take up your cross

An out-of-towner drove his car into a ditch in a desolated area. Luckily, a local farmer came to help with his big strong horse named Buddy.
He hitched Buddy up to the car and yelled, "Pull, Nellie, pull!" Buddy didn’t move.
Then the farmer hollered, "Pull, Buster, pull!" Buddy didn’t respond.
Once more the farmer commanded, "Pull, Coco, pull!" Nothing.
Then the farmer nonchalantly said, "Pull, Buddy, pull!" And the horse easily dragged the car out of the ditch.
The motorist was most appreciative and very curious. He asked the farmer, “Why did you call your horse by the wrong name three times.
"Well mister... My horse Buddy is blind and if he thought he was the only one pulling out the car, he wouldn’t even try!"
There may be some here today that think you are going about this life all alone.
We may seem so confused or even feel like giving up because life is so hard and it seems that faith in Christ is so hard.
We tend to make the Christian message very difficult. We started a series of sermons here at the first of the year on being Disciples of Christ.
The First week we talked about how Costly Grace really is to God – it cost His Son, It cost a death on the cross to open a path of discipleship for us today.
Last week we talked about human barriers to discipleship and ways we get in the way of God’s work in our lives.
Today, I want to focus in on Jesus call to True Discipleship.
When Jesus calls us to Discipleship what will it look like?
Last week I introduced you to the idea that many folks believe in Christ as their Savior but not as their Lord, somehow and unbiblically so, Christ as Savior has been separated as Christ as Lord.
But this problem is not new. Even back in the 1400’s Christians had this same problem.
The German spiritual writer Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471) said this: "Jesus now has many lovers of his heavenly kingdom, but few bearers of his cross."
Many wanted to have the benefits of the Kingdom of Jesus but without following Jesus - To this I would say people have missed the point.
Our life in Christ begins now and is not something that we should only be looking forward to in the Heavenly dimension.
Some have relegated Christianity to a forward looking and only a heavenward experience when the Bible clearly teaches that our life in Christ begins now.
Jesus has become a concept or thought instead of a reality. The reality of a living Jesus who is ascended into Heaven and seated at the right hand of the Father in victory is lost on many people.
I don’t agree with everything Karl Barth said but he had a great quote about how we have made Jesus a concept.
The Word became flesh--and then through theologians it became words again.
Jesus was a reality – God in flesh – God among us but we have reduced Jesus to just mere words.
If we are asked what does it mean to be a Christian? – we would respond that a Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ.
Is that the answer that Jesus himself would give?
I mean, how do you define “to follow”?
“To follow” seems like a fairly wide open response. Does it mean I follow the teaching of Jesus?
Or that I give my life over to Jesus? Does it mean I go to church and learn about Jesus?
Or perhaps, does it mean I just really, really like Jesus?
Today Jesus answers that question for us, “What does it mean to be a Christian”?
Today’s reading from Mark 8 gets to that very question – What does it mean to be a Christian?? Today we will see a confession of faith and then Jesus will give an answer to what it means when you give that confession.
Today’s passage occurs in Caesarea Philippi and it is important to know about this location. This is a very pagan place and would have a large population of Roman sympathizers.
This city is named for Caesar Augustus and Herod Philip. This would be a place where one would find a strong Roman presence and ethos.

Mark 8: 27-38
27Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi ; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, "Who do people say that I am ?"28They told Him, saying, "John the Baptist ; and others say Elijah ; but others, one of the prophets." 29 And He continued by questioning them, "But who do you say that I am ?" Peter answered and said to Him, "You are the Christ." 30 And He warned them to tell no one about Him. 31And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind Me, Satan ; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's."34 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.35"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.36"For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul ?37"For what will a man give in exchange for his soul ?38"For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."
We see that it is here in Caesarea Philippi that Jesus decides to reveal who He really is.
It is here that Jesus contrast human reality with spiritual reality by asking the defining question:
Who do you say that I am?
This is the defining moment in this book.
Everything is different from here on in.
Just like NOW people then were confused about WHO Jesus really Is.
They try to place Jesus in a category, but he doesn’t fit into already established categories, so they speculate.
Just like in our time we try to put Jesus into categories that make us comfortable.
The most recent person they saw with similar kind of godly power was John the Baptist. So they speculate Jesus is now John the Baptist.
Which of course makes no sense.
But, understand, there is no biblical or theological basis for this type of thinking, this is just what people are thinking.
This idea that John the Baptist is now Jesus, is more in the realm of folklore than anything else.
The people also claim that Jesus is Elijah.
