Luke 9:23, 14:27
Then he said to them all; “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
“And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”
These words from Jesus remind us that we are not the master of our own universe when we choose to follow Jesus. But we are still responsible for our own “stuff.” I am not sure how to understand this, exactly. We are invited to hand over our cares and our worries to God over and over in scripture. What does it mean, then, to “take up your cross”? Maybe these words from Jesus are to tell us we are not to give up all responsibility when we follow Him. We still have to do the right thing and face consequences. But in following Jesus we have the best teacher.
Holy Lord, your word today makes me think and wonder. How I would have loved to be one of your disciples, like Mary, who heard your words and lived in your presence. May I live in your presence every day, with your Holy Spirit. Amen
Becky, transforming
Discipleship
August 3rd, 2022
Luke 9:23
Than he said to them all if anyone would come after me,he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me
Luke 14:27
And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple
As Jesus carried his cross, to be crucified it meant only one thing, death by the most painful way any human could possibly imagine. Today we understand that, that same cross represents a cherished reminder of forgiveness, grace and love because today we understand that Jesus took on the burdens of all the people of the world. Following Jesus is easy when life runs smoothly but what happens when the easy turns …
Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
Luke 14:27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Jesus tells me to take up my cross in order to be a disciple. I think of the cross as a symbol of what Jesus did for me, so He wants me to sacrifice whatever is necessary, to show my devotion to Him. I’m not sure I’m up for that kind of sacrifice, but I’ll do what I can.
Dear Lord, I tend to read your words literally and not as you may have meant them. I hope…
Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
Luke 14:27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Discipleship means putting God first. I will work towards being a disciple of Christ in everything I do in my life. Discipleship to me means putting Jesus first in everything I do. As a mere human, I want to do this, but I do let daily living get in my way sometimes. I will always say no to temptation and the things of the world that pull me away and follow Him through all the challenges, suffering and…