Jesus said, “Take up your cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:2427). What did he mean? What did He not mean? Who was His audience? What happened before His hard saying? How does it apply to me?
Today, the cross is worn as a beautiful piece of jewelry. Christians view the cross as a cherished symbol of atonement, forgiveness, grace, and love. But in Jesus’ day, the cross represented a cruel and tortur…