October 9th, 2025 Devotional

🌿 Living Water Vineyard — Thursday Devotion

Come and Die: Why the Narrow Road Is a Cross-Shaped Road

Matthew 7:13–14; Luke 9:23; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 1:29

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🕊️ Let’s Talk About It

What do you think about this — two gates, two roads, two crowds, and two destinations?

Jesus made it clear in Matthew 7 that every one of us is walking one of those two roads.

Yesterday we talked about the difference between being a fan of Jesus and being a follower. Fans admire Him when it’s convenient; followers obey Him when it costs.

So which road am I really on? The wide one that feels easy and popular, or the narrow one that leads to life — the one that always leads to Jesus?

And let’s be honest about who’s calling us. It’s not the comfort-chair and warm-blanket Jesus who just makes life easy. It’s the crucified Jesus who says,

“If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)

That’s not a catchy slogan, but it’s the truth that sets us free.

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✝️ Why the Cross?

In the first century, a cross wasn’t a symbol you wore — it was the place where Rome publicly humiliated and executed rebels. It represented pain, loss, and death.

And Jesus chose it.

He wasn’t looking for admirers; He was shaping disciples — people who would love Him more than comfort, applause, or control.

Paul said it like this:

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20)

If the narrow road never costs me anything, am I really carrying a cross?

That’s why I think so often of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor during World War II. He watched the church in Germany fall silent while Hitler rose to power. But Bonhoeffer refused to bow. He helped lead what was called the Confessing Church — a movement that declared Christ alone is Head of the Church.

He trained young pastors in secret, wrote a book called The Cost of Discipleship, and lived what he preached. It was Bonhoeffer who said,

“When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.”

That wasn’t poetry to him; it was reality. His conviction cost him his freedom and eventually his life. Just weeks before the end of the war, he was executed in a Nazi concentration camp. His final words were:

“This is the end — for me, the beginning of life.”

Bonhoeffer’s story still speaks — faith that costs nothing changes nothing.

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🛋️ Comfort Chair vs. Cross

Our culture trains us to choose ease: comfort, image, convenience, next-day-delivery faith.

But Jesus trains us to choose the cross: surrender, obedience, holiness, and love that bleeds.

“Comfort-chair and warm-blanket theology” promises a pain-free life if you just “have faith.”

The gospel promises Jesus — and a cross. One produces fragile faith that breaks under pressure; the other produces overcomers who keep walking, eyes fixed on Christ.

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🧭 What ‘Come and Die’ Looks Like — This Week

Let’s make it real:

   •   Die to pride → choose humility. Apologize first. Listen longer.

   •   Die to control → choose obedience. Do the right thing before you feel it.

   •   Die to comfort → choose costly love. Serve, give, show up, even when unseen.

   •   Die to self-protection → choose witness. Share your story. Invite someone to Jesus — and maybe to baptism this Sunday.

The narrow road hurts sometimes. But it’s where resurrection life breaks in.

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💦 Eyes Toward Sunday: Baptism

Baptism is both a funeral and a birthday — buried with Christ, raised with Christ.

It’s our public “Come and die” and our public “Christ lives in me.”

Maybe Thursday courage carries you into Sunday waters.

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💭 Three Questions for Today

1. Where is Jesus asking me to die to myself today — pride, comfort, control, or image?

2. What choice can I make in the next 24 hours that clearly puts obedience over ease?

3. Who needs my invitation — to church, to Jesus, or to baptism this Sunday?

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🙏 Prayer

Jesus, Crucified and Risen King,

teach me what it really means to follow You.

I lay down my comfort, my pride, and my control.

Lead me down the narrow road,

and let Your resurrection life rise in me.

Make me faithful today — even when it costs.

Amen.

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🎵 Worship Song: “Lead Me to the Cross” — Hillsong UNITED

Rid me of myself, I belong to You…

Lead me to the cross, where Your love poured out.