Take up your Cross

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mystic7

Senior Member
Jul 27, 2013
289
64
28
#1
Matthew 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me
I know Jesus took up His cross but what does our cross represents?
Interested in your views
God Bless
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,195
6,508
113
#2
Matthew 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me
I know Jesus took up His cross but what does our cross represents?
Interested in your views
God Bless
This may not be satisfacorty, however for me it means once we come to Jesus c¨hrist in repentence and faith we are to serve our Maker always as best we are given to be able.

God knows our frame and He will not give us anything in serving Him that He will not back up with His support.

I know people who are called healers are not actuallyealers rather they are given the gift.

People who have teh gift of knowledge are not psychic or clairvoyant

but are given the gift and the Holy Spirit tells them things they could not have known.

Those who teach are gifted with the curriculum from god, they do not devise it themselves and so on down the line of service to our blessed Savior..........
 

Gabriel2020

Senior Member
May 6, 2017
1,099
41
48
#3
This may not be satisfacorty, however for me it means once we come to Jesus c¨hrist in repentence and faith we are to serve our Maker always as best we are given to be able.

God knows our frame and He will not give us anything in serving Him that He will not back up with His support.

I know people who are called healers are not actuallyealers rather they are given the gift.

People who have teh gift of knowledge are not psychic or clairvoyant

but are given the gift and the Holy Spirit tells them things they could not have known.

Those who teach are gifted with the curriculum from god, they do not devise it themselves and so on down the line of service to our blessed Savior..........
The cross you bare means that the world hates you as they hated Jesus and persecuted him on the cross for being righteous.
 
Apr 15, 2017
2,867
653
113
#4
Matthew 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me
I know Jesus took up His cross but what does our cross represents?
Interested in your views
God Bless
Jesus' cross was the cross, for that was His purpose on earth to preach salvation, and to provide salvation.

Mary's purpose was to be the mother of the child Christ Jesus.

Paul's purpose was to go preach to the Gentiles and bring them to the knowledge of salvation.

Samson's purpose was being a Nazarene dedicated to God.

Noah's purpose was to build the ark for the saving of him and his family from the flood, and his sons to repopulate the earth.

Moses' purpose, David's purpose, for we all have to have the common purpose of living for God, but to take up our cross means that we do the purpose that God intends for us to do on earth, which can vary from person to person.

We all have to preach the Gospel, and allow the Spirit to lead us and be Christlike, but some might be a teacher, and others an evangelist, and some pastors, and some to this country, and others to that country, and some stay in their area, and so on.

Jas 4:13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
Jas 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
Jas 4:15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

Deny yourself, not our will be done, but God's will be done, and take up your cross, do the purpose that God intends for us to do in our walk with Him.
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,195
6,508
113
#5
Anyone doing the works of God is hated by the slaves of this age.......
 

Deuteronomy

Well-known member
Jun 11, 2018
3,192
3,507
113
67
#6
Here's the correct answer in a nice, short video presentation from the folks at GotQuestions.org. Actually, the video follows the text, so you can choose to watch and/or read.


What did Jesus mean when He said,
“Take up your cross and follow Me"

Question: "What did Jesus mean when He said, “Take up your cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23)?"

Answer: Let’s begin with what Jesus didn’t mean. Many people interpret “cross” as some burden they must carry in their lives: a strained relationship, a thankless job, a physical illness. With self-pitying pride, they say, “That’s my cross I have to carry.” Such an interpretation is not what Jesus meant when He said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.”


When Jesus carried His cross up Golgotha to be crucified, no one was thinking of the cross as symbolic of a burden to carry. To a person in the first-century, the cross meant one thing and one thing only: death by the most painful and humiliating means human beings could develop.

Two thousand years later, Christians view the cross as a cherished symbol of atonement, forgiveness, grace, and love. But in Jesus’ day, the cross represented nothing but torturous death. Because the Romans forced convicted criminals to carry their own crosses to the place of crucifixion, bearing a cross meant carrying their own execution device while facing ridicule along the way to death.

Therefore, “Take up your cross and follow Me” means being willing to die in order to follow Jesus. This is called “dying to self.It’s a call to absolute surrender. After each time Jesus commanded cross bearing, He said, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” (Luke 9:24-25). Although the call is tough, the reward is matchless.

Wherever Jesus went, He drew crowds. Although these multitudes often followed Him as Messiah, their view of who the Messiah really was—and what He would do—was distorted. They thought the Christ would usher in the restored kingdom. They believed He would free them from the oppressive rule of their Roman occupiers. Even Christ’s own inner circle of disciples thought the kingdom was coming soon (Luke 19:11). When Jesus began teaching that He was going to die at the hands of the Jewish leaders and their Gentile overlords (Luke 9:22), His popularity sank. Many of the shocked followers rejected Him. Truly, they were not able to put to death their own ideas, plans, and desires, and exchange them for His.

Following Jesus is easy when life runs smoothly; our true commitment to Him is revealed during trials. Jesus assured us that trials will come to His followers (John 16:33). Discipleship demands sacrifice, and Jesus never hid that cost.

In Luke 9:57-62, three people seemed willing to follow Jesus. When Jesus questioned them further, their commitment was half-hearted at best. They failed to count the cost of following Him. None was willing to take up his cross and crucify upon it his own interests.

Therefore, Jesus appeared to dissuade them. How different from the typical Gospel presentation! How many people would respond to an altar call that went, “Come follow Jesus, and you may face the loss of friends, family, reputation, career, and possibly even your life”? The number of false converts would likely decrease! Such a call is what Jesus meant when He said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.”

If you wonder if you are ready to take up your cross, consider these questions:
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing some of your closest friends?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means alienation from your family?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means the loss of your reputation?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your job?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your life?

