Discipleship and the Cross

Bearing a Cross???

Mark 8:31–38 HCSB

Then He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, be killed, and rise after three days. He was openly talking about this. So Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But turning around and looking at His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan, because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns, but man’s!” Summoning the crowd along with His disciples, He said to them, “If anyone wants to be My follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me and the gospel will save it. For what does it benefit a man to gain the whole world yet lose his life? What can a man give in exchange for his life? For whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

Jesus explains

“I must die

on the cross...”

Peter take him aside

rebukes Jesus.

“How dare you…?”

You will be a king...

Not abused as criminal....

So it is today,

all of God’s people

expect only blessings.

We pray for blessings.

We preach about blessings.

We say: God Bless You.

All to the point,

blessings are expected

practically demanded.

Now,

when we don’t get

what we want

when we want

throw tantrum

like 2 year old

at the store.

Many people today,

just like Peter

ready to reprimand God

when they are not blessed!

But,

what does Jesus say?

Mark 8:33 HCSB

But turning around and looking at His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan, because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns, but man’s!”

Jesus says,

you don’t want

what is best for God

only yourself!

And so it is today,

we all want,

what we want,

expecting that

God should want that too.

We see so little

willing sacrifices

time

money

energy

pain

blood

sweat

tears.

All are sitting

on their hands

waiting for blessings.

Jesus said,

Get behind Me, Satan, because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns, but man’s!”

The point is

sometimes it is

God’s plan to allow

pain and suffering.

We don’t like to hear that.

You talk to

the sick,

the suffering

the depressed

the offended

the grieving

all seem convinced

It is God’s plan to

heal and bring

temporal happiness.

According to this passage

that is not always the

case in reality!

Jesus goes on,

calling entire crowd

He want to make

important point

for those who choose

to follow Him.

Mark 8:34 HCSB

Summoning the crowd along with His disciples, He said to them, “If anyone wants to be My follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.

He says,

pay attention everyone

all of you who

want to follow me:

If you want to be

my disciple

this is what

it will look like:

The Holman Christian Standard Bible Chapter 8

he must deny himself, h take up his cross, i and follow Me

This is the criteria

for being Christian.

By a show of hand,

who claims to be

a Christian?

Okay,

Christ says,

this is where the

rubber meets the road;

If you are truly

a Christian,

you will be self denying

take up your cross

follow me...

Many say,

what does that mean?

what is my cross?

I have heard people come

up with very interesting

ideas on this topic.

People say,

my wife is

not nice to me.

This is my cross....!

Let me tell you something.

You chose that wife.

That is hardly a cross.

that was just a bad decision

and the consequences.

A cross is something

that you deny yourself

to follow Christ.

You did not deny yourself

to get that wife.

You indulged yourself

regardless of wise counsel.

A cross is something

that stands between you

and the world.

Something that is

a temptation.

You want to do it.

You don’t want to

follow Jesus on

this topic.

You want to

work on Sabbath

purchase on Sabbath

fasion

music

job

hobbies

priorities

of the world.

Jesus says no,

put me first

pick up your cross

follow me.

What does it mean

to bear a cross?

Remember,

What lead into this

discussion?

Jesus was talking

about how He was

going to die...

(on a cross)

For us to

understand this

let’s study

Jesus’ cross bearing.

Matthew 26:36–40 HCSB

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and He told the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is swallowed up in sorrow —to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with Me.” Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He asked Peter, “So, couldn’t you stay awake with Me one hour?

Jesus is sorrowful

to the point of death...

Needs prayer to

bear His cross.

Begs His disciple

to pray for Him.

He prays:

The Holman Christian Standard Bible Chapter 26

“My Father! If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”

It is a real temptation.

He doesn’t want

to go through with it.

He want to quit.

to leave

to go back hom

to heaven.

Begging for strength

to endure the trial.

What was His cross like?

They

abused Him.

mocked Him.

beat Him.

tortured Him.

Jesus was tortured

by the people

He came to save...

That is a cross!!!

What more?

Desire of Ages Chapter 78—Calvary

As Jesus passed the gate of Pilate’s court, the cross which had been prepared for Barabbas was laid upon His bruised and bleeding shoulders. Two companions of Barabbas were to suffer death at the same time with Jesus, and upon them also crosses were placed. The Saviour’s burden was too heavy for Him in His weak and suffering condition. Since the Passover supper with His disciples, He had taken neither food nor drink. He had agonized in the garden of Gethsemane in conflict with satanic agencies. He had endured the anguish of the betrayal, and had seen His disciples forsake Him and flee. He had been taken to Annas, then to Caiaphas, and then to Pilate. From Pilate He had been sent to Herod, then sent again to Pilate. From insult to renewed insult, from mockery to mockery, twice tortured by the scourge,—all that night there had been scene after scene of a character to try the soul of man to the uttermost. Christ had not failed. He had spoken no word but that tended to glorify God. All through the disgraceful farce of a trial He had borne Himself with firmness and dignity. But when after the second scourging the cross was laid upon Him, human nature could bear no more. He fell fainting beneath the burden.

The crowd that followed the Saviour saw His weak and staggering steps, but they manifested no compassion. They taunted and reviled Him because He could not carry the heavy cross. Again the burden was laid upon Him, and again He fell fainting to the ground

This is a cross.

This is a cross.

Jesus said,

if you are going to

be a Christian.

You are going to

have a cross to bear.

Who want to be first in line?

Who is excited to be Christian?

I get tired of hearing

people talk about faith.

Because the faith

preach about today

is not faith at all.

People can be,

living completely

contrary to God

in every way.

Yet,

they say,

I have faith in God…?

What they mean is:

I believe intellectually

there is a God

in the universe.

That is the faith of Satan

Satan and demons

knows there is a God.

But they are going to hell.

Somebody who has faith,

proves it by

bearing a cross.

Until then,

please don’t talk

about your faith.

Praying before meals,

praying before leaving

for long vacation.

NOT FAITH...

not saving faith.

Who want to be

a Christian today?

Do you understand the cost?

Let’s stop pretending.

Not helping anyone.

Do you want to

Be Disciple?

Draw Nearer to Jesus?

Surrender All

Surrender each moment?

Let’s Sing

I Would Draw Nearer to Jesus