The Way of the Cross Leads Home    

Read: Mark 8:34-38 NIV – The Way of the Cross – Then he called – Bible Gateway

 “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Mark 8:34 NIV

What does it mean to be a Christ follower in 2025? How does one become a follower of Jesus today? One becomes a Christ follower the same way His first disciples did it. They followed Jesus’ instructions, “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’” (Mk.8:34 niv)

The idea of ‘denying ourselves’ is to cease making our lives all about us turning from our selfish ways. We must admit we all have some selfish ways within us. Jesus walked that road of denial and set the example for us. If we are to be His followers, we must do the same.

Taking up our cross is to suffer for Christ’s sake and denying ourselves. It is our willingness to lose our life to save it as Jesus said, “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.” (Mk.8:35 niv) You may save your physical life from persecution by denying Jesus and the gospel, but your eternal soul will be lost. Losing your life physically for Christ’s sake, the sake of the gospel, and the cross results in saving your life for all eternity, for the way of cross leads home.

Singer/song writer John Chisum’s recording ‘The Way of the Cross Leads Home.’ include these lyrics:

So I bid farewell to the way of the world

To walk in it no more

For my Lord says come and I seek my home

Where He waits at the open door

Oh, the way of the cross leads home

Yes the way of the cross leads home (1)

So let us deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow Jesus by way of His cross leading us home.

(1) Kirk Dearman, Kirk Carroll Dearman