JesusSmartX

A good dose of American Christianity has settled for blessing without the cross, comfort without death, resurrection without crucifixion. But apostolic Christ-following operates on a radically different principle: life comes through death.In this episode, we're exploring what it means to build on the firm foundation of Christ in a world where everyone around you is building on sand. We're talking about pulling down the blueprint God designed for your life over your work, your family, the places your feet touch, and why the cross must precede the life of the resurrection in every area where you want Kingdom breakthrough.This is the daily dynamic of dying to ego, perceived rights, and the small kingdoms we build for ourselves so the life of Jesus can be released through us. It's about living an ascended life where you operate from above rather than scramble from below.If you're tired of half-life Christianity and ready to live out your full potential in Christ, this episode may challenge what you thought following Jesus meant.----------See the full episode transcript below.👉 Enhanced show notes: JesusSmart.com/367👉 Support the podcast (use the Smart Edit BMAC page): buymeacoffee.com/SmartEdit👉 Explore more episodes: JesusSmart.com/podcastIf this episode gave you a fresh perspective on Kingdom Living, share it with someone who needs encouragement.Be sure to follow the podcast—each episode is designed to help you think more clearly and pursue the kind of life only Jesus makes possible.Stay current via The Smart Edit newsletter—Elevate your faith. Live smart. Make an impact. Free. Weekly. 5 minutes to grow. Sign up at JesusSmart.com/smartedit.----------EPISODE TRANSCRIPT: Take Up Your Cross: Apostolic Living in a Sand-Built WorldIntroduction: The Question Before UsHey there, my friend. Welcome to the podcast. This is Brian Del Turco. Here's a question for us: What does it actually mean to follow Jesus in a way that brings heaven's culture into the now, into our everyday life? Not just spiritual theory, but actual Kingdom breakthrough — practically in our work, our family, the places that our feet touch, the things that our hands reach out to and touch. The world is waiting to see a witness of Jesus' Kingdom in a practical way.I'm suggesting that most American Christianity has drifted toward personal life enhancement, comfort, blessing without the cross. But apostolic Christ-following — let's use that word as an adjective, apostolic — apostolic Christ-following, the kind Jesus modeled in His very life and that He calls us into, operates on a radically different principle: Life comes through death.Today we're exploring what it means to build on the firm foundation of Christ Himself, to live out the blueprint that God designed for our life, and why the cross must precede the resurrection in every area where we want to see Kingdom breakthrough.This is actually a recording of an episode, a short episode — it's very tight — that I did a number of years ago actually, and I'm just introing it right now. I did this episode out in the woods. I had a portable digital recorder. I was out with the trees and the sunshine coming through the leaves. So the sound is good — slightly different than a normal recording sound, but it's good, high-quality audio. It was done outside. I think I probably had a piece of paper with some bullet-point notes on it. I must have.This is episode 367. I think we're calling this "The Cross Dynamic: Apostolic Living in a Sand-Built World." Again, I'm Brian Del Turco, and this is the Jesus Smart X podcast.Before we dive in, if you want these Kingdom realities sharpened and applied to the noise of our cultural moment every week, please subscribe to the Smart Edit newsletter at jesussmart.com/smartedit. It's free, it's direct, cuts through the noise, cuts through the fog. I'd love to have you on the list.All right, let's talk about what it means to actually follow an apostolic Jesus.Apostolic Living: Building on the Firm FoundationYeah, in the middle of the trees, the sun breaking through the leaves. And I love the versatility of this kind of recorder to be able to do that.I really believe that the Holy Spirit is restoring and breathing upon apostolic — apostolic as an adjective — breathing upon believers and wanting to restore apostolic Christ-following. Now, what do I mean?Apostolic living under Christ is concerned with building as a master craftsman and pulling down the design from above over your life, over the lives of those you run with, your families, over what you're connected to in your work, what you put your hands to, over companies of believers — the church, the ecclesia. The design is foundational.If you read the Apostle Paul in the New Testament, he would say things like, "I've laid a foundation, and that foundation is Christ." You see, apostolic Christ-following is not me-centered. It's not anthropocentric. It's not man-centered. It's Christocentric. It's Christ as the foundation.And