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Do you want to be a follower of Christ, one who serves him?  Do you want to be a disciple, a true Christian?  There are many ideas about what a Christian is and how to become one.

The obvious thing to do, though, is to go back to what Jesus himself says.  He founded Christianity, if you like.  What did he say?  Forget man's ideas and listen to him.

In Luke 9:23, Jesus explains how to follow him.  "If anyone would come after me he must ..."

The negative requirements

"... deny himself and take up his cross daily."  Here is a negative and it is put in two ways so that we can be clear about it.

1.  You must deny yourself

We can talk about self-denial to refer to fasting, or other forms of going without.  That is, of course, a form of self-denial - but here Jesus is speaking of self-denial of the strictest sort: not denying oneself this or that, but actually denying self - saying "No" to self in all its varied manifestations.

In Luke 14:26 Jesus repeats himself but speaks of self-denial differently: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters - yes, even his own life - he cannot be my disciple."  So, if you love anyone, even yourself, more than Christ, you can't be Jesus's disciple.

This, of course, cuts to the heart of our basic problem.  The affirmation of self is our natural way of thinking.  Believing in yourself is a popular idea, but if you're ever going to come to Christ, you must do the very opposite.  Forget about putting confidence in yourself - in what you are and in what you do.

2.  You must take up your cross daily

The disciples had all seen a man carrying his cross.  Crucifixion was a horrible means of execution practised by the Romans and reserved for the lowest criminals.  Part of the whole humiliating act was requiring the victim to carry his cross, or part of it, to the place of execution.  Imagine people lining the way to watch a man, condemned to die, taking his final steps.  Here is a condemned man.  There's something tragic about it, something poignant.  Now that's how to be a Christian.  Carry a cross.  Notice in particular:

• Not "bear the cross".  People say, "This is the cross I have to bear."  Rather, it's take up the cross.  It's something we actively decide to do.  We must deny ourselves in such a way that it's like taking up a cross, like walking deliberately to the gallows or electric chair.
• It must be done daily.  It's not a once for all thing, but a daily commitment.  You took up the cross in self-denial yesterday; you must take it up again today, and tomorrow, and for as long as you live here on earth.

What does this mean in practice?  What's this self-denial and cross bearing Jesus speaks of?  Elsewhere in the Bible it is spoken of as repentance, which is turning from self and from sin.  "... If by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live." (Romans 8:13)  "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry." (Colossians 3:5) 

Have you done this?  Are you doing it?  Do you daily take up your cross and deny yourself?  Without it you can't be a true disciple of the Lord.

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The positive requirement

"... and follow me".  Nothing could be simpler.  To be a disciple of Jesus you have to turn from self and, taking up your cross, follow him.

Again it's a picture.  To follow someone is to go where they go and, to a great extent, do what they do.  It's to keep your eyes on them and imitate them, to make them your model and pattern.  That's what we must do as far as Christ is concerned.

Elsewhere it is spoken of as trusting in Jesus, putting your confidence in him, looking to him, or coming to him.  The idea of following stresses that this isn't once for all but ongoing.  Like carrying the cross, it's something you do daily.  Every day, lift that cross, always keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus and following him.

Are you doing that?  "Follow, follow, I would follow Jesus.  Anywhere, everywhere, I would follow on.  Everywhere he leads me I would follow on."  Is that you?