Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 34,35 & 36; John 19:1-21
“And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha” John 19:17 (KJV).
“And he bearing his cross went forth.” In this race of life every man who must make heaven must of a necessity go forth carrying his cross. A servant cannot be greater than the master, if our Lord and Master had to do it then, we must be ready to bear our cross. The cross is a place of denial, a place of mockery, a place of suffering and a place of humiliation. Jesus communicated this truth to His disciples in Matthew 16:24 (KJV), “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me”. The cross is a symbol of self-denial. Actually and indeed it is an act of self-denial for the creator of the heavens and the earth and all things therein to be beaten and humiliated by mere mortals. He denied Himself of His power and glory and took the form of less than a servant suffering great humiliation. What a self-denial for the creator to be beaten and humiliated by the creature. It is self-denial for the righteous and holy one to be treated like a common criminal. He who by a word of command set free the demon possessed, healed the sick and raised the dead was led beaten and battered carrying the cross through the city to predestined place of His death. What a complete denial of self. This is what Jesus has set as a prerequisite for His followership.
In order words, Jesus is saying that to be a true follower of Him we must drop all the pride of our being, we must cast down our pride of place and position. We must forget who we are and claim to be and humble ourselves and follow Him. Our fleshly disposition has no place in Christ. The language ‘do you know who I am’ is misnomer in Christ Jesus. We must reduce our self to nobody in order to inherit glory, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endure such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” Hebrew 12:2-3(KJV). Strong attachment to the flesh will find it very hard to do this but that remains Christ requirement for true followership. It is only self-denial that will help us to run the Christian race successfully.
Prayer: O LORD, my God, help me to mortify the flesh in order for me to follow You acceptably.
Bro. Joel Ezeugo