Take Up Your Cross Daily

Thank you, Jared.

Go back with me to Luke, would you?

And let's go to Luke chapter 9.

Luke 9 · chapter mention

Luke chapter 9.

Luke 9 · chapter mention

Jesus said, if you're going to follow me, you've got to take up your cross daily.

Take up your cross daily.

Folks, what that means is you've got to take up your cross daily.

What's that?

You can do that for the 5K?

I don't think so.

My goal is to not knock over this computer right now.

That means it's going to be cumbersome sometimes and inconvenient and it might be painful.

And you're going to wish you could set it down.

Because it would be a whole lot easier to go through your day without it.

Huh?

I know I could set it down.

And yeah, that's what the world says.

Why are you carrying that around?

Why don't you set it down?

It would be a whole lot easier.

So, Luke chapter 9.

Luke 9 · chapter mention

Let's look at it.

Verse 57.

As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, I will follow you wherever you go.

How many people have said to Jesus, I'll follow you?

How many of us have sung along, I'll follow Jesus.

I'll follow him.

Jesus replied, foxes have dens to live in.

Birds have nests.

But the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.

He said to another person, come, follow me.

And the man agreed.

But then he said, Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.

But Jesus told him, let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.

Your duty is to go and preach about the kingdom of God.

Another said, yes, Lord, I will follow you.

But first let me say goodbye to my family.

But Jesus told him, anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the kingdom of God.

My challenge, folks, is to take a one-way journey.

Take a one-way journey.

This thing is cumbersome, isn't it?

It's annoying.

I'm going to pick it up again later.

I'm going to pick it up again later.

I've done that a lot in my life.

I've picked up my cross and then I've set it back now.

Jesus said three things here.

Do you understand the message he's sending to these people?

Does it sound harsh?

Does it sound cruel?

Are you sure you want to follow Jesus?

You sure he's the one you want to follow?

Or would you rather follow man-made religion?

Would you rather follow traditional church?

Because I'll be honest with you.

Traditional church is nicer.

It's comfortable.

It's nice.

We get to have nice things.

And it's pleasant.

And we get to have a nice social club.

And we get to, you know, have nice beautiful things.

And we get to have a nice long tradition of doing things one way.

And everybody gets to be comfortable.

And we get to have a nice pleasant world that we live in for a long time.

Everybody gets to know everybody.

And everybody gets to be comfortable.

And everybody gets to have a nice us four and no more way of doing things.

And that's comfortable.

And it's pleasant.

And everybody knows what to expect.

But when Jesus comes in and shakes things up, it gets uncomfortable.

And then it's like, now slow down here.

Jesus, what are you doing?

This isn't about you.

This is about what we have going on.

And if we aren't careful, we find ourselves doing that.

We find ourselves, the church of Jesus, telling him it's not about him.

And he says, you're not my followers.

And we talked about that last week.

And instead, his challenge is, pick up your cross.

You haven't picked up your cross in a long time.

You've got to give something up.

You haven't given something up in a long time.

You haven't lain something down in a long time.

You haven't sacrificed anything in a long time.

You haven't put anything to death in a long time.

The Jesus way is a way of death.

You haven't died in a long time.

The Jesus way is a way of death.

You haven't died in a long time.

The Jesus way is a one-way journey to death.

Do you realize what the Emmaus Road was?

They called it the Via Dolorosa.

Do you realize what the journey to the cross was?

It was a journey to death.

It was a one-way journey to the cross.

He wasn't getting out of that.

It was a one-way, no looking back, the cross before me, the world behind me, no turning back.

I'm going to die.

And Jesus said, if you want to follow me, you must go and die.

It was a one-way journey to death.

Turn over five chapters, would you?

Turn over five chapters to Luke chapter 14.

Luke 14 · chapter mention

Take a one-way journey with me.

If you don't, it's okay.

It's okay, guys.

It's okay if you don't want to do it.

Just don't call yourself a disciple yet.

It's okay if you're not there on your journey.

It's okay.

Hey, Jesus is so patient with you.

He's so kind.

He's so patient with you.

You're not there yet on your journey.

Just don't try to say that you're a disciple yet if you're not ready to take a one-way journey to the cross.

