Our guests today on the Everyday Faith Podcast are John & Shannon Velsor. You’ll remember John from our podcast about how to heal from betrayal. Together, they taught us about the profound concept of living a cruciform life and how difficult seasons can actually be a catalyst for transformation and blessing. Join us as we learn Bible verses about taking up your cross, what it means to take up your cross and follow Jesus, and discover practical tips about how to live a cruciform life.
The Cruciform Life
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Take up your cross?” This phrase is actually a powerful verse from the Bible that encourages us to live a cruciform life. Jesus even tells His disciples to take up their cross in each of the synoptic Gospels (Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23).
P.S. The Synoptic Gospels are Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Synoptic means that these Gospel accounts have similar structures and similar stories.
During our interview, our guest John Velsor defined the cruciform life as learning to live like Jesus and die like Jesus, shaped by the cross. If you’re wondering how to live the cruciform life, you start with living in total surrender to God. Next, you live in sacrificial love towards others. Sacrificial love means making the choice to love people, even when it’s hard. God showed us the most sacrificial love possible. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us to save us from sin.
Have you accepted Jesus into your heart yet? If not, today is your day! Head to our page on salvation and learn how to receive Jesus as Lord today: This is For You!
Bible Verses About Taking up Your Cross
Learning to live the cruciform life means following Jesus' commands to take up your cross and follow Him. While the primary Bible verses about taking up your cross are found in three key places, several cross-references in the Bible tell us more about the power of taking up your cross and how to become more like Jesus, every day.
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. - Luke 9:23
Bible verses about taking up your cross directly teach that Christians are supposed to deny themselves and follow Jesus. But, what does it mean to deny yourself?Denying yourself means choosing to be selfless when you could have made the choice to be selfish. For example, taking up your cross could look like choosing to be selfless in love towards your spouse, rather than saying selfish or entitled things.
Learn more about the value of marriage and the power of selfless love in our blog: What Does the Bible Teach About Marriage?
And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. - Matthew 10:38
This Bible verse about taking up your cross shows us a glimpse at the reality of following Jesus. Crosses in the Roman world were always associated with the act of crucifixion. Crucifixion was seen as shameful, humiliating, and it was also the most painful way to die in Jesus’ day. Even the word excruciating finds its root in the Latin term ‘excruciare’. In this Bible verse about taking up your cross, Jesus was speaking to the suffering that so many of His disciples would experience because they chose to follow Him.Regardless of suffering, the disciples chose to be faithful to Jesus and share the Gospel wherever they went.
Learn more about the cruciform life in our podcast episode with John Velsor:
And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. - Mark 8:34-35
This Bible verse about taking up your cross shows us what we lose and what we gain when we choose to follow Jesus. Jesus promised His followers that they would have trouble, but that they should take heart, because He overcame the world (John 16:33). No matter what you’re going through, Jesus promises to be with you, walk with you, and help you – even until the very end (Matthew 28:20).
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. - Galatians 2:20
Ever wondered what it means to be born-again (John 3:1-21)? Bible verses about taking up your cross often tell us that as Christians, we were crucified with Christ. This death wasn’t a physical death, but a spiritual death of our sin nature. This Bible verse about taking up your cross shows us that if you’ve accepted Jesus, Jesus lives inside of you now! Because you’ve taken up your cross and follow Him, it is no longer sin or the ways of the world running your life; Jesus is.
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33
Bible verses about taking up your cross remind the reader that though the world has trouble, because of Jesus' triumph over the cross, you don’t need to be afraid. Whether it’s betrayal, persecution, or trials and tribulations, Bible verses about taking up your cross show us that though these things may happen, we can have the peace of Jesus ruling in our hearts instead of anxiety.
Learn more about how to have peace, no matter what you’re going through: How to Have Joy & Peace in Difficult Times
Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. - Luke 14:27
This Bible verse about taking up your cross comes from Luke 14. This passage uses strong language to describe following Jesus. If we don’t pick up our crosses and follow Jesus, we can’t be His disciples. Christianity isn’t a band-aid for life or a get-rich-quick scheme: following Jesus means total surrender to the one true God, who wants everyone to know Him.
