Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Matthew 16:24 KJV
Listen to the Words of Jesus: Then said Jesus unto His disciples, if any man will .in here the word will simply means, desire to. So if any man will or desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. Jesus did not say My cross or A cross, but his cross.
Your cross and my cross may be different but we all have one. And this is what is important. Look what Jesus said in Luke 14:27: And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. WOW! Kinda blunt, eh? But those are the Words of Jesus.
So it is not an optional thing; It is required by Jesus Himself. Being a Christian is far more than belonging to a particular Church or denomination, or subscribing to a particular set of Doctrinal beliefs, or a particular code of conduct, or submitting to particular religious rites, ordinances, or ceremonies.
No, the Christian life is the experience of fellowship with Jesus. It is even more. It is the experience of Jesus. To the same extent that you live your life in communion with Jesus, to that extent and only to that extent are you living the Christian life.
The Christian life is about following Jesus and nothing else at all. Jesus said If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
There is a class of people mentioned in Revelation of whom it is said: These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. Isnt that what people should say about us? When we walk down the street wouldnt it be nice for people to point at us and say: Oh there goes one that follows Jesus wherever he leads?
But there is also another class of people. The class we do not want to belong to. The class that is much larger. The ones who follow Jesus spasmodically, half heartedly, and sometimes like Peter who once followed distantly. So much of the world, and so much of the flesh, and so much of self in there lives there is so liitle room left for Jesus.
Jesus, help us to follow You, in a total and committed way; not half hearted. Help us to follow in close communion and to experience the Christian life, not the religious life.
Listen to the Words of Jesus: Then said Jesus unto His disciples, if any man will .in here the word will simply means, desire to. So if any man will or desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. Jesus did not say My cross or A cross, but his cross.
Your cross and my cross may be different but we all have one. And this is what is important. Look what Jesus said in Luke 14:27: And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. WOW! Kinda blunt, eh? But those are the Words of Jesus.
So it is not an optional thing; It is required by Jesus Himself. Being a Christian is far more than belonging to a particular Church or denomination, or subscribing to a particular set of Doctrinal beliefs, or a particular code of conduct, or submitting to particular religious rites, ordinances, or ceremonies.
No, the Christian life is the experience of fellowship with Jesus. It is even more. It is the experience of Jesus. To the same extent that you live your life in communion with Jesus, to that extent and only to that extent are you living the Christian life.
The Christian life is about following Jesus and nothing else at all. Jesus said If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
There is a class of people mentioned in Revelation of whom it is said: These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. Isnt that what people should say about us? When we walk down the street wouldnt it be nice for people to point at us and say: Oh there goes one that follows Jesus wherever he leads?
But there is also another class of people. The class we do not want to belong to. The class that is much larger. The ones who follow Jesus spasmodically, half heartedly, and sometimes like Peter who once followed distantly. So much of the world, and so much of the flesh, and so much of self in there lives there is so liitle room left for Jesus.
Jesus, help us to follow You, in a total and committed way; not half hearted. Help us to follow in close communion and to experience the Christian life, not the religious life.
