Matthew 16: 24- Carrying a Cross

Matthew 16: 24- ‘Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.”’

Jesus told the disciples people who followed Him would have to pick up a cross and follow Him. This was before Christ’s physical persecution and crucifixion. The disciples knew the cross to be something horrible that was used to kill people. Using this example, I am sure the disciples were stopped in their souls as they listened to Jesus telling them they would need to carry something heavy and hard to advance God’s kingdom.  

I need to realize this also. Following the principles of Christ and consistently setting a Christian example for people will not always be easy. There will be those who criticize. In some parts of our world, people are dying because they are attempting to advance God’s principles. I want to never forget what this mental image of Christ carrying His own cross is and how that image applies to me doing what I can to advance the kingdom of God.  

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