Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 66

March 7, 2018;      Matthew 16:24;       16/260(IV);        ‘Follow Me’

Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

What an incredibly powerful verse this is.  First of all notice that Jesus is talking to His disciples.  A disciple is a disciplined follower.  Converts will not do this verse until their attitude concerning their fellowship with Jesus changes.  I believe that it is a progressive verse.  Here is what I mean.  Once you become a Christian, there should be a desire to ‘come after’ Jesus.  Why would you become a Christian and then not desire to come to know the Lord Jesus who saved you.  If your desire to know and serve the Lord is sincere you must ‘deny yourself.’  What deny yourself means is that there were things you did before you became a Christian that you know you should not do any longer.  If your intention is to come after the Lord, you will discipline yourself and no longer do those things.  Deny yourself also means that even the things that are not bad for you, hobbies, sports, etc., are now to be done in moderation, giving more time to the Lord than to anything else.  Bible reading and prayer, if done diligently, on a consistent basis, will strengthen your resolve to come after Jesus.  Notice the disciple then takes up his cross to follow the Lord.  Taking up your cross means renouncing self interests and living your life advancing the kingdom of God.  This is what I meant by this verse being progressive.  Once I became born again, I became active in church.  I read my Bible diligently and learned how to pray.  I began to share the Lord with others, having the privilege of leading many to Jesus.  Doing the work of the Lord became my whole life.  Follow Jesus, you’ll never look back.