Galatians 2:20 (ESV) - 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.

Mark 15:16–20 (NLT) - 16 The soldiers took Jesus into the courtyard of the governor’s headquarters (called the Praetorium) and called out the entire regiment. 17 They dressed him in a purple robe, and they wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head. 18 Then they saluted him and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” 19 And they struck him on the head with a reed stick, spit on him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship. 20 When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified. Luke 23:26 (NLT) - 26 As they led Jesus away, a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, happened to be coming in from the countryside. The soldiers seized him and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.

Simon Says:

1. The cross was not in my PLANS.

1. Christianity means that you forgo what you want to do. 
2. Peter learned this lesson several times.
   1. Matthew 16:22–25 (NLT) - 22 But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
   2. John 21:22 (NLT) - 22 Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”
3. Those who are led by the Spirit are the sons of God.

2. The cross was not what I DESIRED.

1. Galatians 5:24–25 (NLT) — 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
2. Our surrender doesn’t stop with our PLANS; it also impacts what you DESIRE. 
3. Cravings
   1. Lust of the flesh 
   2. Lust of the eyes  
   3. Pride of life
4. God says, crucify your desires.

3. The cross was not good for my IMAGE.

1. John 15:18–19 (NLT) - 18 “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.
2. Luke 6:22 (NLT) - 22 What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man.
3. Following Jesus will sometimes cause your image to be marred, misunderstood, or persecuted.

4. The cross interrupted my COMFORT

1. The goal of Christianity is not to live comfortably; often, it will thrust you into an uncomfortable place.
2. 2 Corinthians 11:24–26 (NLT) - 24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 26 I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.