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” (Matt. 16:24).
In a world that constantly encourages self and the pursuit of personal comfort, the words of Jesus in Matt. 16:24 stands as a direct challenge. Jesus lays out the fundamental requirements for anyone who wishes to be His disciple.
This verse is not a suggestion for a better life; it is a call to total commitment. To “deny oneself” is often misunderstood as merely giving up something for appearance reasons. But it means dethroning “self” from the center of life and allowing Christ to take the driver’s seat.
It is a daily decision to surrender personal agendas, comfort, and rights to align with God’s will. This is why He calls us to be transformed. In the first-century Roman world, the cross was not a piece of jewelry or a symbol of fashionable faith; it was an instrument of torture, shame, and immediate death. When Jesus told His disciples to “take up their cross,” they would have pictured a condemned criminal not only carrying the instrument of his execution but also being willing to die upon it for Christ’s sake. For it is one thing to carry the cross and quite another to hang on it. Taking up the cross means being willing to die to the old life, day by day, and to embrace the rejection that sometimes accompanies loyalty to Jesus.
The final, and most essential, part of this invitation is to follow. Following Jesus is about imitating His life, His obedience to the Father, and His servant-hearted love. It is walking in His steps, even when they lead through difficult places. Immediately following this verse, Jesus explains the paradox of this path: “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matt. 16:25).
The world tells us to protect our lives, seek pleasure, and hoard security. Jesus teaches that true, eternal life is found only in surrender to Him. As missionary Jim Elliot famously wrote, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose.”
This verse is not just for the 12 apostles or for those facing immediate physical persecution. It is a daily mandate for every believer, calling us to live in a way that is “cross-centered” rather than “self-centered.” Following Jesus is not a path of ease, but it is a path of profound purpose and eternal reward.
From Our Missionaries
Ebenezer, West Little Rock: Ruben Isturiz writes, “Dear brothers and sisters, I am writing to share an update on the progress at Ebenezer. Planting a church involves several stages. Currently, although we remain focused on prayer and connecting with the community, we have entered a key phase: shepherding our core group, training leaders, and discipling those who will reproduce themselves in others. This past weekend was a testament to this growth. Kory and I had to travel to visit our daughter Zuly regarding college matters, and in our absence, the church functioned smoothly. This fills us with gratitude, as our vision is for God to generate a gospel movement where each member multiplies. It is hard work that requires constant communication, training, and encouragement — especially when serving people from different religious backgrounds who are learning to see the Christian life through a biblical lens.
“Weekly pastoral work continues to be challenging. Last week, we faced a strong spiritual battle with difficulties in several homes. However, after calling Kory and other brothers to prayer, we had a very blessed celebration service. As the Bible urges us, we remain spiritually vigilant, for the enemy prowls around like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8), always trusting in God’s protection. I am deeply grateful for your support and ask that you continue to pray for us. Your support is essential to this mission. To God be the glory!”
Faith Chapel, Flippin: Johnny Shew writes, “We had another great week at Faith Chapel! Our numbers were down a little from last week, but we still had a good number and a great time of worship. And for the second week in a row, we had a baptism following the service. As Bro. Hershel says, “We don’t mind a high water bill!” We baptized two more of our young folks, and they were excited, and their parents and grandparents were really proud and happy. We have three generations of that family as members, seven of them total. We also have a four-generation family as members, with seven of them as well. Praise God for bringing them all here to be part of our church family!
“The plumbers came on Friday, but they are not finished, so hopefully they will be back tomorrow. It is all coming together: the youth have picked out their classrooms and are getting them set up the way they want, and they are all excited to move out of the fellowship hall into their own classrooms. It is good to see them excited about church and about Jesus! We are painting doors, installing cove base molding, and touching up paint. Soon, we will be finished with the building and able to focus more on evangelism and discipleship.
“We thank you all again for your support that has enabled us to build this building, but especially for your prayers. Please continue — God hears and answers them.”
Faith Journey, Benton: Bryan Clay writes, “We had a sweet week celebrating Valentine’s Day by sharing God’s love with others. Our youth and adults made homemade Valentine’s cards last Sunday night, and we were able to pass them out during our worship and Bible studies with our local nursing facilities that we see each week. It was such a blessing to see the smiles on their faces and remind each of them that they are loved.
“On Sunday morning, we talked about the ‘love chapter,’ 1 Corinthians 13, and what it really means to live out God’s love in our everyday relationships. We were reminded that without love, nothing else matters.
“One example of this love in action is one of our ladies from the mission who has been giving her time to pick up a new visitor for both Sunday morning service and Sunday evening Bible study. Love equals time — and she’s living that out loud. One verse that kept coming to mind this week was Psalm 136:1 (ESV), “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His faithful love endures forever.” Grateful for a week full of love, service, and growing together!”
Misión Gracia Soberana (Sovereign Grace), NWA:Roberto Marcelletti writes, “This week we saw the mighty hand of God move in our mission. We were able to start a new connection group in our apartment, and five new people attended. It was an extraordinary time as Patty, my wife, and I shared the gospel with them. Now we have three weekly connection groups — in Rogers, Bentonville, and Springdale.
“On Saturday, we had a service direction workshop where those who serve in our Sunday gatherings learned biblical principles about organizing and caring for visitors. Our desire is to serve with excellence so that in everything the name of God will be exalted.
“On Sunday in our Sunday school, the theme was the ordinances, and Claudia and her daughter, Clarisse, showed a desire to be baptized. To conclude the service, we welcomed four guests whom Claudia invited, and three of them gave their lives to Christ.”
Epic Life, Pea Ridge: Jake McCandless writes, “We are looking forward to our Connect and Discover Night that has gotten snowed out twice. It is scheduled for Sunday at 5 p.m. Pray for us as we look forward to this night of outreach. This past week, both of our active groups met, but both were affected by illness. Along with their study, the Garfield group had a fellowship night. We hope everyone is on the mend for our gatherings this week.”
