The Weight and Wonder of Bearing Your Cross Daily
From the Sermon on October 26, 2025
There's something profoundly challenging yet liberating about the words Jesus spoke to His followers: "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). These aren't comfortable words. They don't fit neatly into our self-help culture or our desire for an easy, pain-free existence. Yet within this call to cross-bearing lies the secret to abundant life.
The Medicine We Need
Imagine going to a doctor when you're desperately ill. You wait in the examination room, anxious about what's wrong. The doctor runs tests, asks questions, takes your vitals. Finally, after what feels like forever, you receive a diagnosis and a prescription—medicine specifically designed to heal what's broken inside you.
Now here's the crucial question: Would you intentionally skip taking that life-saving medication? Would you leave it on the shelf, knowing your condition could worsen or even become fatal?
Most of us would never dream of ignoring a doctor's prescription when our physical health is at stake. Yet how often do we ignore the spiritual prescription Jesus offers us? We're sin-sick, whether we recognize the symptoms or not, and Christ offers us medicine for our souls—not a placebo, not a generic substitute, but 100% pure, grade-A spiritual healing.
The prescription is clear: deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow Him.
What Does It Really Mean?
When crowds in first-century Jerusalem saw someone carrying a cross through the streets, they knew exactly what it meant. That person was on a one-way journey to death. There would be no reprieve, no pardon, no last-minute rescue. The path was lined with jeering crowds, mocking soldiers, and the certainty of a brutal end.
Jesus walked that path. He carried His own cross to Golgotha after being tried illegally, tortured mercilessly, and abandoned by those closest to Him. The imagery is harsh, horrifying even. But it's meant to be. Because when Jesus tells us to take up our cross and follow Him, He's not asking us to do something He hasn't already done Himself.
But here's what bearing our cross is *not*: It's not an invitation to be miserable. It's not a call to suffer unnecessarily or to live a joyless existence. Jesus came that we might have life abundantly (John 10:10). The abundant life He offers isn't found in the world's promises of comfort and ease—it's found in Him alone.
Daily Discipleship
Notice that Luke's account adds a crucial word: "daily" (Luke 9:23). Taking up our cross isn't a one-time decision we make at baptism and then forget about. It's a continuous practice of devotion, a daily commitment to die to ourselves and live for Christ.
What does this daily cross-bearing look like in practical terms?
Dying to self. This means stopping our constant focus on what we want, what we desire, what makes us comfortable. It's surrendering control of our lives to the One who actually knows how to direct our steps.
Dying to the flesh. Our natural tendency toward sinfulness—those cravings, those appetites of the old self—must be crucified daily. Sin is like a drug; if we keep practicing it, we'll keep craving it.
Dying to the world. The values, priorities, and pursuits that dominate our culture often stand in direct opposition to the kingdom of God. We can't carry both the world's load and Christ's cross at the same time.
Dying to our own will. Like Jesus in Gethsemane, we must learn to say, "Not my will, but yours be done."
This is the treatment plan. This is the prescription that saves our souls from spiritual death.
The Cost and the Reward
Let's be honest: following Jesus comes with a cost. Many who followed Him in the first century were rejected by their families, criticized by their communities, and ridiculed for their faith. In some places, being a Christian meant risking your life. The same is true in many parts of the world today.
Even in places where we face no physical persecution, bearing our cross means sacrifice. It means choosing Christ over careers that would compromise our integrity. It means prioritizing kingdom work over personal comfort. It means loving people who are hard to love and forgiving those who've wounded us deeply.
But here's the beautiful paradox Jesus reveals: "Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 16:25). By losing our lives—by dying to sin, self, and the world—we gain something infinitely greater. We gain new life in Christ. We gain peace that surpasses understanding. We gain purpose, meaning, and the promise of eternal life.
The Balm in Gilead
The prophet Jeremiah once mourned for his people, asking, "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there?" (Jeremiah 8:22). He was witnessing the spiritual sickness of God's people and wondering if there was any cure, any healing available.
The answer is yes. There is a balm in Gilead. There is a physician—the Great Physician—who offers healing for sin-sick souls. His name is Jesus.
