Paradox

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. (Mat 16:24)
 

Peter has just been rebuked for telling his Lord to take the easy way out. His Lord will now give him the right way.

The saying seems hard; but note that our Lord uses no compulsion—"if anyone." If you can't see the blessing, why would you do this? So let us consider first the price.

Deny himself

The phrase might best be turned around to "self-denial." But that really doesn't capture the meaning. Consider what it is to deny someone else. Suppose your child is arrested, again, for drunk driving. He appeals to you to bail him out of jail. You refuse; in so doing, you deny him. The test here is the same: will you refuse to take the easy way out of suffering for the cause of Christ?

It may also mean to push down your pride; to be humiliated for the cause. It is essentially a negative thing: a "don't."

Take up his cross

If "deny" is negative, "take" is positive. It means that you will do more than "put up with." You will actively do things which are painful, even to death.

To "take up" the cross starts with carrying it to the place of execution. By this Christ means that we are actively to work for his kingdom, at our own expense, life long.

But the cross ends in death, and if need be, we should be willing to die for the kingdom of God.

The Greek word used here carries with it the idea of take up the cross "at once, immediately." We are not to delay.

Follow me

The Greek in this case does not carry the idea of "immediately" but of "continuously." Anyone can suffer for their own sins and stupidity; we are to face suffering and death for the cause of Christ.

Why?

If you've ever been in the army, you know that the training is tough—because in combat, you will need that training. It is no kindness to train combat soldiers to be soft and lazy. Our Lord tells us the same here: to live in pride and ease—in what Paul calls the "carnal nature" - is not wisdom, but foolishness. The choice is our pride and comfort versus his kingdom; that same choice is life in this world alone versus life eternal. The choice is entirely voluntary. The choice is yours.