WE HAVE DAILY CROSSES TO BEAR

Luke 9:23-25

Luk 9:23 Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Luk 9:24 Because whoever wants to save his soul will lose it, but whoever loses his soul for my sake will save it.
Luk 9:25 Because what does it benefit a person if he gains the whole world but destroys or loses himself in the process?

true followers follow

Jesus’ followers had just admitted the awesome messianic secret: that Jesus was the Christ, sent from God. But, instead of cheering them on, Jesus silenced them sternly. The fact of who Jesus really was did not change the fact that a cross was waiting for him in Jerusalem.

Jesus used this opportunity to reinforce for his disciples what it really means to be a Christian. They, too, had a secret identity as delivered sons of God. But, they too, had daily crosses to bear, for his sake. So, Jesus warned them not to get so caught up in the blessings of their new identity that they stop living the life of self-sacrifice.

We need to understand that although the ultimate victory has been won, our personal battles are not over yet. Folowers must follow, even when the leader goes to Golgotha.

LORD, give us the perseverance to continue taking up our crosses until you return with our crowns.