Take Up Your Cross

Scripture:
Matthew 16:24-26
Philemon 1:12-22

People are willing to die for a cause.  We will sacrifice ourselves for many things for instance our families, our country, most importantly for Christ.  It can be so easy to die for something.  I know I would lay down my life to save my family.  I would die if Jesus needed me to, if it would make a difference.  Jesus even tells us that who would lose their life for Him would find their life.

Here is a question for you.  Are you willing to live your life for Christ?  Someone once told me it is easy to die for Christ.  I was then asked me if I was willing to LIVE for Christ.  At first I thought the question odd.  But looking back I realize the importance of living for Christ.  It can be much harder to live on doing the work Christ set before us, “…and take up his cross…” Matthew 16:24 (NIV).  Taking up our cross implies hardship and tough times.  It means we will surly face suffering in our lives.  Jesus’s life ended in agony upon the cross.  What was worse than His death was the total separation from God.

   

In the end do we want to be completely separated from God?  What is this life compared to our life in eternity?  More importantly is somebody else’s separation from God for eternity.  We can make a difference.  If we live our lives for Christ and are willing to take up our cross for Him another life might be saved.  Isn’t that worth the short time we might endure hardship?  Jesus thought so…