Sermon Tone Analysis

I want to introduce today a doctrine that might just be one of the most hated and rejected doctrines in all of the Bible—walking according to the cross and living a crucified life.

While this doctrine maybe one of the most disputed doctrines, it is also quite possibly one of the most important ones, for without it you cannot be a disciple (Luke 14:27).

Why must we submit to the crucified life?

To Be His Disciple (, ) Jesus commanded His disciples to ‘take up their cross’ and follow Him.

Therefore, those who do this (live a crucified life are obeying Christ.

To Gain Eternal Life (, ) Eternal life cannot only be received by those who live a crucified life (; , )

To Please God () God loves all those who, like Jesus, lays down their life to please (obey) Him (, ).

What does it mean to “take up one’s cross” (lay down your life)?

To take up one’s cross means to deny oneself ().

First of all, the phrase “let him” should be translated, “[they] must say no to the things they want” (GW).

Other translations read: “you must stop thinking about yourself and what you want...” (ERV), “say no to the things they want” (GW), “leave self behind” (NEB), “give up all rights to himself” (Philips), and “no longer thinks of himself.”

Therefore, before a person can follow Christ, he must stop thinking of himself.

“you must stop thinking about yourself and what you want...” (ERV)

“say no to the things they want,” (GW)

“leave self behind” (NEB)

“give up all rights to himself” (Philips)

To take up one’s cross means to lose one’s life () The word “life” is a reference to what one has in this world ().

If any man wants to follow Christ, he must take up his cross and stop trying to save (care for, preserve or keep safe) his life in this world!

If you try to hold on to the life you have here on earth, you will never experience true life.

This word “life” can also be a reference to one’s person.

In both Hebrew and Greek the word is used as an equivalent to the pronouns “I,” “you,” “he,” “she” and “himself” or “herself” ().

Therefore, to save one’s life may mean to try and save the person we are today rather than allow that person (life) to die that we might discover (gain) the life/person we are in Christ ().

John said, “It does not yet appear what we shall be…but we shall be like Him.”

If we want the ‘life’ (person) that is ‘in Christ,’ then we must mortify (completely remove) those things about our life/person that are from the earth ().

pneúma it is our life in this world (; ).

The old man is a vessel through whom the devil can manifest himself in us.

As long as we have this flesh, the devil has a vessel through which to manifest himself.

It is also warring against the new man and trying to keep him from coming into the image of Jesus.

psuchḗ , it is our life in this world (; ).

The old man is a vessel through whom the devil can manifest himself in us.

As long as we have this flesh, the devil has a vessel through which to manifest himself.

It is also warring against the new man and trying to keep him from coming into the image of Jesus.

sṓma, it is our life in this world (; ).

The old man is a vessel through whom the devil can manifest himself in us.

As long as we have this flesh, the devil has a vessel through which to manifest himself.

It is also warring against the new man and trying to keep him from coming into the image of Jesus.

All these things that are listed in this verse are things associated with the ‘old man’ that still lives within us ().

As long as the flesh is present within us, the devil has a vessel through which he can manifest himself.

Also, the flesh wars against the soul to destroy it ().

Therefore, the flesh is self-destructive.

How can we recognize our cross and die to self?

How can we recognize our cross and die to self?

We can die through repentance.

Whenever we read the word the old man dies and the new man is renewed.

The new man is born of the word and is renewed by the word.

(explain)

God has already determined that He will turn His “sword” against His Son (Jesus) and against all of His little ones or disciples.

The “sword” is a reference to wicked men (enemies, the beast).

He already turned His sword against Jesus.

Meaning, He took credit for bringing wicked men against Christ (, ; ).

Now, He bringing these same wicked men against Christ’s followers!

What about us that needs to be put to death or crucified?

It is our “flesh” that must die.

The flesh is in a constant battle against our spirit (new man).

The “flesh” is not our physical body.

It represents our life, the vestiges of our unregenerate self that still remains with us after regeneration.

(explain)

The Father ‘loves’ all those who, like Jesus, lay down their life to please Him.

First, the Father loves all those who obey His Son ().

Second, the Son has commanded that His disciples lay down their life ().

In order for our “old man” (flesh) to die, we must willingly lay it down or give it up.

No man can “take” your flesh (old man, self-life) from you.

They may take away your physical life from you, but they cannot take away the flesh.

The flesh must be laid down by each individual willingly.

Moreover, those who do not lay down their life will lose it.

You only get to keep your life if you lay it down.

You don’t get to keep if it’s taken from you.

The one that takes it from us is God ().

Moreover, Jesus said that He had the power (authority) to put down His life and pick it up again.

We receive similar authority because Christ laid down His life.

(explain) Authority is the right to use God’s power.

Therefore, we use God’s power to lay down our life.

Not everyone exercises this authority against their flesh.

Also, those who walk by faith receives power from God to live the crucified life.

(explain)

Enoch walked with God (against the course of this world) and God gave him eternal life.

God loved Enoch (he pleased God) just like Christ.

As a result, he was able to pick up (receive) eternal life/resurrection.

Denying one’s self is synonymous with taking up one’s cross.

The word “life” means soul or self ().

Notice that we “forfeit” our life when we don’t take up our cross or deny ourselves.

Therefore, if we’re not denying ourselves, then we’re not just losing.

We’re breaking the rules (being disqualified, not showing up to play).

How do we cooperate with God in bringing the crucified life to pass?

God is turning the sword against us (), but how do we cooperate with Him?

When you suffer because you’re trying to obey God (Scripture), this is good and acceptable/grace with God.

The cross (affliction) is how God creates sons.

He’s still creating!

(explain)

Not every Christian will die, but every Christian must lose their life or forfeit being a Christian!

Jesus denied himself by not defending Himself.

As a result, He ended up going to the cross.

We always end up at the cross whenever we refuse to defend ourselves.

This happens whenever we are being corrected with the word.

Typically, when we are corrected we try to defend (justify) ourselves.

Rather than try to defend (justify) ourselves, we should repent (, ).

When John rebuked the people because of their sins, they repented and justified God rather than themselves.

The Pharisees, on the other hand, refused to repent and instead of justifying God, they justified themselves.

The next time you’re tempted to refuse correction and defend yourself, just remember that when you do this you are refusing not only correction, but the cross!

Second, we don’t only defend ourselves against the truth/correction, we also try to defend ourselves against our enemies.