Who is Jesus? He is the Messiah sent to suffer death on the cross for the atonement of our sin. What is Jesus calling us to do? To follow Him in dying to ourselves by picking up our crosses. Why is Jesus calling us to do this? Because as we learn to die to ourselves our souls are reborn in the image of His likeness. The process of killing sin and living righteously is learning that our souls are eternal, we can have all the wolrd gives us but it won't please or redeem our souls. When is this process, this new kingdom, going to start? At the cross and resurrection of Jesus we see a Kingdom expand from just a local place (Israel) and a specific people (Jews) to an innagurated eschatology. A beginning of the end. The Kingdom of God is now, take up your cross and follow Him.
