Mark 8:34–35: “34 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…35 For 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.” (NLT)
Jesus gave everything for us. He willingly went to the cross, took upon Himself the burden of our sins, and died so that we could be reconciled to God. Through His resurrection, He opened the way for us to enjoy a personal relationship with God and receive the gift of eternal life. His sacrifice demonstrated the depth of God’s love for humanity.
Although Jesus has made the way for us, each of us must personally decide to follow Him.
In Mark 8:34–35, Jesus said:
“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.”
These words reveal an important truth about following Jesus: The secret to finding true life is surrendering our lives to Him.
What Does It Mean to Take Up Our Cross?
When Jesus spoke about taking up our cross, He was not asking us to carry a physical cross. He was calling us to surrender our independence, ambitions, desires and personal plans to His leadership. It means allowing Him to direct our decisions, shape our character and determine the direction of our lives.
Taking up our cross also means remaining faithful to Jesus when following Him becomes difficult. There will be times when our faith is tested, when doing what is right is uncomfortable, and when obedience requires us to give up something we genuinely desire. In such moments, we must choose to trust Jesus rather than let temporary pleasures, pressures or circumstances to control us.
Our world often encourages us to put ourselves first, pursue personal satisfaction and avoid anything that makes us uncomfortable. While looking after ourselves is important, we must not allow our personal comfort to become more important than our relationship with God. There is a difference between enjoying blessings of life and letting them take the place of God in our hearts.
The Paradox of True Life
Jesus made a remarkable statement: those who try to save their lives will lose them, but those who surrender their lives for His sake will save them.
What did He mean?
He was teaching us that a life centred entirely on personal ambition, possessions, pleasure and worldly achievements cannot provide the lasting fulfilment our souls need. We might gain everything the world offers and still miss what matters most: knowing God and enjoying eternal life with Him.
Furthermore, avoiding the demands of following Christ does not mean we will escape life’s difficulties. Everyone experiences disappointments, struggles and hardships. However, when we surrender our lives to Jesus, we do not face these challenges alone. He gives us strength, wisdom, comfort and hope to keep moving forward.
We must therefore learn to exchange temporary pleasures for eternal treasures, and personal control for the peace that comes from trusting Jesus.
Living with Eternity in View
Taking up our cross is a daily decision. It means choosing Jesus in our thoughts, conversations, relationships, priorities and everyday actions. It means forgiving when we would rather hold a grudge, showing love when others are unkind, remaining truthful when dishonesty seems easier, and trusting God when we cannot understand what is happening.
Our earthly journey will not always be easy, but our future in Christ is glorious. Jesus promises eternal life to those who believe in Him. A day is coming when suffering, sorrow, sickness, pain and death will be no more. We will enjoy the fullness of God’s presence forever.
Therefore, let us not become so attached to the temporary things of this world that we lose sight of what God has prepared for us. The life we surrender to Jesus is never wasted; it is a life placed in the hands of the One who gives eternal life.
Remember, the greatest achievement in life is not simply gaining everything the world offers, but knowing Jesus, following Him faithfully and spending eternity with Him. All these are possible by God’s amazing grace. All glory to God!
Amen.
SIX KEY TAKEAWAYS
1. True life begins with Jesus:
Lasting fulfilment is not found in worldly achievements but in knowing God and having a personal relationship with Him.
2. Following Jesus requires surrender:
We must allow Him to guide our decisions, priorities and ambitions rather than insisting on having our own way.
3. Taking up our cross is a daily choice:
It means remaining faithful to Jesus, even when obedience is difficult or requires personal sacrifice.
4. Temporary pleasures cannot replace eternal treasures:
We should never allow the attractions of this world to become more important than our relationship with God.
5. Surrendering to Jesus does not mean escaping difficulties:
It means having His strength, wisdom and presence to help us overcome life’s challenges.
6. Our future in Christ is glorious:
Our present struggles will not last forever; eternal life with Jesus promises a future without sorrow, pain or death.
