Embracing the Cross: The True Cost of Discipleship

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As Jesus rode into Jerusalem on what we now celebrate as Palm Sunday, the crowd cheered, they waved palm branches, and shouted, "Hosana blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." These people wanted a king, one who would overthrow Rome and establish an earthly kingdom, but Jesus, he didn't come to wear a crown of gold but a crown of thorns. He came not riding a waror but a lowly donkey in humility and peace. Jesus, he came to bear a cross, not to sit on a throne, at least not yet. [00:00:30]

Jesus set the standard of what bearing your cross means. His crucifixion was not a tragic accident; it was foretold before the foundation of the very world. Jesus, the lamb of God, chose the cross. He and the Father had a divine plan, and every step of the process worked out in perfect unity. As John chapter 10, 17 and 18 tells us, "Therefore my father loves me because I lay down my life that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have the power to lay it down and I have the power to take it again." [00:02:19]

When we decide to be his disciples, we are making a covenant with God to carry our own cross. See, Jesus calls us not to admire the cross but to carry our own. Luke 14:25-27: "Now great multitudes went with him, and he turned and said to them, 'If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.'" [00:03:11]

Salvation is open to all who come by faith, while discipleship is for the believer who is willing to pay the price. Salvation means coming to the cross and trusting in Jesus Christ, while discipleship means carrying your cross and following Jesus. And Jesus, he cautioned us not to take discipleship too lightly, for to begin with, we must love Christ supremely, even more than we love others or our own flesh and blood. Church, our love for Jesus must be so strong that all other love in comparison seems like hatred. [00:05:23]

What does it mean to carry your cross? Well, it means daily identification with Christ in shame, suffering, and surrendering to God's will. It means death to self, death to our plans and our ambitions, and a willingness to serve as God directs. Amen. Amen. Some of y'all are awfully quiet this morning. When God says, "Who will go for us?" We must be willing to stand up and say, "Here I am, Lord, send me." We all must be willing to say that. [00:06:44]

If we tell Jesus we want to take up our cross and follow him, he wants us to know exactly what we're getting ourselves into. So what does it mean to be a disciple of Christ? It does not simply mean one who is saved, but it means one who is disciplined. And to discipline means to bring under control. Therefore, a disciple of Christ is one who has brought under the control of Christ Jesus. Amen. Amen. A disciple is one who has surrendered their life to the lordship of Jesus Christ. [00:07:41]

The scripture reveals that following Christ is a costly crisis. So as our earthly desires are concerned, many people have weighed earthly pleasures against the requirements set down by Christ for his disciples, and many have considered that price foolishly, and they decided that following Jesus was too costly. We should all know the story of the rich young ruler, this man who came to Jesus desiring to do one good thing that he might earn eternal life. [00:08:37]

Jesus wants 100% of our lives, and he is not satisfied with anything less. Too many times today, it's not the big things which keep us from following Christ; it's the small things. And the battle for a soul is often fought over selfishness, and the scripture reveals to us that selfish ambitions have no place in our lives if we're going to follow Jesus. Amen. So how much are you willing to give up for Christ? Are you ready and willing to make personal sacrifice? [00:27:02]

Jesus bore the cross of Calvary for all of mankind, and he calls all of us who claim to follow him to bear his cross. And again, Jesus is our greatest example in Hebrews 12, verse 1 and 2: "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." [00:29:21]

When Jesus was here on earth, he lived by faith. He put his trust in his heavenly Father as he lived day by day. And just the fact that we know that Jesus prayed, it shows that he was living by faith. Therefore, he is the perfect example for us to follow. He endured the cross, which involves shame and suffering, as well as being made sin for us. On the cross, he suffered for the sins of the world. [00:30:14]

Have you ever thought about that? For every man, woman, and child ever born, every sin that they have ever committed, every sin that is yet to be committed, Jesus paid that price. And while he did, he had the horrible experience of becoming temporarily rejected and forsaken by his Father in heaven. Yet he endured and finished the work that the Father had given to him. Amen. Power of God's Holy Spirit. [00:31:44]

Are you willing to count the cost and make the commitment? Church, don't be like those who wave palm branches but disappeared by Friday. Don't be like those who followed for miracles but left when the message got too hard. Be like the ones who took up their cross and followed Jesus all the way. Let us today lay down every excuse, every idol, every distraction, and say, "Here I am, Lord, I will follow you no matter the cost." [00:32:56]

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