Following Jesus Requires Daily Surrender
Take up your cross daily – this is the call Jesus gives everyone who chooses to follow Him. Following Jesus is more than attending church, knowing Scripture, or making a one-time commitment. It is a daily decision to surrender our own desires, trust God’s direction, and live according to His Word.
In this Sunday sermon, Pastor Steve Linton challenges The Journey Church to examine what it truly means to take up our cross and follow Jesus.
Drawing from Matthew 16:24–26 and Luke 9:23, Pastor Steve explores three essential instructions Jesus gave His followers: deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him.
An Invitation to Follow Jesus
Jesus does not force anyone to follow Him. Instead, He extends an invitation and makes it clear that discipleship requires sacrifice.
Following Christ means more than recognizing who He is. It means allowing Him to transform how we think, the decisions we make, and the direction of our lives.
Knowing who Jesus is and actually following Him are two different things.
Deny Yourself, Take Up Your Cross, and Follow Him
Pastor Steve breaks down three important steps in our relationship with Christ:
Deny Yourself: Surrender the desire to control every aspect of your life. Instead of allowing selfish ambitions, personal comfort, or worldly priorities to lead you, place God’s will first.
Take Up Your Cross: Carrying our cross is not simply enduring everyday inconveniences. It means willingly laying aside our own agenda and following God’s direction, even when obedience requires sacrifice.
Follow Him: True discipleship involves action. Our faith should be evident in our relationships, decisions, workplaces, and daily lives.
Jesus never asks us to carry something He has not already experienced Himself. He understands sacrifice, suffering, and the cost of obedience.
Why Daily Surrender Matters
In Luke 9:23, Jesus reminds us that we must take up your cross daily as part of our commitment to following Him. This daily surrender is not simply a religious obligation but a personal decision to place God’s will above our own.
Pastor Steve reminds us that a powerful moment at the altar can change our lives, but the real work of discipleship continues when we return to our everyday routines.
The temptations, struggles, responsibilities, and pressures of life do not disappear simply because we choose to follow Christ.
Each new day presents another opportunity to surrender our will, strengthen our relationship with God, and choose obedience over personal desires.
Spiritual growth requires more than a Sunday experience. It requires a consistent, personal relationship with Jesus through prayer, Scripture, and faithful living.
Living Today With Eternity in Mind
Throughout the message, Pastor Steve challenges us to consider how much time and energy we devote to temporary things compared to our eternal relationship with God.
Careers, possessions, financial security, and personal achievements often consume our attention. While these things have a place in life, they should never become more important than following Christ.
Using a visual illustration of a rope representing eternity, Pastor Steve reminds us that our time on earth is incredibly brief compared to what lies ahead.
The choices we make today matter because eternity matters.
A Daily Commitment to Christ
Pastor Steve offers a simple approach to following Jesus each day:
- Deny yourself. Begin each morning by surrendering control to God.
- Take up your cross. Be willing to confront the habits, attitudes, and decisions that keep you from His purpose.
- Follow Jesus. Allow His direction to guide your relationships, responsibilities, and actions.
Then tomorrow, make that same commitment again.
The Challenge: Are you truly following Jesus each day, or are you simply going through the motions of church? What are you holding on to that God is asking you to surrender?
Join Pastor Steve for this powerful reminder that following Christ is not just a decision we make once. It is a life we choose to live every day.
Scripture References:
Looking for more messages to strengthen your walk with Christ? Explore our latest sermons from The Journey Church.
