CROSS BEARING

Luke 9:23-26

  1. Intro.
    1. here Jesus is setting forth the conditions for discipleship
      1. Jesus did not want His followers to misunderstand what kind of life was required
      2. this life is contrary to the health, wealth & prosperity that many preach today
    2. discipleship is a daily discipline
      1. discipleship is not just for the minister, but for everyone
      2. many Christians are content to be just listeners
        1. they gain a lot of knowledge, but they never put the knowledge into practice
        2. Beware!!! To whom much is given, much is required
      3. anyone who wants to be a follower of Jesus Christ, must accept the conditions
    3. conditions of discipleship
      1. self-denial
        1. to put self out of the picture, put Christ in the place of self
        2. true happiness is experienced when Christ sits on the throne of our life
      2. cross-bearing
        1. to surrender, suffer, and sacrifice for Christ
        2. to endure every burden, trial or disgrace that may come from following Christ
        3. everyone has a cross to bear - "his cross"
      3. self-denial & cross bearing are hard lessons to learn
      4. these lessons will never be learned by consulting with the flesh
    4. the motivation for discipleship is the glory of God
  2. standing for that which is right
    1. this is a duty & a responsibility - Matt. 5:13 "Ye are the salt of the earth"
      1. salt preserves from corruption
        1. salt must come in contact with that which it preserves
        2. to often Christians allow their own morals to be lowered, instead of raising the morals of the world
        3. people that have lost their saltiness will never rescue the world from corruption
      2. salt makes things taste better
      3. salt causes thirst (thirst for heavenly things)
    2. we must also live what is right - Matt. 514, 16
      1. we are an influence in this world, either for good or bad
      2. man will value Christianity by the lives of the Christians they know
  3. going with the gospel
    1. the only reason that God leaves us in this world is to tell others about Jesus Christ - John 4:34-38
      1. the harvest is now - 35
      2. he that goes gets a reward - 36
      3. we must all do our part - 37
      4. Jesus said, "I send you to reap"
    2. why we should win souls - II Cor. 5
      1. to be accepted by Him - 9
      2. we must one day stand before Him - 10
      3. we know the terror of the Lord - 11
      4. the love of God "constrains" us - 14 (to compel by using force)
      5. we are not to live for ourselves - 15
      6. He has given us the ministry of reconciliation - 18
      7. we are ambassadors for Christ - 20
    3. things that will help us to go - I Cor. 13:13
      1. active faith
        1. without an active faith we will not have the determination to follow Christ
        2. faith is what gives us power
        3. if we do not step out in faith, God will not be able to work in and through us
      2. active hope
        1. "hope" is a desire for something with an expectation of receiving - Heb. 11:1
        2. the difference between faith & hope
          1. faith regards God’s promises as faithful & true
          2. hope desires to see God’s promises fulfilled
        3. when there is no desire to see God work, there will be no action
      3. active love
        1. biblical love is more than a feeling
        2. without love for God, there will be little faith in God
        3. without love for God, there will be little desire to see God working
        4. without a love for God, there will be no love for man
  4. sacrificial giving
    1. sacrificial giving teaches us some very valuable lessons
      1. dependence on God in every phase of life
      2. faith in God & His promises
      3. reverence for all that belongs to God
      4. concern for the lost
      5. the proper place of money in one’s life
    2. some principles for giving - Ecc. 11:1-6
      1. give and ye shall receive - 1
      2. give because someday we may need to receive - 2
      3. even nature gives - 3
      4. looking at circumstances will cause us to withhold - 4
      5. give and trust God to make it prosper - 6
    3. the size of the gift is unimportant, but how much we sacrifice is important - Luke 21:1-4
    4. types of giving
      1. tip giving – much like tipping a waitress
      2. entertainment giving – give only when they attend
      3. emotional giving – only when the emotions are stirred
      4. leftover giving – gives if they have not used it all themselves
      5. Bible giving – this pleases God; honest tithes and offerings
    5. giving is the way to happiness - Acts 20:35
  5. these three things are absolutely necessary for carrying out the Great Commission - Matt. 28:19-20
    1. "go ye therefore" - requires sacrificial giving
    2. "teach all nations, baptizing them" - going with the gospel
    3. "teach them to observe all things" - standing for what is right