Only if you willingly take up your cross may you be called His disciple . Submit. Remember that Jesus carried it; remember that it will soon be followed by the crown, and the thought of the coming weight of glory will greatly lighten the present heaviness of trouble. Learn more. But what does the idea of “taking up your cross” mean for us today? He has been on … It doesn’t imply forfeiting things you enjoy or having a wonderful life. After suffering for a period of time, death finally came. And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. Jesus willingly laid down His life. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it." Key Thought. In what ways should Christians be prepared to step outside their comfort zone? Definition: To deal with your burdens and problems. Copyright 2011-2021 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved. Worship him as you carry your cross with dignity and determination. But to deny oneself is tricky business. As Father Martin puts it, this means accepting that God is greater than the human imagination. Rather it means a rod. Matthew Leonard explores the Catholic understanding of suffering. Matthew Leonard explores the Catholic understanding of suffering. There will be inconveniences and pains in life as a result of following Jesus. Have you read Crystal’s personal testimony? Mark 2:11 V-AMA-2S GRK: λέγω ἔγειρε ἆρον τὸν κράβαττόν NAS: to you, get up, pick up your pallet KJV: Arise, and take up thy bed, INT: I say arise take up the mat. Questions Covered: 15:56 - What is a practice approach to offering up your cross? While the phrase is commonly understood to mean acceptance of some burdensome task, the command to take up the cross is much more than a symbol of the difficulties experienced by humanity. The phrase "a cross to bear" is a popular derivation of the words of Jesus: "Take up your cross and follow Me." This is a condition of discipleship. Jesus’ disciples must have been shocked when He told them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matt 15:24). Take Up Your Cross Walter Chantry "And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. “Take up your cross” has lost some of the power of its original meaning. "Take my yoke upon you...for my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Take Up Your Cross Bible Verses What did Jesus mean by you should "Take Up Your Cross" and follow Him? There is no other way. Follow Him: A 35-Day Call to Live for Christ No Matter the Cost by David Platt. Matthew 11:28-30. For most of us, that kind of cost Paul paid for following Christ isn’t anything we can conceive of. Take Up Your Cross Daily. The fact that we must take up our cross daily means that we must lift that crossbeam every morning and crucify our carnal nature up until we go to sleep. Taking up our cross to follow Christ means, simply, commitment to the point of giving up our hopes, dreams, possessions, even our very life if need be. You only have one job and it’s this: take up your cross. 18:13 - How do I discern if God wants me to carry a particular cross? In Jesus’ day, a cross wasn’t just a symbol of pain and suffering; it was mainly a symbol of death. The following is an excerpt from The MacArthur New Testament Commentary on Matthew 16. Thistle Farms is the largest social enterprise in the U.S. led by survivors of prostitution, addiction, and trafficking. The Greek term "aparneomai", translated in English as "deny" has the meaning to "disown" or "renounce." A cross is something you willingly take up. And take up his cross — Of the origin and meaning of this phrase, see note on Matthew 10:38. 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