In some places of the world, these consequences are reality. But notice the questions are phrased, “Are you willing?” Following Jesus doesn’t necessarily mean all these things will happen to you, but are you willing to take up your cross? If there comes a point in your life where you are faced with a choice—Jesus or the comforts of this life—which will you choose?

Commitment to Christ means taking up your cross daily, giving up your hopes, dreams, possessions, even your very life if need be for the cause of Christ. Only if you willingly take up your cross may you be called His disciple (Luke 14:27). The reward is worth the price. Jesus followed His call of death to self (“Take up your cross and follow Me”) with the gift of life in Christ: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25-26).

~GotQuestions.org
~https://www.gotquestions.org/take-up-your-cross.html

~Deut
 
Feb 7, 2017
1,605
140
63
#7
Matthew 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me
I know Jesus took up His cross but what does our cross represents?
In the Calvary there was three cursed: two ones the people cursed because their badness was harmful to them; The One (Jesus) the people cursed because His goodness exposed their bad works.
We have to make difference in this world (We are not here to watch everything happen as mere spectators of a movie; let alone we are here to suffer the consequences of the sins of others). This, however, implies giving up all our rights and becoming useless to this world:

  • "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." (Gal 6.14).
 

mystic7

Senior Member
Jul 27, 2013
289
64
28
#8
Here's the correct answer in a nice, short video presentation from the folks at GotQuestions.org. Actually, the video follows the text, so you can choose to watch and/or read.


What did Jesus mean when He said,
“Take up your cross and follow Me"

Question: "What did Jesus mean when He said, “Take up your cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23)?"

Answer: Let’s begin with what Jesus didn’t mean. Many people interpret “cross” as some burden they must carry in their lives: a strained relationship, a thankless job, a physical illness. With self-pitying pride, they say, “That’s my cross I have to carry.” Such an interpretation is not what Jesus meant when He said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.”


When Jesus carried His cross up Golgotha to be crucified, no one was thinking of the cross as symbolic of a burden to carry. To a person in the first-century, the cross meant one thing and one thing only: death by the most painful and humiliating means human beings could develop.

Two thousand years later, Christians view the cross as a cherished symbol of atonement, forgiveness, grace, and love. But in Jesus’ day, the cross represented nothing but torturous death. Because the Romans forced convicted criminals to carry their own crosses to the place of crucifixion, bearing a cross meant carrying their own execution device while facing ridicule along the way to death.

Therefore, “Take up your cross and follow Me” means being willing to die in order to follow Jesus. This is called “dying to self.It’s a call to absolute surrender. After each time Jesus commanded cross bearing, He said, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” (Luke 9:24-25). Although the call is tough, the reward is matchless.

Wherever Jesus went, He drew crowds. Although these multitudes often followed Him as Messiah, their view of who the Messiah really was—and what He would do—was distorted. They thought the Christ would usher in the restored kingdom. They believed He would free them from the oppressive rule of their Roman occupiers. Even Christ’s own inner circle of disciples thought the kingdom was coming soon (Luke 19:11). When Jesus began teaching that He was going to die at the hands of the Jewish leaders and their Gentile overlords (Luke 9:22), His popularity sank. Many of the shocked followers rejected Him. Truly, they were not able to put to death their own ideas, plans, and desires, and exchange them for His.

Following Jesus is easy when life runs smoothly; our true commitment to Him is revealed during trials. Jesus assured us that trials will come to His followers (John 16:33). Discipleship demands sacrifice, and Jesus never hid that cost.

In Luke 9:57-62, three people seemed willing to follow Jesus. When Jesus questioned them further, their commitment was half-hearted at best. They failed to count the cost of following Him. None was willing to take up his cross and crucify upon it his own interests.

Therefore, Jesus appeared to dissuade them. How different from the typical Gospel presentation! How many people would respond to an altar call that went, “Come follow Jesus, and you may face the loss of friends, family, reputation, career, and possibly even your life”? The number of false converts would likely decrease! Such a call is what Jesus meant when He said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.”

If you wonder if you are ready to take up your cross, consider these questions:
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing some of your closest friends?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means alienation from your family?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means the loss of your reputation?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your job?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your life?

In some places of the world, these consequences are reality. But notice the questions are phrased, “Are you willing?” Following Jesus doesn’t necessarily mean all these things will happen to you, but are you willing to take up your cross? If there comes a point in your life where you are faced with a choice—Jesus or the comforts of this life—which will you choose?

Commitment to Christ means taking up your cross daily, giving up your hopes, dreams, possessions, even your very life if need be for the cause of Christ. Only if you willingly take up your cross may you be called His disciple (Luke 14:27). The reward is worth the price. Jesus followed His call of death to self (“Take up your cross and follow Me”) with the gift of life in Christ: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25-26).

~GotQuestions.org
~https://www.gotquestions.org/take-up-your-cross.html

~Deut
Thank you brother for this sharing, I viewed the cross as ones flesh as the blood of Christ was washed over his cross. The cross as salvation in terms of self denial of the flesh but your sharing has more depth
God Bless
 

Deuteronomy

Well-known member
Jun 11, 2018
3,192
3,507
113
67
#9
Thank you brother for this sharing, I viewed the cross as ones flesh as the blood of Christ was washed over his cross. The cross as salvation in terms of self denial of the flesh but your sharing has more depth
God Bless
I think they do a wonderful job with apologetics over at GotQuestions.org :) While the information they make available to us is hardly a thorough or exhaustive treatment of the various topics they present, they always include the important basics (and then some), as well as presenting the information to us in a way that can be easily understood and then shared by most Christians .. cf Matthew 5:16.

~Deut