The prophet Elijah was the most powerful of all the prophets in the OT.
He was known for his powerful speaking and for his miracles. Jesus is known for his powerful speaking and for his miracles, so “perhaps” people speculated,
“Jesus is Elijah”.
Now, we see that John the Baptist ministry was in the spirit of Elijah.
This does not mean that the spirit of Elijah inhabited John’s body, no “the spirit” means not a person’s spirit, but in the spirit of, like - she sure has great school spirit.
It is more along the lines of spunk and is not insinuating possession by a spirit or even reincarnation.
They also think Jesus might be one of the other prophets.
The point is that they aren’t sure who Jesus is, but they know that he is a powerful man of God and so they place him in a category with all those they can think of who were powerful men of God.
All that said, no one publicly is saying that Jesus is the Messiah.
They think he is powerful, godly…and beyond that, they just don’t know.
They are doing is assigning Jesus a preparatory role as was the role of the prophets, when his role is the definitive role.
Then is verse 29 Jesus directly asks the disciples,
“Who do you say I am?” How the question is structured in verse 29, brings out this meaning:
You whom I have chosen and trained, who do you think I am in contrast with other people.
The disciples have been extended a special grace.
Peter, and no one else, is able to express what they have all been hoping for, “You are the Christ.’” Peter is calling Jesus the Messiah.
The basic meaning of messiah is a passive one “the one anointed by God” it implies election and appointment to a particular task and a special endowment of power to accomplish that task.
Peter’s expression of faith recognizes the divine promise and realization of Israel’s hopes – but Peter is ignorant of the deeper meanings.
It was a profound expression of faith that he spoke, but as we see in the following verses, it was also a misunderstanding of faith.
Peter’s words were correct, but the concept was wrong.
With this in mind, Jesus then defines what it means to be messiah in verse 31:
He must suffer, be rejected, be killed and then rise again.
The concept of identity of Jesus is linked to the reality of His Rejection and His Crucifixion and Resurrection.
Linked together with Messiahship is rejection, crucifixion, and resurrection.
This must be they way it is! Peter outright rejects Jesus’ definition.
When Peter claimed that Jesus was the Messiah it meant one thing to him and it certainly didn’t mean he would suffer and die.
The Hebrews thought of the golden age of Israel when David was king.
It was in the popular imagination that they would one day regain this situation.
Let’s be clear that this was not the only view of what the Messiah would be like and what the messiah would do for the people of Israel, but it certainly was the popular conception of what the Messiah would bring.
Within this popular concept, which probably, to some extent Peter has bought into, there certainly was no understanding that the Messiah would be murdered – I mean in their mind they would conclude,
“What would be the point of the Messiah rising in power only to die and have things fall apart?”
That would make no sense. In a way it could be like a presidential candidate going through all the difficulty of campaigning to get elected, to only then die right as he arrived in office.
How effective would that be? You give up your power right as you gain it?
Jesus rejects Peter’s rejection of his definition of what it means to be the Messiah saying, “Get behind me Satan.”
Get behind me – essentially means get out of my sight.
It is thought to be said in the military sense, return to your rank - be a true follower of mine and not one who speaks for Satan.
Then Jesus defines what is required to be identified with him.
He calls everyone together showing that what he is about to say is meant for us all and not just his disciples.
Jesus then speaks about the cross.
The cross shows the “how” to be my follower, or what it means to be a Christian.
Jesus says in verse 34, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me”. In saying this, Jesus shows us what it means to be followers of Christ.
What does it mean to bear one’s cross?
Well, it doesn’t mean to suffer a personal issue.
“I guess this chronic issue of diabetes in my life is my cross to bear” or “Having my mother-in law visit for over a month is my cross to bear”.
Having your mother-in-law stay for a month might be a difficult situation, or having an illness might be a horrible thing – but it is not what Jesus is talking about here.
To apply what Jesus said to either of those situations is completely wrong.
This is not at all what Jesus had in mind. To take up your cross does not mean to take up and carry your burdens.
Think of it this way: Jesus is telling us what it means to be a follower of his, putting up with my mother-in-law for a month is not the definition of being a follower of Christ.
It might be saintly in some respects, but it is not what Jesus is getting at.
See Jesus is not talking about doing the best I can in spite of the situation or circumstances that surround me.
And though it is our cross, it is not about us, it is about Jesus. It is about sacrificial obedience TO Jesus Christ.
It is not about me, it is about Jesus. When Jesus tells us to deny ourselves, he does not mean to deny things.
The denial Jesus is speaking of here means that I submit everything to His control.
