"Then he said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'" - Luke 9:23Jesus' path meant that these disciples would live in tension. They had access to many blessings through Jesus, but His departure meant that other blessings the Messiah would bring were to come. But, here Jesus says that to follow him means walking in the path of the cross. Disciples are like their teacher, they need to understand that life in this world will not involve an easy, stress less walk.
That path involves 'taking up the cross' (like Jesus did), 'losing ones life' (like Jesus did), and not being ashamed of Christ. The essence and root of a true disciple is humility before God. Taking up your cross daily and following Jesus means walking in the footsteps of ministry in this world like Jesus himself did. He gave of himself daily, even to the point of rejection which led him to the cross.
Mark 10:45 says, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many."
A disciple or follower of Christ has to be prepared to be rejected, we follow in the same path as Christ. Jesus in this scripture is preparing his disciples for his departure from them. He calls us all to be faithful in rejection by the world. But we know that through our suffering, Christ will vindicate through righteousness.
But know that our suffering will not be in vain. Do not be afraid to pick up that cross daily. Jesus willingly picked up his cross and be nailed to it. The least we can do is carry ours and know it is because of that cross that we have the ability to have a cross to pick up. Do not be ashamed of it, He wasn't ashamed to die for you.
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