Following Christ Above Self
"If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Mat_16:24).
Jesus Christ had been telling the disciples how He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders, and of the chief priests, and of the scribes, and be killed. Peter had taken Him and said unto Him, "Be it far from Thee, Lord (pity Thyself, Lord): this shall not be unto Thee". Christ, in turn, had rebuked Peter and said, "Get thee behind Me, Satan: thou art an offence unto Me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men".
Among men there is a notable saying: "This first of all to thine own self be true." Another saying, much more vulgar, is this one: "Look out for number one." In either case, such words place "self" in the wrong place, positionally. We must, first of all, be true to God; and then be true to ourselves and true to our fellow-men.
There is much taught these days about self-denial, that does not go far enough. We have, in many churches, a self-denial week. We are asked to deny to ourselves certain luxuries, or even certain necessities. This may be commendatory, but. it is not what Christ meant, when He said, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me". To deny something to ourself, is not denying ourselves.
Take, by way of example, the life of the Apostle Paul. How wonderfully was he fore-spent for God. He threw himself and all that he was into the service of God. He counted no sacrifice too great, no journey too hazardous, and no service too sacrificial for Christ.
Under the statue of Nathan Allen in New York city, are inscribed the words, "Would that I had two lives to give to my country." Nathan Allen had the spirit for his country that we need toward our Christ. We should be willing to give our lives for Him.
Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR