Take Up Your Cross Mark 8:34-38

Take Up Your Cross In Mark 8:34-38 Jesus gives us a very plain admonition. This is not an admonition on salvation or the forgiveness of sins, of repentance or confession, but if you look closely at this it is all of these and more.

Take Up Your Cross Salvation: Jesus tells us that the soul of a man is at stake. Vss. 36-37 – What can we exchange for our soul? Luke 12:16-21 – the rich man was a fool because his soul was what is required Matt. 10:28 – we should fear Him who holds the fate of our soul Luke 10:41-42 – Jesus commends Mary because she chose the good things

Take Up Your Cross Forgiveness of sins: Vs. 38 – Jesus speaks of a sinful and adulterous generation If we desire life we must be separate from this generation. 2 Cor. 6:17-7:1 – we must be separate from this generation and cleanse ourselves from the filth of the flesh Acts 22:16 – we can wash away our sins

Take Up Your Cross Repentance: We must recognize the difference between this world and the life offered us from God. Vs. 38 – this is a sinful and adulterous world Vs. 34 – we must have a desire for spiritual life and repent from the world and take up the cross of Christ To follow Christ is to repent of the worldliness we are involved in and carry the burden of Christ. 1 John 5:3 – this is no great burden because what God has planned for us is greater than the pleasures of this world

Take Up Your Cross Confession: Vs. 38 – we must confess Jesus and not be ashamed of Him Rom. 1:16 – Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ because it is God’s power of salvation 2 Tim. 4:10 – when we choose this world we do not confess Christ and we can give up that confession

Take Up Your Cross Finally we must continue to carry the cross. Vs. 34 – Jesus said take up your cross and follow This is a continual thing. When do we stop following? When do we say I’ve followed long enough? 1 Cor. 15:58 – be steadfast immovable always abounding, always following

Take Up Your Cross Nowhere in the New Testament can we find the idea of a following as a one time or temporary thing. So as you read Mark 8:34-38, where do you put yourself? Do you place value in this life? Do you deny Jesus name or His word? Have you put down your cross?