Discover the basics of evangelism and how to share your faith in our blog: How to Share Your Faith Without Fear
I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.- Romans 12:1
Bible verses about taking up your cross remind believers that their bodies are living sacrifices unto God. As Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, He told the Father, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). This Bible verse about taking up your cross shows us that worship is more than singing songs on Sunday. Worship is our whole lives and our whole hearts surrendered to God: spirit, soul, and body.
Learn more about surrender from NFL & Super Bowl Champion, Ben Utecht: How to Live a Life Surrendered to God
But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. - Galatians 6:14
This Bible verse about taking up your cross shows us how Jesus took the pain of the cross and turned it into a symbol of resurrection. Now, Christians boast in the cross of Christ and what it means. Bible verses about taking up your cross encourage Christians to be alive to God, dead to the world, and to boast in the testimony of Jesus.
Hear a wild testimony of how Jesus turned a drug addict into an evangelist: How Jesus Saved Me From Addiction
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. - 1 John 1:7
Bible verses about taking up your cross encourage Christians to walk in the light, not in the darkness, and to confess their sins to one another. The blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross is what cleanses us from sin. Because of Jesus, we now walk in the light and share His light with the world. How can you take up your cross, follow Jesus, and share His love with someone going through a rough time this week?
Saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” - Luke 22:42
This Bible verse about taking up your cross shows that Jesus wrestled with God and the pain of the cross. While praying before the crucifixion, He boldly asked the Lord to remove the cup of suffering from Him. However, Jesus shows us how to take up our cross by giving us the simple prayer, “Not my will, but yours be done.”
Learn more about how to follow Jesus while you’re walking through suffering: The God Who Meets Us in Suffering: Jesus the Healer
I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death. - Philippians 3:10
Bible verses about taking up your cross invite us to suffer with Jesus and share in His death. For example, when you experience rejection or are mistreated because of your faith, you are sharing in Jesus’ suffering. Many still turn away from Jesus’ message of love, salvation, and healing. When you choose to still follow Jesus despite suffering, you are taking up your cross and following Him.
What Does “Take Up Your Cross” Mean?
Did you know the cross beam that Jesus carried was anywhere from 70 - 125 pounds? While that’s the literal weight of the cross Jesus carried, the message is that sometimes the Christian life will get heavy.
Thankfully, Jesus promises to be with us and to help us, and He invites us to take His yoke upon us, for His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30). The simple meaning of taking up your cross and following Jesus is…
- Self-denial: When you die to selfish ambition and selfish gain, you are practicing Jesus’ way and taking up your cross to follow Him.
- Self-sacrifice: As you grow in taking up your cross and following Jesus no matter what, you’ll find that your whole life is a sacrifice to God. Your money, your time, your comfort, and even your life are laid down as offerings to God when you take up your cross and follow God.
- Embracing surrender: Rather than running from discomfort, pain, and the realities of taking up your cross, as you grow in following Jesus, you’ll find yourself embracing surrender and embracing discomfort for the sake of Christ.
- Living for others: As you take up your cross and follow Jesus, you’ll find that you enjoy living for others rather than for yourself. It may sound silly to the world, but despite the pain of taking up your cross, it is actually the best way to live as you fulfill the first and second commandments (Matthew 22:37-40).
Conclusion
The Biblical command to take up your cross and follow Jesus is not about living a perfect life; it’s about daily choosing to surrender to God, even when it’s hard. This is the cruciform life that John & Shannon Velsor have chosen to live. The Bible clearly shows us that following Christ means living a life of self-denial, self-sacrifice, and choosing to prefer others over ourselves. And what do we get in return? We get the life and life more abundantly that Jesus promised, and the true peace and purpose that can only be found in Him. As you lay down your own will and make the costly choice to live for God and serve others, you will reflect the heart of Jesus to a world in need. No matter the weight of the cross you carry, Jesus promises to walk with you and strengthen you as you share His love with the world.
Want help along the way? Listen to the Everyday Faith Podcast to boost your faith and your identity in God. You can listen to the Everyday Faith Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. New episodes drop weekly!