2 Timothy 2: 11-13
11It is a trustworthy statement : For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; 12If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; 13If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.
In the Roman world, when one carried their own cross, it meant that they had succumbed to the power of Rome – they had submitted themselves to Caesar’s lordship unto death.
Jesus uses this illustration to show what discipleship is. We are to submit to the power and lordship of Jesus period – come what may – good times and bad.
We submit to Jesus Christ. This is what it means to follow Jesus Christ.
Notice Jesus is not saying that by following him your life will become easy. No, what is he saying? Just the opposite.
This is why he emphasizes gaining the whole world and losing your life.
Those who tell us that all of our health issues, and financial troubles will fade away when we follow Jesus are just plain ignorant.
If they claim this is what has happened in their life and it can happen to you too – then clearly they are living out another gospel.
I don’t know about you, but it literally frightens me to think we could so easily follow another gospel and gain the whole world (which means everything I always wanted) and yet lose it all.
Jesus calls not for only his suffering but ours also.
It is a complete call and identification with Christ.
In fact, carrying the cross is an indication that one is prepared to die.
A person is only willing to die for something that is the most important to them.
Rom. 8:17 says, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”
To forfeit one’s soul, verse 36 – implies that fault of the one experiencing the loss, a sense that one has trifled away their life doing ridiculous things.
In other words, what we think of as normal life accomplishments….are a great danger.
For we may think we are accomplishing great things as we gain, gain, gain, but in the end we lose it all.
Not a commitment to the message of Christianity, or the concept of Christianity, or even the morals of Christianity, but it is a call of commitment to the person of Jesus.
What does a follower of Jesus look like: One who has total submission to Jesus.

APPLICATION:
We clearly see that to try to separate the confession of Who Christ is – the Messiah – the Son of God must be connected to His call to Suffer and Die is Satanic.
Satan’s plot would be to try to get Christians today, just like Peter did to try to separate the two – Christ’s identity and His suffering.
One reason people don’t want to think about the suffering Christ is because it reminds us that He can call us to suffer too.
A servant is no greater than His master – and because of this we are called to walk as He did – rejected by the world, but embraced by God.
Because of Jesus suffering, because of His separation we will never be separated from the Love of God.
Jesus bore our sins and suffered the separation that we deserved and now has opened up a way to true life.
Jesus has opened up a new humanity – a new way in which we were originally called to be.
Two paths – The first Adam was a coward – he was disobedient, he didn’t protect his bride, he didn’t obey God
Now Jesus is the New Adam – the new man – the obedient man and He has unlocked the way to true humanity.
We have to choose today what path we want to take.
You can take the path of the heavy, heavy burden of your own ambition.
The heavy burden of trying to live up the world’s expectations – the best house, the best car, the best clothes.
Do you get tired of that – do you ever get tired of being what everyone wants you to be and bearing that heavy burden?
There was an article Written called, How to be Miserable
I want to read this to you and let you consider this way of living versus what Jesus has to offer.
It says, "Think about yourself. Talk about yourself.
Use "I" as often as possible. Mirror yourself continually in the opinion of others.
Listen greedily to what people say about you. Expect to be appreciated. Be suspicious. Be jealous and envious. Be sensitive to slights. Never forgive a criticism. Trust nobody but yourself. Insist on consideration and respect. Demand agreement with your own views on everything. Sulk if people are not grateful to you for favors shown them. Never forget a service you have rendered. Shirk your duties if you can. Do as little as possible for others."
This is the way of Adam the way of sin the way of the world.
But the Gospel calls us to something different – the Gospel calls us to die to our self.
It is on longer I but Christ who lives in me.
What we have lost in our Gospel preaching is that when we confess Who Christ is – it now behoves us to take our cross and follow Him.
He can make that claim on our life because of Who He is. He is our God and the only way to reach true happiness, contentment, and salvation is to walk in this way. The Way of the cross.
Charles Spurgeon once correctly stated:
There are no crown-wearers in heaven who were not cross- bearers here below.
Today we must choose – there is only one way to the Father – there is only one way to be a disciple and that is taking up your cross and to follow Jesus.
Today I want to close you with these thoughts.
1) Who are you living for? Are you living for Christ or are you burdened by your own care?
2) Do you want true peace for you and your family?
3) Do you see every part of your life through the lens of the cross and Jesus?
4) Are their parts of your life that you keep hidden from God? Are their parts that you have not surrendered to Christ? Are their secret parts of rebellion to God that you still are not in submission?

Today our challenge is to take up the cross of Christ and follow Him.