KJV 1900

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. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 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? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

Introduction:

Let’s be honest. We live in a world that says, “Live your best life now. Chase your dreams. Do whatever makes you happy.” But Jesus? He says something radically different. He says, “Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Me.”

This isn’t a feel-good, self-help message. This is a call to die—to surrender everything. But in that surrender, Jesus promises something greater than we could ever imagine.

Today, we’re going to wrestle with one of the most challenging yet life-giving truths in Scripture. Because if we truly want to follow Jesus, we have to ask ourselves: Are we living for this world, or are we living for Him?

Deny Yourself: The Call to Let Go

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself…” (Matthew 16:24)

Jesus didn’t say, “If you feel like it…” He didn’t say, “If it’s convenient…” He said, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself.”

What does that mean? It means surrendering our desires, our comforts, and our plans so that we can fully embrace His.

The Subscription vs. Ownership Mindset

Many of us treat our faith like a subscription service instead of ownership.

Think about it—Netflix, Amazon Prime, Spotify. We subscribe, we enjoy the benefits, but the moment it costs too much or we don’t like the content, we cancel.

Some of us have a subscription-based faith—we “log in” to Jesus on Sundays, but when following Him gets uncomfortable, inconvenient, or costly, we hit unsubscribe Monday through Saturday.

But Jesus isn’t a service we try out—He’s a Savior we surrender to. Following Him isn’t about convenience; it’s about commitment. It’s not a subscription; it’s ownership. He wants all of us, all the time—not just when it’s easy.

Luke 9:23– “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Luke 9:23 KJV 1900

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.

Would you say your faith is a subscription or ownership?

Let’s get real. Some of us have been trying to follow Jesus our way. We love Him on Sundays, but Monday through Saturday, we live for ourselves. Jesus is saying, “You can’t follow Me halfway. It’s all or nothing.”

Are you following Jesus, or are you following your comfort?

What’s holding you back from going all in? A relationship? A habit? Your comfort? Denying yourself means giving Jesus complete access to your life—no exceptions, no excuses.

Take Up Your Cross: The Call to Suffer

“…and take up his cross…” (Matthew 16:24)

In Jesus’ time, the cross wasn’t a symbol of beauty or inspiration. It was a symbol of death. When Jesus said, “Take up your cross,” His disciples knew exactly what He meant. It was a call to surrender everything—even their very lives—for the sake of the Gospel.

The truth is, following Jesus isn’t easy. It’s going to cost you something. It might cost you popularity. It might cost you comfort. It might even cost you relationships.

But here’s the promise: Losing your life for Jesus will lead to something greater.

Modern Illustration: The Trust Fall of Faith

Imagine you’re standing on a high platform with a safety net below, but you can’t see it. A trusted friend is telling you, “Jump, and I promise you’ll be caught.”

That’s terrifying, right? Everything in you screams “Hold on! Stay in control!” But the only way to experience the safety and security of the net is to let go and jump.

Many of us are clinging to control—our plans, our comfort, our way. But Jesus says, “If you let go of your life for My sake, you’ll truly find it” (Matthew 16:25).

The world says, “Hold on to what you have.” Jesus says, “Let go, and you’ll experience something greater.”

John 10:10 – “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

John 10:10 KJV 1900

I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

The question is—do you trust Him enough to let go?

Jesus says, “Whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:25)

Are you holding onto the world, or are you holding onto the cross?

What does that mean? It means when you stop chasing after what the world offers and start chasing after Jesus, you actually find real, lasting joy. The things you were afraid to let go of? They pale in comparison to the life Jesus has for you.

Follow Me: The Call to Eternal Living

“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” (Matthew 16:26)

Illustration: The Ultimate Bank Account

Imagine you spend your whole life working hard, making wise investments, and building up the biggest bank account possible. You’ve got millions. You feel secure. You have everything the world says will make you happy.

But one day, you stand before God, and He shows you a different account—your eternal account.

And suddenly, you realize… it’s empty.

All the money, the success, the likes, the vacations—it all stayed behind. None of it transferred over. The only thing that mattered was whether you followed Jesus.

Mark 8:36 – “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

Mark 8:36 KJV 1900

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

You can be rich in this life but bankrupt in eternity. The only thing that lasts forever is your relationship with Jesus. So, when you stand before God, will your eternal account be full or empty?

F

Jesus is coming again. And when He does, He’s bringing rewards for those who have been faithful. The world may not recognize your sacrifices now, but Heaven will. And when you hear those words, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” every sacrifice, every moment of struggle will be worth it.

Conclusion: Will You Choose the Cross or the World?

So here’s the challenge:

The choice is ours—comfort or calling, the world or the cross, the temporary or the eternal. But here’s the incredible truth: when we fully follow Jesus, we’re not giving up life—we’re stepping into the greatest life possible. A life of purpose, joy, and eternal impact.

So let’s stop settling for less. Let’s let go of what fades and take hold of what lasts. Because when we live for Jesus, we don’t lose—we win. Are you ready to follow Him?

Let’s pray.

Invitation: A Call to Trust & Surrender

With every head bowed and every eye closed, let’s take a moment of honest reflection.

Some of you in this room have never fully placed your trust in Jesus as Savior. You’ve been holding onto your own way, your own righteousness, your own life—but Jesus is calling you to let go. He gave His life for you on the cross, and tonight, He offers you salvation, forgiveness, and eternal life.

If that’s you, if you know deep down that you’ve never truly surrendered to Christ, don’t wait another moment. Jesus said, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). Don’t exchange eternity for temporary gain. If you need to trust Christ, right now in your heart, pray:

“Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I believe You died on the cross for my sins and rose again. I turn from my sin, and I trust You as my Savior. Take my life. I am Yours.”

If you prayed that prayer, if you made that decision, don’t leave tonight without telling someone.

But for many of us in this room, we’ve already trusted Christ—but we haven’t fully surrendered. We’ve been holding onto comfort, convenience, and control. Jesus is calling you to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him. No more halfway discipleship. No more treating Jesus like a subscription.

Maybe God is calling you to step out in faith—to serve in ministry, to let go of a sinful habit, to give sacrificially, to boldly share the Gospel, or to finally stop living for yourself and live fully for Him. Whatever it is, tonight is the night to surrender.

So right where you are, I invite you to pray:

“Jesus, I surrender. No more halfway. No more holding back. Take my life—it’s Yours. Whatever You ask, I will do. Wherever You lead, I will follow.”

If you just prayed that prayer, take a moment and solidify that decision before the Lord. If you need to come forward, if you need to kneel at your seat, do whatever you need to do to say, “Jesus, I’m all in.”

This is the moment of decision. Choose the cross over the world. Choose Jesus over everything.

Benediction

As we leave today, let the words of Jesus echo in our hearts:

“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25)

May we walk out of here not as spectators of faith but as fully surrendered followers of Christ. May we live for what matters, for what lasts, for the glory of God alone. And may we long for the day when we hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Go in faith. Go in boldness. Go in full surrender.