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Mark 8:34 - Take Up Your Cross.

Mark 8:34 (NLT) Then, calling the crowd to 
join his disciples, he said, If any of you 
wants to be my follower, you must turn from your 
selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.  

COMMENTARY PEARL

Only One Meaning
   We adorn our churches with massive 
crosses, we get into lawsuits about where we can 
display crosses, and we turn crosses into fashion 
accessories and even tattoos. But I think we have a lot 
of misconceptions today about the cross. 
   In the first century, the cross was a 
repulsive symbol. In fact, it wasnt a symbol of the 
church in the beginning, though it did become one 
later. Back then, a cross was a despicable image, 
because it was an incredibly horrible way to die. To 
even use a picture of a cross was repugnant and 
repulsive in that culture. 
   The Romans didnt invent crucifixion, 
but we could say they perfected it. They saved 
crucifixion for the worst of criminals. 
   So when Jesus said, Whoever desires to 
come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up 
his cross, and follow Me (Mark 8:34 NKJV), 
the meaning wasnt lost on His first-century 
audience. And although He spoke these words some 2,000 
years ago, they still ring true for us today. 
   So what does it actually mean to take up 
our cross and follow Him? First, it means to 
deny ourselves. That means saying no to 
ourselves. It means to put Gods will above our own. 
   And what is this cross that were all 
called to bear? I think we need to first understand 
what it isnt. We tend to use the phrase in 
ways that arent actually biblical. For 
instance, a mother might say, My cross to bear is 
my children. And the children of that mother 
might say, Our cross to bear is our mother. 
   Someone else may identify a certain 
affliction, difficulty, or issue as their cross to bear. 
But that is not what Jesus meant when He spoke 
of bearing the cross. To bear the cross means 
one thing: deny yourself and put God first. 
[Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries; 
https://www.harvestdaily.com] 

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE

Mark 8:34-37 - FOLLOWING JESUS.

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20211023-0935.html 

YOUR COMMENTS

If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or 
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either 
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in 
hearing from you.  Thanks in advance and let's keep 
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred 
Gibbs  

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

Most Important Decision in Life: 
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0 

A Man without Equal by Bill Bright: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo 

Steps to Peace by Billy Graham: 
https://stepstopeace.org/ 

Seeking God Made Real: 
http://vimeo.com/31489782 

Prayer Made Real: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE 

LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES 

Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: 
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/ 

Amazing Facts Bible Studies: 
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx  

Voice of Prophecy Discover Bible Study 
Guides: 
https://www.voiceofprophecy.com/study/discover 

Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: 
http://www.bibleresearch.info/ 

LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS

Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of 
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible 

Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug 
Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/  

Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW: 
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens 

Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657  

Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The 
Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE