“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. ”

Luke 9:23-24​

We read in the passage from St. Luke that Jesus said, “whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” What does it mean to lose your life? This means to be willing to identify with Christ and embrace a life of faithfulness and repentance. Further to this point, we must be willing to separate from those who are an ungodly influence on you. A life of godly surrender is what the Christian life is chiefly all about.

Are you taking up your cross daily? Are you rejecting all that is ungodly? If you are your life will reflect that of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us consider the words of the Apostle Paul, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Phil 2:5-8)

May we by the grace of God have the same mind of Christ. He did not seek to make a name for himself nor did he seek to please men. Christ took on the form of a servant and was humble. Christ was obedient even unto death. His death was like no other before or after him. Yes, many have been crucified, but no-one else could suffer and die to take away your sin. The Lord Jesus Christ is the one and only sacrifice sufficient to purchase souls and pardon all our guilt and shame.