Matthew 16:24-26 (ESV)

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

A few weeks back we were driving through a southern city and saw something I had only seen on TV before.  There was a sixty-something bearded man in a white tunic crossing the street.  Now his dress was eye catching enough, but that 16′ foot cross that he was dragging, that really caught our attention.

We were in the middle of heavy traffic so we were not able to stop and talk to him so all we could do was use our imagination as to what is purpose was.

So my thought was this, what does it mean to “take up your cross” and follow Christ?

It is a call to the life of daily obedience to Christ.  A willingness to die to self, to put Christ and others in front of ourselves.  To follow Jesus at all costs.  Even to the point  of death.

Following Jesus is easy when life runs smoothly; our true commitment to Him is revealed during trials. Jesus assured us that trials will come to His followers. Discipleship demands sacrifice, and Jesus never hid that cost.

John 16:33, tells us of the trials to come and the triumph as well.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Are you willing to lose everything for Christ’s sake?  He probably won’t call you to that literally, but He might.  He wants to know, are you willing to, “take up your cross and follow me?”

Now that is really, Cross Training.