17 March 2024

FOLLOWING CHRIST IN DISCIPLESHIP -2

(Going Forward in Christ: GFIC 11)

Jesus had a big crowd following wherever He went. But He was not interested in the numbers game of having a large following. Mark records an incident: “When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, ‘Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Mk 8:34 -NKJV). What Jesus said was to deter people from following Him without considering the cost. He was not looking for adherents – people who follow the crowd and not knowing why. He was not looking for nominal believers and followers; He was looking for disciples.

A disciple is a committed follower who will be faithful to the end. Jesus said, “He who endures to the end will be saved” (Mtt.24:35). What Jesus said to the crowd above are His conditions for discipleship. Three requirements are clearly stated: “deny self, take u the cross and follow Him”. Let us look at them and check our own faith and commitment to Him.

1. “Let him deny himself”:
To “deny” oneself is to “give up all rights” to Christ. That is total surrender by yielding our life, will and desires to Him. It is the same as the Lord Himself Who struggled with this in the Garden. Finally, He yielded to the Father saying: “Nevertheless, not My will but Thine be done”. Jesus set us the example of what total surrender is when He obeyed the Father’s will by surrendering Himself to be the Atoning Sacrifice for our sin as “The Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

2. “Take up his Cross”:
In the old days, criminals who were sentenced to death had to carry their own cross to the place of execution. It was a shameful and painful journey from the jail to the destination. Jesus did that: He was spit upon, jeered and cursed upon by the crowd lining along the Via Dolorosa on the way to Calvary. Taking up the Cross means the willingness to face shame, rejection, hardship and suffering in following Jesus. It also means being willing to die for Jesus. Thousands upon thousands of committed believers in the past and today have suffered persecution, imprisonment and even martyrdom for Jesus. They proved their worth as true disciples of Christ. Are you willing as well? Many Christians today live for themselves and not for Christ. Are you one of them?

3. “Follow Me”:
This word “follow” has three implications. It means to acknowledge Christ as Lord, follow His Example and give Him total allegiance by obeying all His commandments. In the Great Commission Jesus commanded us to “makes disciples, baptising them and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matt 28:19). Obedience is proof of His Lordship in our life and total allegiance to Him. Can you say “Yes, Lord” to Him? 

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