This powerful message confronts us with a radical question: if Jesus asked us to do something, would we actually do it? At the heart of this teaching is the call to authentic discipleship found in Matthew 16, where Jesus lays out three non-negotiable steps for following Him. First, we must pursue a real relationship with Christ—not just knowledge about Him, but genuine intimacy with Him. This isn't one-sided; God has already moved toward us through the cross, and now the next move is ours. Second, we're called to deny ourselves, which doesn't mean self-hatred but rather losing sight of our own interests to focus on His. This is where we trade our pride for His humility, our anxiety for His peace, our brokenness for His wholeness. Finally, we must take up our cross—not His cross, which He already carried, but our own unique calling and purpose. The message reminds us that denying ourselves doesn't kill us; it kills the things in us that are trying to kill us. When we pick up our cross, we pick up our purpose. This teaching challenges us to move beyond comfortable Christianity into a life where Christ is truly our focal point, where we live not for applause or approval but for the One who gave everything for us.