CLICK HERE FOR THE LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE CONTAINING DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Luke 9:23 “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”

• Is that charge suggesting we start at a place of suffering each day where we hang our head in shame of what I Christ endured to pay for our sins?
  
  
• What does it mean to deny oneself and take up the Cross?
  
  
• Jesus says this is the daily life of a true disciple.

Today’s passage gives us more understanding to Jesus’ charge.

Read Colossians 2:6-15

Our first day at the Cross is just the beginning of a new life. (6)

• Our lives are to root in this—deeply sourced by Jesus’ work on the Cross. (7)
  
  
• Our lives are to be built up—a daily growth. (7)
  
  
• Our faith in what He is doing is growing by the day. (7)
  
  
• Leading to gratefulness as we take note of what He is doing in and around us.
  • Intentionality creates awareness.
  • Giving thanks inspires the next day!

Two strategies used by Satan to divert us from living under the power of the Cross.

1. Creating an unhealthy view of human supremacy and capacity—humanism.
   
   
2. Changing the identity and role of Jesus Christ—early Gnosticism.

Humanism challenged (8):

• Philosophy is not the end, for it can be hollow and deceptive.
  • Hollow in that it stands only until the next ingenious thought.
  • Hollow in that it is not often tested in life but merely discussed for intellectual enrichment. Thought built upon thought vs. thought challenged by testing.
  • Deceptive in that philosophy submits to the most persuasive.
  • Deceptive in that it assumes man has no limits to knowledge.
• Human tradition begins with good intent but loses its purity with each passing generation.
  • What was intended to keep something near the heart becomes a legalistic expectation that strips heart of passion.
  • It becomes superior to that which it was originally meant to serve.
• Elemental forces (spiritual forces) are able to easily influence human centric thought and actions.

Gnosticism challenged (9):

• Jesus is fully God.
• Jesus is fully man.
• By His fullness we enter that fullness. (10a)
• He is over every power and authority in both heaven and on earth. He is the most superior of authority. (10b)

Jesus accomplished on the Cross what our flesh could not do on its own—defeating death to attaining life! (11-13)

• Circumcision of the heart verses circumcision by human hands. An act of identity and submission.  (11)
  
  
• Your inept and broken leadership of the flesh was “stripped off” and replaced by the rule of Christ in your heart. (11)
  
  
• The old self is buried just as He was and raised anew like He was by the power of God. (12)
  
  
• We were once were dead now we are alive! (13)

The Power of the Cross of Christ changes everything in how we approach each day.

1. The Cross of Christ makes peace with God on our behalf. (1:20)
   
   
2. The Cross of Christ cancels our debt taking away our condemnation. (14)
   • There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. Romans 8:1

3. The Cross of Christ exposes and disarms the enemy both physical and spiritual—He is victorious over them!
   • Rome was a proxy of Satan and so were the religious leaders of that day.
   • They are mere pawns in the grand scheme of how God is collecting His own.
   • Christ is the only authority and power to which we fully cast our hope for the Cross changed everything!

Prayer

Song- At the Cross (Chorus)

Communion

Song- How Marvelous

Benediction:

Luke 9:23 “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

That’s a great place to start our day—at the Cross where we meet Jesus each morning to follow Him.