pick up YOUR cross

[rebbell]

Pick up your cross and follow HIM. What does this mean to you all?

[Dak]

One word: Surrender.

~

[x141]

It's the first commandment as it is the first feast that we keep, which without we cannot be taught of Christ who is in us, let alone enter and remain in the word that is revealed.

 

But there is a laying down of your soul and a picking back up of it again.

[oak]

Oh, oh, you asked a rather unpopular question. However the first instance of carrying your cross, appears in Mathew. "And whoever does not take his cross and

follow me is not worthy of me." Mt. 10:38  In my opinion, this is expounded on more when  a rich young man approaches Christ and asks Him, "...what good

must I do to have eternal life?" Mt. 19:16   Christ tells him that he should "keep the commandments." Mt. 19:17 To this the rich man, asks,  "which ones"   and

Christ specifies commandments that have to do with our neighbors. Mt !9:18 The rich man confirms that he has kept them but what can he be lacking? Christ

tells him, "...If you would be perfect go, sell what you posses and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven; and come follow me." Mt 19:21. The man

sorrowfully leaves for he is very rich (his cross).

 

So, again in my opinion, carrying your cross is dealing with all manner of things that keep you from the straight and narrow path to Christ. This brings up works which in themselves can not merit salvation, however they are a an essential way of aligning ourselves with Christ. That is, we must choose and show who we are as followers of Christ, everyday.  Corrected on 12/19: Carrying your Cross is to die to what stands in the way of following Christ...

[Guest shiloh357]

Pick up your cross and follow HIM. What does this mean to you all?

The cross represents the loss of all things.  It means to follow Jesus at the expense of one's reputation, which in Jesus' day was everything.  The cross was a scandal.  To follow Jesus can often create a scanda.  A good example of this is Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty who was suspended for stating the convictions of his Christian faith.

[rebbell]

 

One word: Surrender.

~

 

Surrender is what we have to do to be able to pick up our cross.

Now that one has surrender and picked up their cross, we follow HIM.

To you, What does it mean to bear your cross and follow HIM?

God bless you

[rebbell]

 

It's the first commandment as it is the first feast that we keep, which without we cannot be taught of Christ who is in us, let alone enter and remain in the word that is revealed.

 

But there is a laying down of your soul and a picking back up of it again.

The first commandment is "to love the Lord thy God,"...

Ok, now that one has confessed HIM as Lord and Savior of their life, HE plainly states, "Follow Me".

What does it mean to you to follow HIM?

God bless you 

[OakWood]

We will all have a cross to bear eventually, and Jesus is telling us that if we pick up our cross and follow him, we will expect to share in a little bit of his suffering, but our rewards will be great..

I especially apply this to today's World. As we approach the End Times, more and more of us can expect to feel rejection, hardship, and maybe even persecution.

[oak]

 

Pick up your cross and follow HIM. What does this mean to you all?

The cross represents the loss of all things.  It means to follow Jesus at the expense of one's reputation, which in Jesus' day was everything.  The cross was a scandal.  To follow Jesus can often create a scanda.  A good example of this is Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty who was suspended for stating the convictions of his Christian faith.

 

Oak:

 

Yes, the cross at those times meant crucifixion and I will have to look at my overgeneralization more closely - I may be wrong. However in those times wasn't life much more harsher. Adultery was punishable by death. Joseph wanted to put away Mary because he risked losing his reputation. Was the rich young man in danger of losing his way of life, family, friends, reputation if he followed Christ? Further doesn't Christ put spirituality on higher level when he said,  "If you love your father or mother more than me, you are not worthy of me..." Matt 10:37 So, could it be stated that anything that interferes with your love of Christ can mean isolation from Him?

 

So in essence, generalizing in terms of the cross is not a correct answer but if we look at those times, they are certainly don't resemble our contemporary society. And that is worth mentioning. I don't know anything about the Duck Dynasty but I may give it a look.   

 

[other one]

In the places I see shouldering our cross, the contest of the scripture is speaking of the trials of this life and persecution that will follow if we follow him.  Where it mentions picking up our cross it speaks of clinging to, or giving up one's life.  

 

That section of scripture appears to me to be letting us know that life in this world right now may not be pleasant.  It mentions putting things ahead of Him, even our parents and kids are not supposed to be put above him in our lives.  If it comes down to choosing either our families or Him, we are to choose Him.