Mark wrote how Jesus “charged” His disciples “that they should tell no man of him. And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for you savor not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men”, and in chapter eight and verse thirty-four of his book, Mark shared how Jesus said, “whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” where we read:
And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them,
Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
The verse reads, “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, ...” Mark began with the words, “and when” which means “and at the time and moment” “he had called the people” or “Jesus beckoned, summoned and bid the crowd of people” “unto him” which means “to Jesus Himself” “with his disciples also” or “alongside Jesus' students, pupils and attendants as well”, “he said unto them” which means “Jesus uttered, declared and proclaimed” the following words to “the people and His disciples”. Mark shared how Jesus gathered the crowd and His “disciples” around Him to tell them the following words.
The verse goes on to say, “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Mark continued with the words, “whosoever will” which means “whatever person whether male or female who has in mind, desires, wishes, is resolved, determined and purposed to” “come after me” or “arise, come forth and be established by Jesus”, “let him” which means “allow and permit that person to” “deny himself” or “forget and affirm they have no acquaintance or connection with their own selves”, “and take up” which means “to raise, elevate and lift up” “his cross” or “that person's well known instrument of most cruel and ignominious punishment, borrowed by the Greeks and Romans from the Phoenicians”, “and follow me” which means “and join, attend to and accompany Jesus as His disciple”. Mark shared how Jesus said if any person desires to have a relationship with Him, they must “deny” themselves, “take up” their “cross” and “follow” Him.
When we think through Mark's words in this verse, we discover how Jesus said a person may have a relationship with Him. First, they must “deny” themselves. This may be the most difficult for people to obey because “selfishness” comes very naturally to most. Secondly, a person must “take up” their “cross” which implies “sacrifice” or “suffering” which also is not not desired by people. Finally, a person is to “follow” Jesus, and rather than “following” others or their own minds, Jesus becomes the “Lord” of their lives. God desires a life of “surrender” to Him through His Son Jesus, and when a person yields their life to Him as “Savior and Lord”, they will “deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Him”.
Next time Mark shares how Jesus says, “whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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