Luke chapter 14.

Luke 14 · chapter mention

Luke chapter 14 and verse 25.

Luke 14 · chapter mention

Luke chapter 15.

Luke 15 · chapter mention

Luke chapter 15.

Luke 15 · chapter mention

Luke chapter 15.

Luke 15 · chapter mention

Luke chapter 15.

Luke 15 · chapter mention

Luke chapter 15.

Luke 15 · chapter mention

Jesus said, if you will be my disciple.

After the fact, we get to read about these guys, and he calls them his disciples.

but before then they were disciples in training now we can all be disciples in training right

jesus is teaching them how to be his disciples so if you want to be this if you want to be a

jesus follower this is how it has to look so luke chapter 14 let's skip down to verse 25 verse 25

Luke 14 · chapter mention

a large crowd was following jesus

this is the cost of being a disciple cannot be my disciple are y'all sure that you want to be

jesus followers are you sure you want to be disciples of jesus

if you don't it's okay a lot of people don't there's billions of people in this world

a lot of them don't want to be jesus followers

jesus says otherwise you can't be my disciples if you don't carry your own cross and follow me

you can't be my disciple here we go again

if you don't carry your own cross and follow me you cannot be my disciple verse 28 but don't begin

until you do what count the cost so that's number two count the cost for who would begin construction

of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it

otherwise you might complete only the foundation before running out of money and then everyone

would laugh at you they would say there's the person who started that building and couldn't afford to

finish it or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his

counselors to discuss whether his army of 10 000 could defeat the 20 000 soldiers marching against

him and if he can't he will send a delegation to discuss the terms of peace while the enemy is still

far away so you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own

salt is good for seasoning but if it loses its flavor how do you make it salty again flavorless salt

is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile it is thrown away anyone with ears to hear

should listen and understand have you become flavorless salt have you become the king who goes to war

without enough soldiers to get the job done have you become the building with only the foundation

