27th Mar 26 | 16:08
Studies by Book
Luke 18 18-30 FOLLOWING JESUS TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE 09 Carrying our cross
📖 Luke 18:18-30
06Oct2020 - *Carrying our cross* - _Luke 18:18-30_ - FOLLOWING JESUS TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE 9 – Bible reading: _Matthew 16:24-26_
God is welcoming us to follow Him, to have eternal life. _Mark 10:21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."_
We have been considering the different turn around expressions that are necessary to follow Jesus. We must be clear, upfront, that this is what it means to follow Jesus. Since many have not understood this, or have not taken these turn around expressions seriously, their journey as a Christian is stormy. They are wondering why it is that they seem to be going from one crisis to the next. They are wondering why their struggles in life don’t seem to be coming to an end but remain prolonged.
Is this where you are today?
Friend, I encourage you to lay down your life at the feet of Jesus, even this very moment, and say, “Lord Jesus, I am totally yours and yours alone”.
The third turnaround that must happen to us, that we considered yesterday, is that our life must now have an eternity focus and no more to live for the temporal.
The fourth turnaround expression that is necessary to follow Jesus is to take up the cross. For the Rich Young Ruler, this turnaround expression that Jesus placed before him, to follow Jesus and have eternal life, was loathsome and disgusting. How could Jesus ever ask him to carry the cross?
The cross was a Roman form of punishment to the most evil and contemptuous person. The cross was assigned for the person, who was wicked and deserved a gross form of punishment. To a Jewish leader, such as the Rich Young Ruler, who was an epitome of goodness and respectability in society and also sincere in his love for God, the cross was unthinkable.
Yet, Jesus required him to carry the cross and follow Him, to have eternal life.
Are you and I ready to carry the cross, to follow Jesus? To carry the cross requires us to burn our bridges behind us. This matter of following Jesus has this significance. If we have not understood this right in the very beginning of our walk with Jesus, then our lives will remain a blur and a confusion.
There will be persecution and suffering that the world will mete out to us when we choose to follow Jesus. _II Timothy 3:12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution._
Though there will be suffering now, in following Jesus, the glory that is to be revealed is incomparable. _Romans 8:17-18 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. (18) For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us._
The Lord made it clear to us that this suffering is to be expected and not something to be surprised about. _Matthew 5:10-12 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (11) "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. (12) Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you._
The cross also represents the purpose for which Christ came on the earth. _Matthew 16:21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day._
The Lord invites us to fulfil our God-given purpose, here on earth, which is also what it means to carry our cross.
_Matthew 16:24-26 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. (25) For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. (26) For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?_
*Thought to ponder*
```The cross before me the world behind me. No turning back…no turning back.```