Take Up Your Cross and Follow Me

Intro

When I was a boy (maybe 8 or 9 years old), I was foolish. In my foolishness, I was—ashamed to admit this publicly—a Dallas Cowboys fan. I really just liked them, because at the time, they were winning. They had a great backfield, a Hall of Fame quarterback, Super Bowl titles; everybody liked them. My foolishness had taken me so far into lunacy that I willingly wore a Cowboys jersey to a relative’s home, for Christmas. At the Christmas get together, I was given a gift. I opened the gift and inside was an Eagles jersey. I was immediately commanded to take my Cowboys jersey off and put the Eagles jersey on. “This is the team you root for,” I was told. “Do you understand?” I was asked.

“Yes. Okay,” I said, “But what am I supposed to do with my Cowboys jersey?”

“Burn it.”

“I can’t burn the jersey,” I said.

“Then we’ll burn it for you.”

And that was my inauguration into the fierce loyalty Philadelphia Eagle fandom. Twenty-three years later, the long suffering and loyalty of Eagles fans everywhere blossomed into a Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots.

While my story is meant to be humorous, I think my foolishness as a 9 year old was evidence that I did not understand a few of things; loyalty was commanded, loyalty would cost me something, and that eventually, if I was patient, my loyalty would yield a reward. I liked one team because they were easy to like. It cost me very little. That Christmas, I was wisely instructed and called to loyalty for the proper team, regardless of what it might cost me, in the hope that it might one day result in the long coveted reward of victory. Not only that, but I was given the proper green apparel so that people knew who, from that day forward, I was loyal towards.

In our text, this morning, I think Jesus explains to His disciples those three things...

The Call of our Loyalty

The Cost of our Loyalty

The Reward for our Loyalty

The Call of Our Loyalty

Context

The last time we were in Matthew, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things…and be killed, and on the third day be raised. Peter thinks that the right thing to do is to rebuke Jesus and tell him that this will never happen…And, it’s Peter whom Jesus rebukes, because in that moment, Pete is being used by the devil in attempt to keep Jesus from the Cross—the only thing that would deliver mankind from sin and death.

In our text this morning, Jesus uses a phrase that He used earlier in chapter 10 when he said:

Matthew 10:38–39

[38] And whoever 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. (ESV)

In that passage, Jesus uses the metaphor of a sword to help the disciples understand that allegiance to him means that there will be separation between those who believe in Christ and those who do not, even within a family. He is asking for unqualified allegiance, and he is making clear that love of God and his kingdom must take precedence over every other human relationship. He is dividing.

Here, in our passage (Matt 16:24-28), Jesus is dividing again. This time, Jesus is showing the disciples (and us) that not only does allegiance to Him take precedence over all your other earthly relationships…even family, but allegiance and loyalty to Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, takes precedence over even your relationship with yourself.

Deny

We see this in the first of three commands or calls that Jesus gives when he talks about what it means to follow him, in relation to ourselves. The first command of the call is to deny yourself (or ourselves).

Matthew 16:24 - [24] Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (ESV)

So, simply…to follow Jesus is to not follow you! This is the plan for obedience and allegiance to Christ. Deny yourself! This is the call of the Gospel. Deny yourself.

We must realize that this is the essence of sin and has been since the fall of Satan. I want my way. And for that, God says:

Isaiah 14:12

[12] “How you are fallen from heaven,

O Day Star, son of Dawn!

How you are cut down to the ground,

you who laid the nations low! (ESV)

In other words, you wanted to ascend. And for that, I will bring you low, where you belong.

How is your Christianity? How is your self-denial lately? What have we grown comfortable with that we ought be putting away? What have we been finding ways to justify as personal “habits” or “preferences” that are keeping us from greater joy in Christ, if we’d only do the work of denying ourselves! This is why the Apostle Paul says, “To live is Christ...” He doesn’t say, “To live is me...”

I’m not sure you’re convicted when you read this passage, which most of us have probably read hundreds of times. It’s one of the coffee cup verses. But it is as a mirror! When I wake in the morning and thoughts flood my heart, am I, like Paul taking them captive to, by the Holy Spirit, so that they obey Christ? Every thought…to make every thought obedient to Christ? And so, quite simply church (and I ask myself this question), how is our self-denial going? Are we saying no to sin? The ones that crouch at the door, ready to entangle us? Is sacrifice a part of our life? Do you treat your time like it’s your time, or like it belongs to the Lord of time? Is your money, your money, or do I remember that He owns the cattle on a thousand hills…which is a farm-language-cow illustration for God owns all the money…that He loans to us. How’s your convenience? How’s your in-take of entertainment? And don’t we need reminding that prayer, in Jesus name, is an act of complete dependence, petition, adoration and confession to God…as we deny ourselves and look to the only One who’s sufficient to hear our prayers and answer them according to His will.

