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We have reached these verses in Luke Chapter 14 from verse 25 where Jesus Christ, the Son of God, speaks about discipleship and the cross. In various places today these are not the most popular of topics – that is, if they ever were!

Some people have made all kinds of things their crosses - some say - 'O that's the cross I have to carry.' It may be a sickness - or the consequence of their sin or someone else's sin.

But a cross in the terms which Jesus means is -

1. Persecution.

2. Opposition because you follow Jesus.

3. The cross is what you carry - when those who despise you because you follow Jesus Christ the Son of God, give you a rough time.

4. The cross is that degree of suffering because you are Christ's - die - it is death to self - and you refuse to deny Him.

5. The Cross is what men do to you because you walk and live according to God and His Word and His Ways and His Will for you.

It comes to us usually not very long after we take our stand for Jesus.

Jesus says to us - Now if you are going to be Mine - if you are going to be one of My faithful disciples - CARRY THAT CROSS.

One lesson we have to learn within the Christian Fellowship is how to share the burden of the cross - to share sorrows and hurts and wounds which have arisen from what people may have said or done to us - simply because we have belonged to Jesus Christ and have sought to be obedient to His Word.

The early church shared their suffering - as well as their blessings and riches. There is a sharing of money and problems - a sharing of testimony and trials and tribulations.

This is Christian Fellowship - it is more than a cup of coffee - or a cup of tea – much more.

Jesus Christ never gave people soft options, and Jesus lost many by asking people to sit down and count the cost of discipleship. Jesus tells us before we sign up - but we seldom hear everything He says. How many of us are only now discovering what is in the Word in this area of service and ministry?

We normally only hear the bits we want to hear - that 'I love you' - that I forgive you - that I will be with you always and never leave you - (that can be a threat as well as a promise).

Jesus always wants us to think. He wants us to work out what this is going to mean. There are occasions when we need to use our baptised brains.

It is easy to start to build a tower, but will you be able to finish it? No man just rushes out and gets a mortgage. (How many today wish they had taken more time over that one?)

No - a man is told to sit down and work out what might be involved - 'let's count the cost' - let's work it out - let's consider the options and the possibilities - so that when it get hard going, we will not be too surprised - nor will we complain - because we will have already worked out the cost.

And the higher a tower goes - the harder it is - and to begin with the deeper the foundation has to be. The deeper you go with Jesus - the harder and more powerful will it be - deep foundations.

Remember that hole the men dug to go to the moon. That is how it begins - not digging a hole for yourself - but a launch pad.

The higher you want to build - the deeper the foundation have to be - and excavations are costly - and you feel as though you are going in the wrong direction - and you seem to be seeing so little for all the effort. You are removing all the rubbish - all the soft soil and rubble - all the sand - between you and the rock, on which you are going to build.

There are times when it is good to stop and check that our foundations are strong and sound so that we can continue to stand when the going becomes rougher and tougher.

Be sure of this – over these next weeks and months it will become rougher and tougher for disciples of Jesus Christ. Many have already experienced that in various parts of the world.

"Voice of Inspiration" from Andy Castro

I See Dead People (Updated Version)