But like any medicine, it only works if we take it. We can't leave the prescription on the shelf and expect to get better. We can't claim to follow Christ while refusing to pick up the cross He's given us to carry.
A Privilege, Not a Burden
There's an old hymn that asks, "Must Jesus bear the cross alone and all the world go free?" The answer comes back: "No, there's a cross for everyone, and there's a cross for me."
Far from being a burden, bearing our cross is actually a privilege and an honor. It's our duty as Christians, as people who wear the name of Christ. When we pick up our cross and follow Jesus, we're showing the world who we belong to. We're identifying ourselves with the One who died for us, was buried for us, and was resurrected for us.
This makes us cross-bearers—people who have chosen to embrace life's challenges and suffering with the willingness to endure whatever comes, believing that God provides everything we need along the way.
The Strength to Carry On
You might be thinking, "This sounds impossible. I'm not strong enough to carry a cross daily."
You're right. You're not.
But here's the good news: Jesus doesn't ask you to carry it in your own strength. The apostle Paul understood this when he wrote, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). Christ is the solution. His strength becomes ours when we surrender our weakness to Him.
Every breath we take is a gift from God. Every day we wake up is another opportunity to pick up our cross and follow Jesus. Tomorrow isn't promised. The next hour isn't guaranteed. That's why we must act while it's still day, while we still have the breath of life in us.
The Invitation
The gospel message is beautifully simple: Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised on the third day. This is good news—healing news, medicine for the soul. Because He did this, we don't have to bear the penalty of death. Instead, we get to bear His cross, which leads to life.
The question is: Will you pick it up?
Will you deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow Him? Will you die to sin, flesh, and the world so you can truly live in Christ?
The cross Jesus bore was holy, sacrificial, and redemptive. The cross He asks us to bear is transformative. It changes us from the inside out, making us more like Him each day we carry it.
So pick up your cross. Don't put it down when you're tired. Don't set it aside when it gets heavy. Bear it daily, knowing that the One who walked the road to Calvary walks beside you now, strengthening you for every step of the journey.
Because when we bear our cross faithfully, we discover what Jesus promised all along: that in losing our lives for His sake, we truly find life—abundant, purposeful, eternal life in Him.
There's something profoundly challenging yet liberating about the words Jesus spoke to His followers: "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). These aren't comfortable words. They don't fit neatly into our self-help culture or our desire for an easy, pain-free existence. Yet within this call to cross-bearing lies the secret to abundant life.
The Medicine We Need
Imagine going to a doctor when you're desperately ill. You wait in the examination room, anxious about what's wrong. The doctor runs tests, asks questions, takes your vitals. Finally, after what feels like forever, you receive a diagnosis and a prescription—medicine specifically designed to heal what's broken inside you.
Now here's the crucial question: Would you intentionally skip taking that life-saving medication? Would you leave it on the shelf, knowing your condition could worsen or even become fatal?
Most of us would never dream of ignoring a doctor's prescription when our physical health is at stake. Yet how often do we ignore the spiritual prescription Jesus offers us? We're sin-sick, whether we recognize the symptoms or not, and Christ offers us medicine for our souls—not a placebo, not a generic substitute, but 100% pure, grade-A spiritual healing.
The prescription is clear: deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow Him.
What Does It Really Mean?
When crowds in first-century Jerusalem saw someone carrying a cross through the streets, they knew exactly what it meant. That person was on a one-way journey to death. There would be no reprieve, no pardon, no last-minute rescue. The path was lined with jeering crowds, mocking soldiers, and the certainty of a brutal end.
Jesus walked that path. He carried His own cross to Golgotha after being tried illegally, tortured mercilessly, and abandoned by those closest to Him. The imagery is harsh, horrifying even. But it's meant to be. Because when Jesus tells us to take up our cross and follow Him, He's not asking us to do something He hasn't already done Himself.
But here's what bearing our cross is *not*: It's not an invitation to be miserable. It's not a call to suffer unnecessarily or to live a joyless existence. Jesus came that we might have life abundantly (John 10:10). The abundant life He offers isn't found in the world's promises of comfort and ease—it's found in Him alone.
