Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus said to his disciples,
“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Jesus talks a lot about the cross during his ministry. In all the four books of the Gospel, denying ourselves and taking up our cross was mentioned: Matthew 10:38-39, Matthew 16:24-25, Mark 8:34, John 19:17.

The cross or the Greek word “stauros” has a biblical use of a type of wooden instrument for torture. Crucifixion is one of the most cruel and barbaric act of torture and death. It was used, especially in times of war, by the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Egyptians, and later by the Romans.
It was so dreaded that even during the pre-Christian era; the cross was used as a symbol to represent the many cares, troubles, pains and sufferings in one’s life.

Jesus was born and destined for the cross. He lived to go to the cross. We must understand that the cross was God’s will for Jesus. Even at the beginning of his ministry, Jesus have told his disciples about the cross (Luke 9:23) this shows that he knew about God’s will (the cross).

In Matthew 4:19 Jesus said, “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” And 6 chapters later in Matthew 10:38, Jesus said, “And whoever who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”Jesus knew that for one to follow him fully is not an easy task to do. We are humans caught up in our own sins and our sinful nature clings on us all the while. This is because we live in a sinful world and sin is all around us. Because of this, Jesus asks us to take up our cross and follow him. In fact in Luke 9:23 we are told to take up our cross daily!

So what does it mean to take up our cross?

The Jews knew what the cross meant because they had witnessed many of their fellow Jews crucified by the Romans. The Romans made those who were to be crucified to carry their own cross to the place of execution.
The cross meant absolute death!
And that was what our Lord Jesus went through, he was made to carry his own cross to the execution place and die hanging on it.

Jesus’ cross was God’s will for him, so that through the death and resurrection, everyone may gain eternal life. Our cross is different; our cross means God’s will for our life. We are called to find out what God wants and take up our cross and then to follow Jesus. As Christians, we must do the will of God. Follow what Jesus did, he did the will of God and through obeying, God fulfilled His purpose.

When Jesus took up his cross, death was waiting for him. So when we take up our cross, death is waiting for us too. Jesus died and he rose again. Our death is a spiritual act of dying to self. That is why in the verse Jesus mentioned that we are to deny ourselves. We must deny the desires we have and choose the desires of God. To deny ourselves and die to self is to die to our sinful desires and putting aside all of our personal and selfish ambitions for the sake of God’s will and role for our lives.
Jesus denied his own desires and he took up God’s will and followed God. And Jesus gave the same instructions God gave to him: to deny ourselves, to take up our cross and to follow him.

The cross of Jesus meant pain, suffering and humility but it has an eternal purpose, it has a purpose that surpasses all human understanding and foreknowledge. Our cross, which is God’s will for us, will bring pain and suffering nonetheless. But know in your heart that your cross has an eternal purpose. Your cross has a Godly purpose which only God will reveal to you. Therefore, seek God’s will for your life and once you have found it, deny yourselves, take up your cross and follow Jesus.

Matthew 4:19
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”

Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.

Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus said to his disciples,
“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Matthew 28:19-20
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

I am taking up my cross, laying down my life,
Zlwin Chew.

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