“Deny yourself...”
How far are willing to go, how committed are you willing to be, how serious are you about becoming a disciple of Jesus. Here in Matthew 16, we find one of the most important conversations that Jesus has with the disciples.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
Matthew 16:24
To help us understand the fullness of this verse, here is a look at the dual meaning of each part;
1) Deny themselves
Understand the Word = we must deny our selfish desires
Define the Word = means to remove/take off from the space thereof of the person (backwards self or reversal of what’s natural)
Ex: Jesus removed Himself of King to serve as a man.
2) Take up their cross
Understand the Word = ‘endure burdens’; we are to suffer just as Jesus did through persecution and rejection
Define the Word = means to lift up (like a sail in the wind) by taking a stand/position
Ex: We are to “make known” our claim as a disciple.
3) Follow me
Understand the Word = ‘follow His commands’; we are to live according to His will and purpose
Define the Word = means to be the first beside / at the same time
Ex: We are to walk side-by-side with Jesus.
Being a committed follower of Jesus is not easy, it takes a lot of dedication, a lot of sacrifice but the reward of spending eternity with Him is worth it all.
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