“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”
(Mark 8:34-37)
Salvation is a free gift of God received by faith and delivered to us by His grace alone. (see Ephesians 2:4-9) The cross where Christ bled, and suffered, and died for us is the Father’s forever-declaration that He loves us unconditionally. It costs us nothing.
However, discipleship - to follow Jesus’ way - is costly. (see Luke 14:25-35) We each have a painful cross to take up as well. Bearing our cross is the main way we declare to our Heavenly Father, “I love You back unconditionally.” (see John 14:15)
I ran across a profound statement on social media last weekend:
“Jesus fed over 5000 with bread and fish but only 500 followed Him after that meal.
Jesus had 12 disciples but only 3 went with Him further up the mountain and deeper into the garden.
And only 1 stood with Him at the cross.
The closer you get to the cross, the smaller the crowd becomes.”
The many who initially engaged with Jesus’ ministry responded to the invitation, “Come and see.” Fewer would continue under His leadership as He challenged, “Hear and practice.” Fewer still would remain faithful to His command: “Go and die.” What was true then, holds true today.
The hard truth is that Jesus bled, the apostles bled, the early church bled, and many persecuted believers today bleed for their allegiance to the Father. As the climate of our culture becomes increasingly hostile to obediently following the Christ of the Scriptures, we too may be required to bleed for our devotion.
I do not believe we have reached that point yet. But the foolish path American masses are choosing to collectively walk has put that dark milestone on our horizon. (see Matthew 7:13-14, Galatians 6:7-8) If this is true, we should prepare ourselves.
Do we settle in comfort and conformity within the crowds of the carnal hoping to avoid any complications Christlikeness would bring? Or, by the grace of God, will we stand with our Savior in personal sacrifice and our ongoing sanctification embracing the struggles that will result knowing that great is the reward for all those that overcome? (see John 16:33, Revelation 21:7)
“There are no crown-wearers in heaven who were not cross-bearers here below.”
-Charles H. Spurgeon-
… Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
(1 Peter 2:21)
