THE CALL OF THE CROSS
Luke 9:23-26

Introduction:     The fact that Jesus is the Christ of God demands a response. Being a Christian is not a superficial religious act, it is being seriously committed to God. Being a Christian is me following Christ with all of my heart.

I.          A FANTASTIC PARADOX (VV.23-24)
(Illus: The Bible is full of paradoxes - Jesus had to die to be resurrected. He had to have the cross to receive a crown. You have to get lost to be saved. The Bible says that those whom God exalts must first humble themselves). The paradox here is - a sure fire way of losing your life is to hold on to it and treasure it. The way to gain the most out of life is to let it go.

·        To be a receiver I’ve got to be a giver.

·        To be blessed I’ve first got to be a blessing.

* Jesus addresses all there. “If” any will follow – you don’t have to follow the Lord Jesus…you get to!

A.        The Meaning Of Denial

It is not denying things of the flesh (expound). (Illus: Peter’s denial of the Lord – “I know Him not”). To deny myself means the focus of my life is not me. My focus is not what I want, what I like, or what I need, my hopes, my dreams, my way. The focus of my life is to follow Jesus! The true follower of Jesus Christ has nailed their wants, their way, their wills, and their opinions to the Cross. All I want is what He wants, halleluiah!

            B.         The Ministry in Detail

“Take up his cross” = surrendering to the specific call of God. Do not confuse a thorn with a cross. Thorns (afflictions & adversity) you don’t ask for, you just live with. The cross of Christianity (ministry) is a choice! You make a deliberate choice to take up your cross. It’s all about commitment – committed to God’s Church, to the job God gave you, to your marriage, etc. It’s not always easy to take up your cross – It may be difficult.

* The call of the cross is this – deny myself, make the choice daily to pick up my cross no matter the difficulty, and follow (along behind) in the footsteps of Jesus.

II.         A FATAL MISTAKE (V.25)

Some of you aren’t going to hear that call because there is too much down here on this earth that has captivated you. You’re not going to live for Christ; you’re going to live for you and what this life can offer you! What are you living for 

            A.        Stuff Does Not Satisfy

Those who live for…Whiskey & Drugs are never satisfied – tomorrow you’ll want more. Sexually Immoral lifestyle – they move from one to another and then another relationship, but there’re never satisfied. Money – There’s never enough. You are living for something (this world) that will never satisfy!

            B.         Things Are Temporary

This world is temporary. Only your soul is immortal, yet your focus is on things that are here today and gone tomorrow.

C.                 Possessions Will Passaway

You’re living in and for a place where you can’t stay in forever! This world is not my home...!

* Here’s what is important – your soul! (Illus: one day my soul is gonna leave this body and wing its way to heaven to be with Jesus for ever and ever)! So why live for stuff that does not satisfy - things that are temporary, and possessions that will passaway? It is a fatal mistake to take this world and loose your soul!

III.       A FINAL RECKONING (V.26)
The call of the cross is to “follow me.”

Jesus uses the word ashamed here not in the sense of embarrassment but of rejection. “Ashamed” = To feel shame for something to the point of rejection. In verse 22 Jesus describes the suffering of His first coming (expound). But Jesus Christ says another day is coming - the day of a final reckoning! (Illus: you can fool people today, you can run from sin today and think you have everyone faked out, but there is a day of reckoning coming where no one escapes Jesus the righteous judge!) Jesus Christ is coming back and we are going to stand before Him! What are you going to say when you stand before Him and look in you hand and see only dust because you lived for the world? You going to be wishing for the time when you said, “I will answer the call of the cross to follow the Lord Jesus Christ!

(Illus: Nobleman giving all land to man that he could walk on…died of exhaustion just as he was to receive the deed…how much land did he need? - Just enough to be buried on). You can live for this world and all it has to offer, but one day all of this that world you will need of this is a plot of land to be buried in, but beyond the grave – in heaven or hell -your soul will live on in eternity…where will you be?

Conclusion:       How will you answer the call of the cross today!