Daily Discipleship
Notice that Luke's account adds a crucial word: "daily" (Luke 9:23). Taking up our cross isn't a one-time decision we make at baptism and then forget about. It's a continuous practice of devotion, a daily commitment to die to ourselves and live for Christ.
What does this daily cross-bearing look like in practical terms?
Dying to self. This means stopping our constant focus on what we want, what we desire, what makes us comfortable. It's surrendering control of our lives to the One who actually knows how to direct our steps.
Dying to the flesh. Our natural tendency toward sinfulness—those cravings, those appetites of the old self—must be crucified daily. Sin is like a drug; if we keep practicing it, we'll keep craving it.
Dying to the world. The values, priorities, and pursuits that dominate our culture often stand in direct opposition to the kingdom of God. We can't carry both the world's load and Christ's cross at the same time.
Dying to our own will. Like Jesus in Gethsemane, we must learn to say, "Not my will, but yours be done."
This is the treatment plan. This is the prescription that saves our souls from spiritual death.
The Cost and the Reward
Let's be honest: following Jesus comes with a cost. Many who followed Him in the first century were rejected by their families, criticized by their communities, and ridiculed for their faith. In some places, being a Christian meant risking your life. The same is true in many parts of the world today.
Even in places where we face no physical persecution, bearing our cross means sacrifice. It means choosing Christ over careers that would compromise our integrity. It means prioritizing kingdom work over personal comfort. It means loving people who are hard to love and forgiving those who've wounded us deeply.
But here's the beautiful paradox Jesus reveals: "Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 16:25). By losing our lives—by dying to sin, self, and the world—we gain something infinitely greater. We gain new life in Christ. We gain peace that surpasses understanding. We gain purpose, meaning, and the promise of eternal life.
The Balm in Gilead
The prophet Jeremiah once mourned for his people, asking, "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there?" (Jeremiah 8:22). He was witnessing the spiritual sickness of God's people and wondering if there was any cure, any healing available.
The answer is yes. There is a balm in Gilead. There is a physician—the Great Physician—who offers healing for sin-sick souls. His name is Jesus.
But like any medicine, it only works if we take it. We can't leave the prescription on the shelf and expect to get better. We can't claim to follow Christ while refusing to pick up the cross He's given us to carry.
A Privilege, Not a Burden
There's an old hymn that asks, "Must Jesus bear the cross alone and all the world go free?" The answer comes back: "No, there's a cross for everyone, and there's a cross for me."
Far from being a burden, bearing our cross is actually a privilege and an honor. It's our duty as Christians, as people who wear the name of Christ. When we pick up our cross and follow Jesus, we're showing the world who we belong to. We're identifying ourselves with the One who died for us, was buried for us, and was resurrected for us.
This makes us cross-bearers—people who have chosen to embrace life's challenges and suffering with the willingness to endure whatever comes, believing that God provides everything we need along the way.
The Strength to Carry On
You might be thinking, "This sounds impossible. I'm not strong enough to carry a cross daily."
You're right. You're not.
But here's the good news: Jesus doesn't ask you to carry it in your own strength. The apostle Paul understood this when he wrote, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). Christ is the solution. His strength becomes ours when we surrender our weakness to Him.
Every breath we take is a gift from God. Every day we wake up is another opportunity to pick up our cross and follow Jesus. Tomorrow isn't promised. The next hour isn't guaranteed. That's why we must act while it's still day, while we still have the breath of life in us.
The Invitation
The gospel message is beautifully simple: Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised on the third day. This is good news—healing news, medicine for the soul. Because He did this, we don't have to bear the penalty of death. Instead, we get to bear His cross, which leads to life.
The question is: Will you pick it up?
Will you deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow Him? Will you die to sin, flesh, and the world so you can truly live in Christ?
The cross Jesus bore was holy, sacrificial, and redemptive. The cross He asks us to bear is transformative. It changes us from the inside out, making us more like Him each day we carry it.
So pick up your cross. Don't put it down when you're tired. Don't set it aside when it gets heavy. Bear it daily, knowing that the One who walked the road to Calvary walks beside you now, strengthening you for every step of the journey.
Because when we bear our cross faithfully, we discover what Jesus promised all along: that in losing our lives for His sake, we truly find life—abundant, purposeful, eternal life in Him.
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