Tuesday Devo
Scripture:
Matthew 16:24-25
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
Commentary:
16:24 take his cross (cf. 16:24). Crucifixion is a shocking metaphor for discipleship. A disciple must deny himself (die to self-will), take up his cross (embrace God’s will, no matter the cost), and follow Christ.
16:25 Verses 25–27, each beginning with for (Gk. gar), provide three related reasons why a disciple must let go of his earthly life and take up his cross. whoever would save his life. The person who rejects God’s will and instead pursues his own will for his life ultimately loses eternally every earthly good he is trying to protect.
16:25 Verses 25–27, each beginning with for (Gk. gar), provide three related reasons why a disciple must let go of his earthly life and take up his cross. whoever would save his life. The person who rejects God’s will and instead pursues his own will for his life ultimately loses eternally every earthly good he is trying to protect.
Questions:
- Next, our ideal is blessings from the Kingdom, while God's real is the reigning of the KING. This is the 2nd gap Clayton discussed between our real and God's ideal. We want all the things the King can bless us with without really having to submit to him. Many have bought into the culture's lie that humbling ourselves to Jesus' reign will suffocate us. So we, instead, pursue selfish ambition, self fulfillment, self realization, self discovery, and self destiny. But Jesus said that if we DENY ourselves we will find true life. David said in Psalm 16 that every good thing comes from the Lord and that there is joy and freedom found in his law. Do you ever find yourself buying into this lie, that following Jesus is restrictive? How do you know if you're truly experiencing freedom in Christ?
- "Take up your cross and follow me." There is no doubt what a cross was used for... it was an instrument of death. Jesus is saying very explicitly that following him means to put to death our will and ways and, instead, go with God's Word and will. Can you say this is true of your life? If not, what would it look like to take up your cross today?
Prayer Topics:
- That you would take up your cross and follow Jesus.
- That you would deny yourself because his ways are better.
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