And church, our prayer should be, “God, help me, by your Spirit, to deny myself in allegiance to you! (Marriage, parenting, friendships, etc.)

Why? Why must we deny ourselves? Because Jesus denied himself, even to the point of death on a cross…so that we might live.

Philippians 2:8–10 - [8] ...he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. [9] Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, [10] so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow...

Jesus is exalted, because he took up a Cross for sinners.

Take up the Cross.

And so, that is what He calls His disciples to do. The image of a cross would’ve shocked the disciples, I think for a couple of reasons… One is that the disciples were clearly confused because in v.18-20, Jesus is talking “kingdom” language. The disciples are probably thinking, “Yes! This is it! Rome is finished! Long live the Jews, led by our miracle-working king, Jesus Christ of Nazareth!” And then, Jesus starts talking about how He is going to die at the hands of the local religious leaders. ‘What do you mean, die? Christ crucified—to human wisdom this makes no sense!

The Cross was synonymous with a few things and none of them had the smell of victory. Crosses meant crucifixion, mockery, public shame and suffering. For Jesus, He calls his disciples to do this willingly! This is not the same as the way most people use the phrase, when they refer to something that they have to put up with or can’t avoid, like, “Oh, my 45 minute traffic-ridden commute to work. It’s my cross to bear.” This is something Jesus is calling all those who follow Him to take up willingly, because they love Him more than they love everyone and everything else! The cross that Jesus is calling us to bear involve willingly, saying yes to something that is difficult for the sake of Jesus; like prayer, visiting someone in prison, leading family worship when you’re really tired and don’t really have much to say after dinner, staying up to listen to someone so that you can pray with them, coming to Bible study, going out on a limb to tell that one person about Jesus. What is the offering that God accepts:

Romans 12:1 - … present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (ESV)

This is the pattern or the effect of Peter’s profession in v.16! This is the pattern for all who profess Christ — Confession of the Christ must lead to carrying the cross of self-denial, sacrifice and suffering, as the Christ did Himself. What is it that Deitrich Bonhoeffer said:

“When Christ calls a man he bids him come and die” (Bonhoeffer).

Gospel: Jesus’ road to suffering and eventual death by the means of the cross became an example of obedience and commitment to God for all who would become His disciples. But, Jesus—the Son of Man—on a Cross, means eternal victory for all who follow after Him in faith, repentance and obedience, as they carry their cross...

John 3:14–15 - [14] And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, [15] that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. (ESV)

Follow.

Denying ourselves to take up our cross, in allegiance to Christ. This is the call of our allegiance. This is what it is to follow Jesus. It is giving up our own selves as lord, to follow Jesus as Lord, even it means we travel on a road marked with suffering…and, church, we will.

1 Peter 2:21 - For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

Notice the call again, “Come after me…Follow me!” This is the way of the cross — self-denial in allegiance to Jesus. We show the world, our families and one another what we value by what we give our life to. James Boice puts it so well when he says, “Christ’s death is of value only to those who are willing to die to themselves and follow him.”

KIDS: Jesus is more important that anyone and everyone!

The Cost of our Loyalty

When you’re talking about the kind of commitment that Jesus is calling his disciples (and us) to, it would only make sense to. And so, Jesus wants people to understand that there is a cost to following Jesus and a cost to not following Jesus. To illustrate this, Jesus makes one statement asks two questions and one promise in v. 25-27, each of them starting with the word for:

His statement is:

Matthew 16:25 - [25] For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

His two questions are:

Matthew 16:26 - [26] For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

His one promise is:

Matthew 16:27 - [27] For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. (ESV)

What is Jesus saying about the cost of our self-denying, cross bearing loyalty to Him?

The first is simply this: If we follow Jesus, we save our life.. If we follow ourselves we actually don’t get to keep our life. If what we are after in this life is wrapped up in trying to preserve our money, our stuff, our influence or our uncertain future in this world…then we actually forefit our life in the next.

We do realize that what so much of the world is after now is actually a cheap imitation of what God offers to us authentically, in heaven, eternally for all those who follow him. This is the allure and the mirage of sin. This was Satan’s trick on Even, in the garden; He knew that if he could change the meaning of the tree from the curse of death to the key to a happy life now, the tree would no longer look dangerous and start to look really good. It would tempt her to hope in something different than God’s promise and she would take the bate…and die. Satan works in the world to play on our God given desire to be happy by using it against us…to try and trick us into believing that happiness is in the here and now…it’s all here! But, what he doesn’t want us to know…that Jesus is making plane for his disciples is that, If you choose the mirage of your “your best life” now, you will perish when your life now is over.

