BEARING YOUR CROSS

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BEARING YOUR CROSS
INTRODUCTION:
FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS, WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE CROSS, AND WE’VE LEARNED THAT IT IS THE PLACE OF RECONCILIATION, AS WELL AS THE PLACE OF REDEMPTION.
THAT IN CHRIST, GOD WAS RECONCILING THE WORLD TO HIMSELF THROUGH THE CROSS.
AND THAT THROUGH THE CROSS, HE CANCELLED THE SIN DEBT OF EVERY PERSON WHO WILL PLACE HIS OR HER FAITH IN CHRIST.
TODAY, I WANT US TO RETURN TO A FAMILIAR PASSAGE, AND THINK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS FOR ME TO BEAR MY CROSS, AND FOR YOU TO BEAR YOUR CROSS.
THIS PASSAGE IN MARK, CHAPTER 8, HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND SEVERAL THINGS ABOUT BEARING ONE’S CROSS.
HERE IS THE FIRST THING…
1. BECAUSE OF THE CROSS, WE ARE CALLED TO SELF-DENIAL.
a. – 34 AND CALLING THE CROWD TO HIM WITH HIS DISCIPLES, HE SAID TO THEM, “IF ANYONE WOULD COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS AND FOLLOW ME.
b. JESUS POINTS OUT THAT THERE ARE THREE ASPECTS OF BEING ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES.
i. SELF-DENIAL.
ii. CROSS BEARING
iii. AND FOLLOWING HIM.
iv. NONE OF THESE THREE ASPECTS ARE OPTIONAL, THEY ARE ALL REQUIRED, ACCORDING TO THE LANGUAGE OF THE LORD HERE, IN ORDER TO BE A DISCIPLE OF JESUS.
v. SO LET’S LOOK AT EACH ONE OF THESE.
c. FIRST, SELF-DENIAL…
d. WHAT DENYING ONESELF IS NOT…
i. TO DENY ONESELF IS NOT TO DO WITHOUT SOMETHING OR EVEN MANY THINGS.
ii. IT IS NOT ABSTINENCE, IT IS NOT SELF-REJECTION, NOR IS IT SELF-HATRED.
e. WHAT DENYING ONESELF IS…
i. A LIFESTYLE THAT RENOUNCES THE SELF AS THE DOMINANT ELEMENT IN LIFE.
ii. IT IS TO REPLACE THE SELF WITH CHRIST AS THE OBJECT OF AFFECTIONS.
1. INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON MY DESIRES, IN CHRIST-CENTERED SELF DENIAL, I AM MOST CONCERNED ABOUT HIS DESIRES.
iii. SELF DENIAL IS ME PLACING THE WILL OF GOD BEFORE MY OWN WILL.
iv. SO WE ARE CALLED TO SELF-DENIAL.
f. WE ARE ALSO CALLED TO BEAR OUR OWN CROSS.
i. CROSS BEARING IS A SYMBOL OF FOLLOWING JESUS IN SACRIFICIAL SERVICE.
ii. THE CONCEPT SHOULD NEVER BE CHEAPENED BY APPLYING IT TO ENDURING SOME IRRITATION OR EVEN A MAJOR BURDEN.
iii. IT IS CLOSELY RELATED TO SELF-DENIAL, INVOLVING A WILLINGNESS TO GIVE UP EVERYTHING DEAR IN LIFE AND EVEN LIFE ITSELF FOR THE SAKE OF JESUS.
iv. IT IS A WILLINGNESS TO SUFFER FOR JESUS AND FOR OTHERS.
v. THIS CONCEPT OF DISCIPLESHIP IS SO RADICAL THAT MANY CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIANS IN THE WEST HAVE DIFFICULTY RELATING TO IT.
g. BUT IS WE ARE GOING TO FAITHFULLY FOLLOW CHRIST, WHICH IS THE THIRD ASPECT OF BEING HIS DISCIPLES, WE MUST DAILY ADHERE TO THE FIRST TWO ASPECTS.
h. SO BEARING ONE’S CROSS MEANS THAT I AM, AND YOU ARE, CALLED TO SELF DENIAL.
