“And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23 ESV.
Reflection: what does “deny yourself” mean to you?
We are in the beginning of a major course correction as a country. It is painful, having to address so many things that have completely gotten out of hand, such as morals, ethics, law and order, as well as spending. And as we move forward, it almost feels like having to deal with a teenager who needs a course correction, for their own benefit, and is grounded. Their reaction might be screaming and slamming doors. But a loving parent would still do it, put up with all the fits, because they know it is necessary. But,
it is still painful, for child and parent.
So we are probably in for a difficult period of time as a country, and the world, as we course correct. But, in the end, it will be all worth it. Just like the “tough love” needed at times with an unruly child.
We are introduced today to the requirements for following Jesus; for being a disciple of Jesus. Most Christians can quote this verse by heart. But, let’s slow down a bit to understand what Jesus is saying here. It clearly is important, as all Christians want to follow Jesus, right? The starting point of discipleship is,
To “deny” oneself
Why is this the starting point? Let’s take a practical, current example. You cannot reduce crime unless you deal with the criminals and enforce the law. It is not easy, but it is necessary. And in a similar way, denying self is necessary for a transformation to take place. How can we be a disciple, a follower of Christ if we are “full of ourselves”? To “deny one self” here means “to disregard his own interests or to act entirely unlike himself.” The second thing Jesus requires is to
“take up his cross daily”
Well, what in the world is “my cross”? The reference to a cross here interesting, from several perspectives. Remember, this was long before Jesus was crucified. But, in the verse prior to our focus verse today, Jesus says “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” Luke 9:22 ESV. In other words, the cross is in reference to suffering.
Now we all know that we fight our own weaknesses, each having their own battles. But a way to think of our own cross, is what we have nailed there to it. Our old self. Nailed to the cross, with Christ. We died with Christ on that cross, to be raised again with Him to new life. We choose therefore not to be identified as the old, dead self, but the new in Christ.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV. Notice that this is not future tense.
Peter wrote about this transformation of old to new “For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” 2 Peter 2:20-22 ESV