The Way of the Cross: Deny, Take Up, Follow

You may have medals and awards and trophies and all of those things, and you can do all of those things and still lose what matters the very most. Jesus says, whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation echoing the entire Old Testament, Jesus presents a stark contrast. Will we identify with him now or we will shrink back from him because we want what the generation offers, what the world has for us. [01:24:42] (35 seconds)  #FaithOverFame

It's laying down our own wants and desires to follow after Jesus because this is the best thing that we could ever possibly provide for our kids. It's the best possible thing that we could ever provide for our spouses. Is the best possible thing we could ever possibly provide for ourselves. Follow Jesus. When it means a cross, follow Jesus. When it means a crown, follow Jesus. [01:27:19] (24 seconds)  #FollowJesusAlways

You can have that, like, by owning a company. You can have that by running for political office. You can have that by a company of bigwig and whatever it is you do. You can get wealth on your own. You could be the richest person in Douglas County. You could be the richest person in Georgia. You could be the richest person in The United States, the richest person in the world. [01:24:04] (20 seconds)  #WorldlySuccessIsEmpty

But those who surrender themselves to the rule and the reign of Jesus in their lives ultimately gain not only true life, they gain their very souls. You gain the person you are always meant to be. You you gain the person God dreamt you could be. And that principle is all throughout scripture as well. Death precedes resurrection. Surrender precedes glory. [01:22:52] (30 seconds)  #SurrenderPrecedesGlory

But Jesus refuses every single attempt to redefine himself according to human expectation. He's not just a good moral teacher, and this is what he wants Peter to see. This is what he wants us to see. He's not just a political revolutionary. He's not just an inspirational figure. He is the suffering son of man who came to give his life as a ransom for the many. [01:14:49] (25 seconds)  #JesusIsSufferingSavior

We prefer comfort over sacrifice. We prefer glory over suffering. We prefer power over surrender. Why Matthew chapter four? Because what the devil was doing early on was like, you can have the glory without the suffering. And so when Peter comes in again and he says, no. No suffering for my savior. No suffering for my Jesus. This can't be the way. [01:13:15] (25 seconds)  #NoGloryWithoutSuffering

Jesus then asked one of the most penetrating questions all in all of scripture. Was it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? What possible bargain could justify losing your very soul? A person can achieve power on their own. Get a power and influence. [01:23:40] (25 seconds)  #SoulNotForSale

in our lives even when we're walking through the valley of the shadow where the hits just seem to keep on coming. Gosh. I do recognize it's a Mother's Day. Can I tell you the hardest thing that any of you in this room probably have ever done? Probably raise kids if you've raised kids. When do you need Jesus? Every moment of raising kids. [01:26:25] (28 seconds)  #EveryMomentNeedJesus