“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
The Few
Jesus names the actual cost of genuine following here directly, deny himself, take up his cross daily, worth holding as necessary honesty for whatever discipleship you are offering others. Genuine following was never presented as costless, and neither should your own invitation to others actually be.
Notice daily, ongoing, repeated action, not a single, dramatic moment of self-denial once accomplished, but continued, daily practice, worth examining against however much your own discipling of others has emphasized initial decision while underemphasizing this ongoing, daily requirement Jesus names directly.
This is worth applying honestly to your own following as well, not merely instruction offered to others while your own following has grown comfortable, costless, no longer genuinely involving this daily denial and cross-bearing, but settled into something considerably easier than what you are asking of anyone else.
Consider today both directions of this verse, your own daily following, honestly examined, and whatever you are actually communicating to others about the genuine, ongoing cost following requires, not merely initial decision, but this daily, repeated denial and cross-bearing this verse names directly.
Pour Into the Few
- Examine honestly whether your own following has grown comfortable, missing this daily cost.
- Take up your own cross today, specifically, some concrete act of genuine self-denial.
- Communicate honestly to whoever you disciple that following involves this same, ongoing daily cost.
Prayer
Lord, let me deny myself and take up my cross daily, not merely once, and let me honestly communicate this same cost to whoever I am inviting to follow you alongside me. Amen.
Carry this today
Genuine following requires daily denial, not merely a single, initial decision.