Take up Your Cross Episode 002

Matthew 16:21-25. We know these verses well, we have read them and re-read them numerous times, some of us have even memorized these verses. Yet when it comes down to the nitty gritty, these verses are the furthest thing from our minds. Huh? What do you mean? I speak from experience here and it may not apply to everyone listening, though I’m sure there are more than quite a few that have been through this. You come to know the Savior of Humanity, The Redeemer of the World, you may have come out of some horrible depressing lonely situation, you give your life to H-M in front of all those people, after you have been told everything is going to be alright now. A few years go by and you go through some trials and tribulations, you hang in there tough but you hang in there and then, POW something you describe as horrible just happened, someone close to you, someone dear has been dealt a raw hand, and now it affects you to the point you begin to doubt yourself, your faith, why you believe, and even begin to doubt G-D.

Now your walk is shaky, you don’t fellowship as much as you used to, and you say to yourself: I’m doing what I’m supposed to do so then why is all this happening to me. I thought we have passed on from suffering when we come to know Messiah. I’m saying this because I have said these things at one point in my life. Then I read these scriptures and I saw a little clearer.

This is Yeshua explaining to HIS disciples what was going to happen to HIM, but Peter in all his zeal lost sight of Yeshua’s purpose and rebuked our LORD for speaking such things but afterward was rebuked by Yeshua for his reaction, lets read the following scripture found in Matthew 16:21-25 21From that time on Yeshua began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 22Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. “Far be it from You, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to You!” … 23But Yeshua turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me. For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” … 24Then Yeshua told His disciples, “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.  25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.…

DENY de-ni’: (Bible Study Tools)

This word is characteristic of the New Testament rather than the Old Testament, although it translates three different Hebrew originals, namely, kachash, “to lie,” “disown” (Genesis 18:15; Joshua 24:27; Job 8:18; 31:28; Proverbs 30:9); mana`, “to withhold,” “keep back” (1 Kings 20:7; Proverbs 30:7); shubh, “to turn back,” “say no” (1 Kings 2:16). 

Verb Meriam Webster

1: to declare untrue

2: to refuse to admit or acknowledge :

3a: to give a negative answer to

b: to refuse. to grant

c: to restrain (oneself) from gratification of desires deny himself the foods that he loves

So then to deny oneself means to restrain, from pleasurable desires, to refuse fleshly desires to turn completely around, to disown oneself… To disown oneself, “for you were bought at a price” Could this be what it means to be a slave to Messiah? When we come to Messiah from wherever Messiah has brought us out of, we are to surrender everything to HIM, we are to give up our lives for HIM. We no longer belong to ourselves, “for we were bought at a price”. When I was child I was reminded constantly “tu no te gobiernas” you don’t govern yourself… I would hear this every time I tried to do something, I wanted to do, that went against what everybody else was doing.

It all makes more sense to me now “tu no te gobiernas”. To follow Mashiach we must come to HIM and lay everything we own at HIS feet. Sign over the title to HIM give all ownership to HIM, this is Shubh, T’shuva, and acknowledge that HE is LORD over your life.

Now there is the “Taking up your Cross” which goes hand in hand with “Follow Me”. The word cross; has a very long Definition, for the sake of this topic we will look at the first 2 definitions in Webster’s: cross is a noun

Definition of cross

1 a : a structure consisting of an upright with a transverse beam used especially by the ancient Romans for execution

b often capitalized: the cross on which Jesus was crucified

2 a: crucifixion

b: an affliction that tries one’s virtue, steadfastness, or patience We all have our crosses to bear.

Definition #2b stands out the most; an affliction that tries one’s virtue, steadfastness, or patience.

So, was Yeshua telling us that we would have to suffer affliction willingly for the kingdom, would we have to face suffering in order to follow him, to live as HE lived? The cross represents adversity, affliction, misfortune, and tragedy, it is tribulation discomfort, it is the litmus test of our faith our patience and trust, in our KING’s ability to save us. In the words of Messiah “Not my will but YOUR will be done”, as He prayed in agony in Gethsemane.

When we find ourselves in trying times, we must learn to remember to look upon the cross and the willingness of Yeshua to take it into HIS arms because of the love HE has for us. Take up your cross has a different meaning when you look at it this way, when I saw it this way I was like, whoa, this is deep. It made me want to look at this a lot closer to try and understand it a little better.Now we can see that first we have to deny ourselves hand over ownership to our King Yeshua second is to Take up our cross of suffering and uncertainty not knowing what will befall us, and third is to then Follow the Master in HIS footsteps as we see in Matthew 16:24 Then Yeshua told His disciples, “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. And again, in Matthew 10:38 and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. To be deemed worthy we must put these three actions into practice, Deny, “Taking up our Cross”, and Follow Messiah. Now to follow messiah is not simply walk behind him and go in the same direction he is going. To follow has a little more to do with living how HE lived. the word used here in Matthew 10:38 for Follow in the Greek is akolouqew (ak-ol-oo-theh’-o) Strong’s Number: G190 (as a particle of union) and keleuthos (a road); properly, to be in the same way with, i.e. to accompany (specially, as a disciple): –follow, reach. Webster’s dictionary says 3) act according to (an instruction or precept).

We must act according to Yeshua, be in the same way with HIM, “If you love me keep my Commandments”. Now it begins to make sense, as to why the suffering and discord and trials along with tribulations seem to be more intense now than before I began this journey. I was led to believe the total opposite, that things would get better if I gave my life to the LORD but was misinformed. That is why I search diligently for the flat-out truth because it is my responsibility to seek it out. Is that what the Bereans in Acts did when they heard Paul preach, this too is our responsibility, Friend don’t just take my word for it, verify for yourself what the truth is, remember my truth might not be your truth, but there is always The Flat out Truth, the one Truth that surpasses man’s truth is G-D’s Truth.

So Taking up your cross is a great undertaking accompanied with a lot of responsibility, something that should not be taken lightly, we are called to suffer my friend and the Disciples were aware of this when they were called Peter definitely knew this, we can see this from Peter 1 Peter 2:21 For to this you were called, because Messiah also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps. Are you willing to suffer, are you willing to sign over the deed to your body and Soul to the KING of kings and the LORD of lords, are you willing to give up everything you hold dear to join Messiah to become one with HIS Suffering for if we are one with HIM in HIS suffering then we Will be one with HIM in Victory. This decision my friend is not an easy one, it wasn’t easy for the Rich Young Man when he asked Yeshua a question on how to obtain eternal life in:

Matthew 19:16-22

16Just then, a man came up to Jesus and inquired, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to obtain eternal life?” 17“Why do you ask Me about what is good?” Jesus replied, “There is only

One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” 18“Which ones?” the man asked. Yeshua answered, “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, 19honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.’”…20“All these I have kept,” said the young man. “What do I still lack?” 21Yeshua told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” 22When the young man heard this, he went away in sorrow, because he had great wealth.…

Here Yeshua presented the rich young man with his cross, for many people it is difficult to let go of their earthly possessions. This is where many people stumble and why Yeshua said if we cannot do the three things required that we would not be worthy of HIM. My friend eternity is a very long time, longer than I could ever imagine, we all have a choice to make, a decision to take, regardless of who is willy to go with you on that journey, but you must give up everything to gain it all. On this journey you will find others like yourself, and Abba Kadosh will guide your steps if you surrender it all to HIM. Deny yourself, “Take up your Cross” and Follow Messiah without looking back.