And in case we think Jesus cannot relate, Satan tried the same thing with Him. Listen to John Bloom on the temptation of Christ:

“Satan set before Jesus mirages to tempt him with faithless promises of divine happiness…Jesus was given a choice between compelling deceptive appearances and God’s promises. And to each temptation, Jesus responded, “It is written. . . . ” He refused to believe Satan’s deceptive mirages or the emotions they roused. He kept food, power, the revelation of his divinity, and everything else holy by receiving them only through the word of God and prayer.”

And Jesus asks the question in v.26 so that we might come to our senses and realize that our soul, which is eternal, is more valuable than anything offered to us in a finite world, under a finite heaven, both of which Jesus said would one day all pass away.

Notice, he uses the words life in v. 25 and soul in v. 26. Why? So that we would know, if you want life…true life now…it’s found in the Son of Man. If you want your soul in the life to come, you keep it by entrusting to the Son of Man!

And then Jesus’ promise in v.27: For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

The Reward for our Loyalty

Jesus is looking to His second coming , when He will, with his angels in the glory of his Father bring judgment for those who have chosen to follow their own will, and reward only for those who have taken up the cross in allegiance to Him.

Psalm 62:11–12

[11] Once God has spoken;

twice have I heard this:

that power belongs to God,

[12] and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.

For you will render to a man

according to his work. (ESV)

Proverbs 24:12

[12] If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”

does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?

Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it,

and will he not repay man according to his work? (ESV)

Saint, we need a long view! The true nature of a life spent gaining the whole world versus a life spent following Jesus will become perfectly clear in glory. The temptation to envy and jealously of the world — wealth, what looks like ease of life, good health are all temptations that ask us to disbelieve that we will receive our reward in glory.

Let’s encourage one another now with the assurance of God’s constant presence, his eternal care for us, and His plans for our ultimate good…to bring us to glory, with Him.

2 Timothy 2:12 - if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;

Revelation 5:9-10 - And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

Here we bear a cross, so that in heaven we might wear a crown.

The Son of Man Coming in His Kingdom

In the last first of our passage, Jesus gives his disciples another promise of reward for following Him:

Matthew 16:28 - [28] Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” (ESV)

What does this mean? There are four common interpretations for what Jesus is talking about:

1)The first and most immediate possibility we see (and certainly, I think), is his transfiguration in very next chapter. "Some of you" = Peter, James and John. Peter even equates Jesus’ glory with His transfiguration in 2 Peter 1.

2) The second would be that Jesus is talking about his resurrection.

3) The third would be that Jesus is talking about the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost in Acts 2.

4) And final one, is that Jesus is referring to the spread of the kingdom, through the proclamation of the Gospel, throughout the early church.

I think that Jesus is definitely speaking about His transfiguration and that he very possibly is also speaking about all of the other ones, because all of them are instances where Jesus received dominion and “came” in the powerful advance of his kingdom. And, they are all things that happened during the lifetime of the disciples.

These last two verses are a kind of final captsone of what “the cost” of following Jesus actually means, I think that Jesus is drawing our attention to His supremacy and how, because He is supreme over all things, how foolish it is to choose anything over him!

If you want to keep your life, you follow me. I Am The Life and I own every life.

If you want to keep your soul, you entrust your soul to me. I own every soul.

What could the world offer you that I cannot provide you perfectly. I own the world.

And how can we be sure of this? Because Jesus owns the end as well. And, in the end he will judge every life, and call every soul who trusted Him and His righteousness and His free gift of forgiveness to Him forever, and cast every soul who denied Him into hell, forever. And in the end, there will be a new heavens and a new earth!

Jesus owns the soul.

Jesus owns all life

Jesus owns the world.

Jesus owns the end.

He is supreme. The problem of our sin is that we refuse to give to Christ what already belongs to Him, and what He will one day reveal to everyone actually already belongs to Him. A Christian is someone who has come to God in repentance and said, “God, forgive my sin. I’ve denied you what’s yours. Forgive me. By your grace, I give you what’s yours now so that you will not take it later in judgement against me.” And to that soul, The Father says, ‘You are forgiven. All your sin was laid on my Son and you share in His resurrection and victory over sin, death and the grave. Your justified. Declared righteous. Enter into the joy of your master.”

This is the call. This is the reward. With the cross, comes a crown.

The Apostle Paul had this in mind:

Philippians 3:7–8

[7] But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. [8] Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ (ESV)

Saint, we know the call. By God’s grace, let’s take up our cross and follow him daily, remembering that to lose our life for Christ sake is to keep it in glory with Him, forever. And, as we look away from ourselves, let’s remind one another that He’s coming soon, and He’ll bring us to Himself. He is our great reward.

Let’s pray.