If any man will
Matthew 16:24-25 “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.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.”
“If”…..this is amazing and wonderful. The Almighty God wants us to will with Him.
What are our puny wills next to His?
But it is harmony….union of will with God….that He calls us to.
To hear and answer the call of Christ is nothing unless somewhere along the line you have this reality.
Reality is what is real…what I have in my experience…..not in someone else’s experience….but in mine.
And reality, where Christ Jesus is concerned, is to have the experience of His life being lived in our life, today…..everyday.
The claims of Jesus, saying to you, “If you will…..Deny yourself, pick up your cross—deny yourself in those things which cuts across your natural way of doing, of thinking, and acting.
This is to “follow Me”,…….for I walked this way here on earth, too.
Doing only My Father’s Will….and nothing else.”
The whole objective of denying yourself and bearing your cross, is that you might lose your life in yourself (You say “no” to what you want to do, and “yes” to the Lord),
That you might find reality, which is your life in Christ.
In Christ is the freedom from sin, self, and the world.
In Christ there is the liberty of walking in the light, which manifests God’s love, joy, and peace to us….and others.
But in ourselves there can be: bitterness, anger, distress, depression,
ungratefulness, and desire….all our natural leanings toward the things and attitudes of the world we live in.
Let’s face it, we are often overcome by one of these things within us.
Yes, they are brought out by circumstances of our lives,…..but the power of the Holy Spirit is in us,……
……will we not yield to Him, and deny our self-life?
Letting His Life shine through ours?
We can either remain babes in Christ….never going on to the purpose for which you were born again….
Or we can truly lose all these things that make up our life,…which is influenced by the world’s attitudes….
…..and let Jesus bring another child into the glory of God.
You can not have both your life,……and Christ’s life…..
One will be seen, the other will be denied. Which will it be, Christian?
This is a process, and it is one where every area of your life is touched:
your past,
your future,
your plans,
the way you think,
your way of doing things.
But, I must stress, and this is important: This is between you and your Lord.
No one can intrude here.
It comes down to: “Not my will, but thine”, everyday.
If you do, you will come to the place in your experience with God…..and here is where “reality” is…..
…..where you are no longer resisting His Will in anything.
Here, you have power of choice…
At first you still might be under the power of some sin….but now you have been given liberty over that sin.
It is not instant obedience,…..but it is final obedience….you have determined to leave your old life, and go on with the Lord.
Are you ready for Christ to lead you into a closer relationship with Him?
He said, “ If” any man will come after Me.
So it is not forced. It must be a love relationship.
Nothing will make the way easier, than the growing knowledge of His love to you….and your love to Him.
The question is: will you come after Christ Jesus, by denying yourself, picking up your cross and following Him?
It’s your life, what will you do with it? He said, “If”….so, what will you do?
Keep it for yourself?
Or Follow Him into the reality of His life in me…in you?
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 