Follow Me

"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." - Mark 8:34 KJV

Where did Jesus go that we are to follow Him?

Before Jesus was taken and beaten, then condemned to die, Jesus prayed in the garden. As God, knowing what was to come, He denied His flesh, and submitted to His Spirit.

When Jesus took up His cross, He was going to His death. From His death He was taken to His burial. From His burial He was resurrected.

How are we supposed to follow Him?

We deny ourselves when we deny our flesh (ungodliness and worldly lusts) and submit ourselves to God. We don’t give into our fleshly desires, but instead do God’s will and live a holy life.

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;" - Titus 2:11-12 KJV

We take up our cross and follow Jesus’ death when we crucify our sinful nature by repentance. We turn our back on sin and give our life to Jesus.

"And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." - Galatians 5:24 KJV

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." - Romans 6:6 KJV

We follow Jesus’ burial when we are buried with Him by baptism in Jesus name for the remission of our sins. We follow Jesus’ resurrection when we are filled with His Spirit, the Holy Ghost, to live a new and holy life.

"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." - Romans 6:3-4 KJV

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38 KJV

When we repent of our sins, we become dead to sin. To be dead to sin is to be separated from sin. When we are baptized in Jesus name, our sins and our old sinful nature is buried. When we are filled with the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Christ, we are resurrected to live a new life.

This is how we deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus.

To be continued!