and not enough to finish the building do you understand what i'm saying

have you become the christian who won't carry his cross

have you become the christian who didn't count the cost

of being the disciple

this is a hard thing to think about

but i think this is why jesus wanted us to stop and remember his sacrifice

so often

we do the lord's supper or communion four times a year

why do you think jesus wanted us to do it so often

so we wouldn't forget his sacrifice right

why do you think he wanted us to remember his sacrifice

because otherwise

we just get caught up in life and we forget the dear cost

of what it took

to forgive us

to buy us back

from the jaws of death

because we get wrapped up

in what our kids are doing

and we get wrapped up

in what our next vacation is

and we get wrapped up in how we're going to pay the next bill

and we get wrapped up in just the cares and everyday life

and we forget

what jesus had to do

and we forget

what it cost

and we forget

the cost

that he asks

us to pay

look if you don't want to pay the cost

i understand

most don't

but i ask you

to consider it

forget what i ask

jesus is asking you

to consider it

consider paying the cost

he's asking you to be his disciple

he's asking you to come following

but he's telling you

count the cost

pick up the cross

and carry it

because it's worth it

it's worth it

but your priorities

have to change

the things that are important to you

right now

have to become less important

and the things that are not as important to you

right now

have to become more important

people getting saved

have to become

most important to you

people getting baptized

and lives being changed

have to become most important to you

what's important to god

has to become most important to you

if that changes

then it all falls into place

it all starts to make sense

if that doesn't change

then it won't ever make sense

it'll all still steam out of order to you

and you'll still be frustrated

and you'll still be irritated

and you'll still be mad

and i won't be able to help you

and nobody else will be able to help you

i promise you

last one

romans chapter 8

Romans 8 · chapter mention

you don't have to turn it there

it's one verse

i've got it on the screen for you

if you live according to the flesh

you're going to die

but if you by the spirit

put to death

the deeds of the body

you will live

if you by the spirit

put to death

the deeds of the body

you will live

dietrich bonhoeffer

had to have been referencing

kind of that scripture verse

when he said this quote

when christ calls a man

he bids him

come and die

jesus said

if you follow me

you got to pick up your cross

what happened

when jesus picked up his cross

and walked that road

he was carrying it

to his death

well

he couldn't make it

all the way

could he

somebody else had to come

and carry his cross

for the first time

and now

there was a man called simon

and now

every one of us

is called to pick up

our cross

and carry it

and now we're called

to die

daily

not physically

but spiritually

every one of us

is called

to put ourselves

and our desires

and our flesh

and our priorities

and our motives

and our wants

and our needs

to death

and jesus said

my way is better

trust me

you trusted me

with salvation

you trusted me

to forgive you

you trusted me

to give you

eternal life

now trust me

that my way

is better

and kill off you

and let me

live through you

and if you're not

willing to do that

then you'll never

taste my life

because you'll never

put yourself

to death

so the challenge

is to die

daily

we've said it

every week

the jesus way

is a way

of transformation

it's always

a way

of transformation

but it always

has to start

with death

first

that's the little

secret

that's the

uncomfortable part

that's the hard

part

y'all

carrying this

thing around

i'm glad

it looked

awkward

i'm glad

it looked

uncomfortable

because trust

me

it is

that was

not fun

up here

okay

it was

awkward

and uncomfortable

did it look

awkward and

uncomfortable

it was

and trust me

in real life

it is

in church

life

it is

in family

life

carrying your

cross

cross

is

in all

your

relationships

carrying your

cross

is awkward

difficult

painful

uncomfortable

but it's

worth it

that's why

he asks

you to do

it

so our

takeaway

today

and we're

done

following

jesus

means daily

following him

to the cross

and dying

to myself

you gotta

do it

gotta follow

him to that

cross

gotta pick

it up

follow him

to that

cross

nail

your flesh

to that

cross

nail

your

priorities

to that

cross

nail

your

lies

your

fear

to that

cross

nail

your

worry to that cross. Nail your pain to that cross. Nail your cares to that cross. And

then say, Jesus, replace it. I got nothing to carry now. Now give me your grace. Give

me your hope. Give me your life. Give me your comfort. Give me your peace. Give me your

kindness. Give me your joy. Give me all that you promise. That's what he fills you with.

The fruit of the spirit. Now all the people in your life, brother, man, what happened

to you? I picked up my cross. God did the rest. Let's pray together. God, right now,

you're working on my heart. I pray that you're working on somebody else's too. You ask us

to do difficult things and none more difficult than to pick up our cross and follow you.

Every day you just bring things into our day that seem more than we can take on. But

nothing is too hard for God. You said, is anything too hard for God? We know the answer is no.

God, right? When you were facing your own cross, which is more than we'll ever have to face.

You prayed to your father, let this cup pass from me and

father, if it be your will, let this cup pass from me.

But you knew that you were going to walk that road and you were going to lay down your life for us.

And with everything that

we have to give, we thank you for doing that.

We would have no hope. We'd have no reason

to gather. We'd have no reason to live

without the forgiveness and the new life we have in you

because of your salvation, because of your sacrifice.

So as we remembered your death,

your broken body and blood in the Lord's Supper today,

we remember your sacrifice, we remember your cross,

and we're challenged to take up our own.

God, that means laying down some things.

By your spirit, I pray that you would show us exactly what we need to lay down,

what we need to put to death.

Convict our hearts, God.

If there is a spirit of discord, if there is a spirit of

strife, if there is a

unholy spirit,

quench it, Lord.

I pray that you would unite us together

around your heart

for the lost,

around your mission.

That is what would reign supreme.

Let us be a people

of love for you,

for one another.

Amen.

Amen.

Church, is there someone here in our house

who would like to turn from their sins

and turn to Jesus this morning?

With our heads bowed and eyes closed,

would you lift your hand and say,

I'd like to do that?

Thank you.

With everyone's heads bowed,

I'd just love for you to slip up here

and sit on this front row,

if that's you right now.

If your hand's up,

just come on up and sit on this front row

and I'll come talk to you.

Is there anybody else who would say,

I just need prayer?

Just slip your hand up

and I'll pray for you.

Thank you.

I need prayer for something going on in my heart.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Lord, you know what's going on in their hearts.

I just pray that you would touch them right now.

You'd work in their situation.

You'd work in their life.

God, just move in our church, Lord.

This is your church.

You founded it.

You'll see it through.

You work, God.

It's in your name we pray.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.