A woman was leaving Starbucks with her morning coffee when she noticed an unusual funeral procession approaching the nearby cemetery. A long black hearse was followed by a second long black hearse about 50 feet behind. Behind the second hearse was a solitary woman walking a pit bull on a leash. Behind her were 200 women walking single file. The woman couldn't contain her curiosity. She respectfully approached the woman walking the dog and said, "I am so sorry for your loss, and I know now is a bad time to disturb you, but I've never seen a funeral like this. Whose funeral is it?" The woman replied, "Well, that first hearse is for my ex-husband." "I'm so sorry. What happened to him?" The woman replied, "My dog attacked and killed him." "Well, then who is in the second hearse?" The woman answered, "His girlfriend. She was trying to help my ex when the dog turned on her." A thoughtful moment of silence passed between the two women. Then the inquisitive lady asked, "Can I borrow the dog?" To which the woman replied: "Get in line."

Although we may chuckle at that story, it paints an interesting picture. They were all following that woman out to the cemetery. And the reason they were following her is because they wanted someone dead. In a strange way, Jesus spoke about something similar in our Gospel lesson for this morning. He too was talking about a funeral procession, if you will. That's what He meant, when He said: "IF ANYONE WOULD COME AFTER ME, HE MUST DENY HIMSELF AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY AND FOLLOW ME." You see, when we follow Jesus, it is not a walk in the park. Rather, it is a death march. And the one we need to put to death is our sinful self, our Old Adam. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer used to say: "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." That's what it means to follow Jesus.

But how exactly do we do that? Well, as Jesus indicates in our text it begins by denying ourselves. The Greek word there actually means: 'to disown someone.' Like a parent who will have nothing to do with their child, because they're so ashamed of them. Although we would never want to see that in a family relationship, that's precisely the attitude we're to have towards our sinful human nature. We should be so ashamed of our sinful thoughts, words and deeds that we want nothing to do with them. Instead of wallowing in our lustful desires, giving into greed and selfishness, using our tongue for mean and vindictive words, we ought to reject and renounce the ways of the flesh by daily putting them to death. For that's what Jesus was talking about, when He said we must take up our cross and follow Him.

The well known Bible commentator, William Barclay gives us an interesting insight into that thought. He notes that Jesus was a lad of about eleven years of age, when Judas the Galilean led a rebellion against the Roman government. Judas had raided the royal armoury at Sepphoris, which was only four miles from Nazareth. The Roman vengeance was swift and sudden. Sepphoris was burned to the ground, its inhabitants were sold into slavery, and 2,000 of the rebels were crucified on crosses, which were set in lines along the roadside. This was done as a dreadful warning to others tempted to rebel.

That incident gives a deeper meaning to Jesus' exhortation to take up our cross. After all, the purpose of a cross is to crucify someone. And that's what we need to do to our rebellious sinful nature. We need to daily crucify the Old Adam by contrition or sorrow over our sin. This doesn't mean being sorry that we got caught, but rather heart-felt sorrow that we have gone against God's will. And then we need to repent of those sins, by confessing them to God, and admitting that we were wrong. For to repent, means to turn away from our sin and to turn to Jesus in faith to forgive us.

Dear friends, the wonderful promise that we have in the Gospel is that Jesus' forgiveness for us is always rich and full and free. And the reason it is, is because He first took up the cross for you and me. He denied Himself, by gladly and willingly leaving behind the glories of heaven and taking on human flesh and blood to suffer in our place. And He not only took on our humanity, He also took our sin upon Himself to destroy it once and for all. For when He was crucified on that cross, He also crucified our guilt and shame and did away with it forever.

That's what He was getting at, when He told His disciples: "THE SON OF MAN MUST SUFFER MANY THINGS." You see, the word 'must' is the Greek word for a necessary compulsion. Jesus was compelled by His great love for us, compelled to suffer torture, shame and death. And the reason He had to, was so that you and I might be spared the shame and torture of eternal death in Hell. He poured out His saving, cleansing, life-giving blood as the ultimate down-payment, to buy us back from sin, death and hell, and cancel out our debt of iniquity forever. In other words, He gave His life in exchange for our life, so that we might gain the ultimate life - eternal life with Him in heaven. And it is out of thanks for all of that, that He calls us to follow Him.

The interesting thing is that the word 'follow' is actually the word for an 'attendant,' kind of like a squire or a valet, who sees to the master's every need. Well, that's the kind of loyal service we ought to render to Jesus, out of gratitude for all that He's done for us. And we do that by giving up our will to accomplish His will. As a matter of fact, when Jesus said: "IF ANYONE WOULD COME AFTER ME," what He literally said was: "IF ANYONE WOULD COME BEHIND ME." That should be our position of service - not running ahead of Jesus to do our own thing, but following behind Him in submission to His Word. In other words, we follow Him by daily using our time, talents and treasures to help others and spread the Gospel of His kingdom.

Which means that part of our following Jesus involves our confession of faith. Like St. Peter in our text we need to boldly profess Jesus to the world, profess Him as Christ the Messiah, the Savior of all. And we do that by using the opportunities He gives us to witness about Him and share His love with others. Maybe it means talking to a hurting co-worker and sharing a good word from God's Word. Maybe it means visiting a friend in the hospital and praying with them. Maybe it means inviting a neighbor to come to church to hear about Jesus. In these and many other ways, we can confess our faith to the world. And we may have to do it in the face of ridicule and persecution. That too, is part of taking up our cross and following Jesus.

In a way, it's like what we celebrate on this day, July 4th. You see, the original signers of the Declaration of Independence immediately became outlaws, objects for the hangman's noose, if they were captured by the British army. Most paid dearly for it. Five were captured and tortured before their deaths. Two lost sons in battle. Nine fought and died from wounds received. Many of them were wealthy farmers, lawyers or businessmen, who would up bankrupt and destitute. Freedom cost them everything. Well freedom cost Jesus everything too - it cost Him His life to bring us true freedom, the freedom of forgiveness and salvation. And the way that we follow Him is by sharing that eternal freedom with others, no matter what the cost.

Once there was a little girl, who proudly wore a shiny cross on a chain around her neck. One day she was approached by a rather crabby old man. He said to her, "Young lady, I imagine you think Jesus died on a cross for you. If He did, and I'm not saying He did, then I don't think that cross was pretty like the one you're wearing. It was an ugly wooden thing. I don't think you should wear it as a piece of jewelry. After all, you wouldn't wear a hangman's noose or an electric chair around your neck, would you?" The young girl thought about it for a moment, and then with a wisdom beyond her years replied: "Yes sir, I do believe Jesus died for me on a cross. And I know that His cross would not have been as pretty as mine. But I also know, sir, what they told me in Sunday School." "Oh, and what was that" the man snapped. The little girl replied: "In Sunday School my teacher told me that whatever Jesus touches, He changes. I think that is true for this cross. And I know that it's true for me."

What a wonderful answer! Although Jesus' cross was an ugly thing, an instrument of torture and death, by taking up that cross for us He transformed it into something beautiful, the vehicle of our forgiveness and salvation. And by repentance and faith in Him, we too have been transformed into His beautiful, forgiven children. Dear friends, may that Good News motivate us to daily deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him, by witnessing the Gospel and boldly confessing our faith until He comes again. Amen.

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