Joel M Bradshaw

24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.–Matthew 16

 I [Paul] have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

1. Discipleship starts with self-denial.
2. This is the opposite of the self-love promoted by secular society.
3. Discipleship also involves taking up one’s cross.
4. This is the Roman image of a person marching towards their own crucifixion.
5. Discipleship concludes with following Jesus.
6. You are already denying yourself and “dying” to your former way of doing things. You are either at your core following yourself or you are following Jesus.
7. Do the verses from Jesus and Paul describe your life? If not, you simply are not living as a Christian.–JMB