Luke 9:23-24
He said to all, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross,‡ and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake will save it.
In this passage, Jesus is teaching his disciples about what it means to follow him. He begins by saying that anyone who desires to come after him must first deny himself, take up his cross, and follow him. This means that we must be willing to put aside our own desires and plans, and submit ourselves completely to Jesus' will.
The phrase "take up his cross" was a familiar one to Jesus' audience, as it referred to the Roman practice of forcing condemned criminals to carry their own cross to the place of execution. In this context, taking up one's cross means being willing to suffer and even die for the sake of following Jesus.
Jesus then goes on to explain that whoever desires to save their own life will ultimately lose it. This means that if we prioritize our own comfort, security, and desires above all else, we will ultimately end up empty and unfulfilled. However, if we are willing to give up our own life for the sake of following Jesus, we will ultimately find true life and salvation.
Jesus is calling us to a life of self-denial and sacrifice, where we prioritize his will above our own. While this may seem difficult or even impossible, Jesus promises that those who follow him in this way will ultimately find fulfillment and eternal life.
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