Chapter Focus: An important Chapter (and there are many!) about taking up our cross and following Christ. Imitating Jesus in all ways.
Come, Follow Me
We start by following the Way.
We learn the Truth by keeping the Commandments.
We find the Life by encountering Jesus.
And we reign with Jesus in His Kingdom by taking up our cross.
Thomas calls us all to shoulder our cross and join the battle with Christ as our Captain and King.
Chapter 56, In Short.
1. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life!
2. If you will enter into life, keep the Commandments.
3. Since Jesus’ life was despised, grant to me to imitate Him.
4. He who keeps God’s Commandments is the disciple that loves Him.
5. Lord, grant that I may be worthy to carry the cross laid upon me.
6. Come, let us go forward together.
Scripture Memory Prayer: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” (Jn 14:6)
Question: How has the Truth set you free?
Key Quote: Without the Way there is no going, without the Truth there is no knowing, without the Life there is no living.
The Text of Chapter 56: We Ought to Deny Ourselves, and Imitate Christ by Means of the Cross
Christ: “My Child, as much you can, go out of yourself in such a way as to relinquish control of yourself and be joined with God. Just as setting aside the desire for outward things works toward internal peace, so the forsaking your inward self joins you closer to God. It is My will that you learn perfect self-denial, living in My will without contradiction or complaint.
Follow Me: I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (Jn 14:6).
Without the Way there is no going,
Without the Truth there is no knowing,
Without the Life there is no living.
I am the Way which you ought to follow; the Truth which you ought to believe; the Life for which you ought to hope.
I am the Way unchangeable; the Truth infallible; the Life everlasting.
I am the Way altogether straight, the Truth supreme, the true Life, the blessed Life, the uncreated Life.
If you remain in My way you shall know the Truth, and the truth shall set you free (Jn 8:32), and you shall lay hold on eternal life.
2. “If you will enter into life, keep the Commandments (Matt 19:17,21).
If you will know the truth, believe in Me.
If you will be perfect, sell all that you have.
If you will be My disciple, deny yourself.
If you would possess the blessed life, despise this present life.
If you will be exalted in heaven, humble yourself in the world.
If you will reign with Me, bear the cross with Me; for only the servants of the cross find the way of blessedness and of true light.”
3. Disciple: O Lord Jesus, for as much as Your way is narrow and despised by the world, grant that I may imitate You in being despised by the world. For the servant is not greater than his lord, nor the disciple above his master (Jn 15:20). Let Your servant meditate on Your life, because there lies my salvation and true holiness. Whatever else I read or hear besides this, does not refresh me, nor give me delight.
4. Christ: “My child, because you know these things and have read them all, blessed shall you be if you do these things. He who has My Commandments and keeps them is the disciple that loves Me, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him, (Jn 14:21) and I will make him sit down with Me in My Father’s Kingdom.”
5. O Lord Jesus, as You have said and promised, even so let it be to me, and grant me to prove worthy of You. I have received the cross from Your hand; I have carried it, and will carry it even to my death, as You have laid it upon me.
Truly the life of a fully devoted servant is a cross, but it leads to paradise. I have begun the journey; and I pray that I may not turn back nor leave it (Lk 9:62).
6. Come, let us go forward together. Jesus shall be with us.
For Jesus’ sake we have taken up this cross, for Jesus’ sake let us persevere in the cross.
He will be our helper, Who is our Captain and Forerunner.
Behold our King enters in before us, and He will fight for us.
Let us follow bravely, let no one be afraid; let us be prepared to die bravely in battle, and let us not stain our honor as to fly from the cross (1 Mac 9:10).
