Matthew 10:38

THE CROSS

‘He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me.’

Matthew 10:38

The Cross is held in honour now; not so in our Lord’s day.

I. The literal Cross.—It was a thing most hateful and most horrible. This must have been a very dark saying to the Apostles; they had never thought of the cross in connection with their Master or themseves.

II. The spiritual cross.—The literal cross is no longer to be feared; but the cross is still the emblem of our religion. The Lord has warned us that we must take up the cross daily; that without bearing the cross we cannot be His disciples.

III. Taking the cross.—The words imply acceptance; the cross is offered, the true disciple takes it. It is offered in many ways.

(a) In our religious duties—private prayer, the study of God’s Holy Word, public worship, the Holy Communion. It is easy to attend to these when all is well and comfortable, when we have no difficulties to contend with. But then there is no cross. The cross is offered to us when there are difficulties, when we are cold and wearied, when there is need of effort and self-denial, when the services seem to us to be dull and unattractive.

(b) In our ordinary occupations. In the little worries of daily life, in our family life, in our amusements, in our business, it is not easy to be always watchful, to keep the thought of God’s presence in our hearts, to try always to please Him.

IV. The cross of suffering.—In the daily round, the common tasks of life, there is abundant room for self-denial. The details of everyday life seem small and commonplace; but it is just in those little details that the trial of our faith commonly lies. If in these small matters we take the cross, we shall be prepared by God’s help to bear that heavier cross which must some day come.

V. Worthy of Christ.—There is no true religion without the cross; self-denial for Christ’s sake is the measure of our love for Him, and therefore of the reality of our religion. None that take not the cross are worthy of Christ (Revelation 3:4).