The theory of Awakening

Matthew 28:16–20 KJV 1900

16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

We are here to be disciple makers

But that begs the question what is a disciple of Christ?

Luke 14:26–35 (KJV 1900)

26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Catch what this is saying.

Hate your father, mother, wife, children, siblings, and your self or else you cannot be a disciple of Christ

Is Jesus telling us to hate people? Wouldn’t this be a contradiction of scripture? He told us that if we hate someone in our heart it is like murder. I John 3:15

So this kind of hate cannot be the case because we know the Bible cannot go against the Bible.

So what does this mean? This seems confusing. But it doesn’t stop there.

Further more carry your cross with you as you follow Christ.

This may seem easy to do in our culture as the cross symbolizes Christianity and church as we know it, it does not appear to be a threatening thing. But what is the cross?

The cross was a gruesome way of execution used by the Romans in the time of Christ.

Now came the final phase of earth’s most awful tragedy. Over the physical torture of the crucifixion one shrinks from lingering. It was a form of execution no uncommon among the ancients, but reserved for the basest criminals or most hated foes. Those who were thus nailed upon a cross suffered sometimes for days before death released them from their agony. Some charitable women of Jerusalem had supplied a fund to purchase wine and opiates which were mercifully given to the victims of crucifixion to drink, and thus their senses were dulled. But when this drink was offered to Jesus, he refused it. He had no will to pass away in drowsiness, but meant rather to face mans savager at its fullest. His garments were once more stripped from Him. His divine hands and feet were nailed upon the cross and then the huge instruments of torture was reared aloft and set upright in the earth, His bleeding body hanging pendant from its elevation. That one moment of sudden strain of the sharpest physical pain of all, that moment was taken by Jesus for his first utterance from the cross, that divinest of all recorded words of love, “father, forgive them; for the know not what they do.”

We wear the cross as jewelry today. Could you imagine wearing an electric chair around you neck as a necklace.

Hate everyone and carry around your death device

Catch this Jesus is saying here hate everything and carry around your execution device as you follow me.

We see in Matthew 16:24-25 Jesus also says to 1. Deny yourself. 2. Take up your cross. 3. Follow me

Matthew 16:24–28 KJV 1900

24 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. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 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? 27 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. 28 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.

What are we gathering from all of this?

Christianity isn’t this romanticized thing that the American dream has made it out to be. Christianity is a way of life that changes its true followers.

But Christianity is SOOO worth it.

Imagine getting rewarded by Jesus himself in the clouds! Truly what a day that will be.