Slides supporting a message by Mike Popovich, Freedom Ministries, Church, Colorado Springs, CO. Topic: What Does It Mean To Take Up Our Cross Daily? Date: 3/4/2014 Link to Full Message: http://freedomministries.tv/media-library/2014-messages/3-9-14/whatdoesitmeantotakeupourcross/

1. What does it mean to take
up our cross?

2. “It shall greatly help ye to understand the Scriptures if thou
mark not only what is spoken or written, but of whom and to
whom, with what words, at what time, where, to what intent,
with what circumstances, considering what goeth before and
what followeth after. ”
Miles Coverdale,Translated the first English Bible in 1535

3. Romans 5:18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense
judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so
through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men,
resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s
disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s
obedience many will be made righteous.
20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound.
But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so
that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through
righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

4. Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in
sin that grace may abound?
2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer
in it?

5. Romans 6:7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.
“literally, "justified," "acquitted," "got his discharge from sin."
As death dissolves all claims, so the whole claim of sin, not
only to "reign unto death," but to keep its victims in sinful
bondage, has been discharged once for all, by the believer's
penal death in the death of Christ” (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Commentary)

6. Romans 6:8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that
we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having
been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has
dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died
to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to
sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

7. So what about “Take Up Your Cross Daily?”

8. Matthew 16:24 …let him deny himself, and take up his
cross, and follow Me.
Mark 8:34 …let him deny himself, and take up his cross,
and follow Me.
Luke 9:23 …and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

9. There are two interpretations. One exalts
man’s efforts and one exalts Jesus.
1st Interpretation:
- Does it mean we need to die to our desires and
dreams?
- Does it mean we have to give up everything?
- Does it mean we have to suffer just like Jesus?

10. 2nd Interpretation: The Good news!
- We don’t need to die and practice self-denial.
Once was enough through Jesus Christ.
- We don’t have to give up our God-given
dreams and desires.
- It means we are alive in Him and righteous
through faith.

11. Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples,“If anyone
desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up
his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his
life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find
it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole
world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in
exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come in
the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will
reward each according to his works

12. John 6:28 Then they said to Him,“What shall we do, that
we may work the works of God?”
29 Jesus answered and said to them,“This is the work of
God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

13. Take up your cross daily means to die to “self-
righteousness” and trust in the finished work of
Jesus.
You don’t have to suppress your God-given
dreams and goals.
Instead, when we rely on Jesus, and trust in the
inexhaustible riches of His grace and the gift of
righteousness, the whole world will be blessed!