2. BECAUSE OF THE CROSS, WE UNDERSTAND THE FUTILITY OF SEEKING TO SAVE ONE’S OWN LIFE.
a. – 35 FOR WHOEVER WOULD SAVE HIS LIFE WILL LOSE IT, BUT WHOEVER LOSES HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE AND THE GOSPEL’S WILL SAVE IT.
b. GOD GAVE US LIFE TO SPEND AND NOT TO KEEP.
i. IF WE LIVE ALWAYS THINKING FIRST OF OUR OWN PROFIT, EASE, COMFORT AND SECURITY, IF OUR ONLY AIM IS TO MAKE LIFE AS LONG AND AS TROUBLE-FREE AS POSSIBLE, IF WE WILL MAKE NO EFFORT EXCEPT FOR OURSELVES, WE ARE LOSING LIFE ALL THE TIME.
ii. BUT IF WE SPEND LIFE FOR OTHERS, IF WE FORGET HEALTH AND TIME AND WEALTH AND COMFORT IN OUR DESIRE TO DO SOMETHING FOR JESUS AND FOR THOSE FOR WHOM JESUS DIED, WE ARE WINNING LIFE ALL THE TIME.
c. SELF-SUFFICIENCY IS A CONSTRUCT OF A CULTURE THAT SEEKS TO REJECT JESUS.
i. TO THINK THAT WE CAN SAVE OURSELVES IS A RIDICULOUS IDEA.
1. WE CANNOT EVEN MANAGE OURSELVES.
a. WE ARE OFTEN VICTIMS OF OUR OWN SELFISH DEEDS.
b. WE CONSISTENTLY RUN OFF THE RAILS.
d. SO TO THINK THAT A PERSON CAN SAVE HIS OR HER OWN LIFE IS AN EXERCISE IN FUTILITY.
e. AND SO IS THE SEEKING SATISFACTION IN THE THINGS OF THE WORLD.
3. BECAUSE OF THE CROSS, WE UNDERSTAND THE FUTILITY OF SEEKING SATISFACTION IN THE THINGS OF THE WORLD.
a. – 36 FOR WHAT DOES IT PROFIT A MAN TO GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND FORFEIT HIS SOUL? 37 FOR WHAT CAN A MAN GIVE IN RETURN FOR HIS SOUL?
b. THE REAL QUESTION JESUS ASKS IS, ‘WHERE DO YOU PUT YOUR VALUES IN LIFE?’
i. IT IS POSSIBLE TO PUT OUR VALUES ON THE WRONG THINGS AND TO DISCOVER IT TOO LATE.
1. IT IS POSSIBLE TO SACRIFICE HONOR FOR PROFIT.
2. IT IS POSSIBLE TO SACRIFICE PRINCIPLE FOR POPULARITY.
3. IT IS POSSIBLE TO SACRIFICE THE LASTING THINGS FOR THE CHEAP THINGS.
ii. THERE IS NO MANDATE IN SCRIPTURE TO TAKE A VOW OF POVERTY.
1. SO SCRIPTURE NEVER PROHIBITS A CHRISTIAN FROM HAVING MATERIAL POSSESSIONS, OR ENJOYING ENTERTAINMENT.
2. WHAT SCRIPTURE DOES PROHIBIT IS A CHRISTIAN FINDING THEIR WORTH AND SATISFACTION IN MATERIAL POSSESSIONS, OR ENTERTAINMENT.
c. GOD DOESN’T MIND IF YOU HAVE STUFF, BUT HE’S NOT OK WITH YOUR STUFF HAVING YOU.
d. SO THE CROSS REMINDS US THAT SEEKING SATISFACTION IN THE THINGS OF THE WORLD IS INCOMPATABLE WITH THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.
4. BECAUSE OF THE CROSS, WE UNDERSTAND THE TRAGEDY OF REJECTING JESUS.
a. – 38 FOR WHOEVER IS ASHAMED OF ME AND OF MY WORDS IN THIS ADULTEROUS AND SINFUL GENERATION, OF HIM WILL THE SON OF MAN ALSO BE ASHAMED WHEN HE COMES IN THE GLORY OF HIS FATHER WITH THE HOLY ANGELS.”
b. THIS IS CLEARLY A FOLLOW-UP TO JESUS’ CALL TO FOLLOW HIM.
i. AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT IS A SUMMATION OF ALL THAT HE IS SPEAKING ABOUT IN THIS SHORT PASSAGE.
ii. THE COST INVOLVED IN BEING A DISCIPLE OF CHIRST.
iii. THE FUTILITY OF SELF-SALVATION.
iv. THE FUTILITY OF MATERIAL SATISFACTION.
v. AND THE CALL TO BE UNASHAMED FOLLOWERS.
CONCLUSION:
MAYBE TODAY, HE IS CALLING YOU TO THE CROSS.
MAYBE TODAY, HE IS CALLING YOU TO STOP TRYING TO SAVE YOURSELF, AND GIVE YOUR LIFE TO THE ONE WHO GAVE HIS LIFE TO SAVE YOU.
MAYBE TODAY, YOU NEED TO STOP SEEKING SATISFACTION IN THE THINGS OF THE WORLD AND START FINDING SATISFACTION IN CHRIST.
MAYBE TODAY, YOU UNDERSTAND THE TRAGEDY OF REJECTING JESUS.
MAYBE TODAY, YOU NEED TO SURRENDER, AND BECOME A FOLLOWER OF JESUS.
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