The Cost of Discipleship

Mark 8:31–38 ESV

And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Introduction

Perhaps some of you have heard the saying that every “yes” implies that there is also going to be a “no.”

For example, if you say yes to the stability of the same place you’ve lived your entire life, there might be a no implied as it relates to career advancement.

If you say yes to marriage, you are saying no to all other people, and perhaps even some of the freedoms of being single.

To say yes to being a Cubs fan means saying no to winning on a regular basis!

In Mark 8:31-38, Jesus outlines the path of true discipleship, challenging us to consider the cost of following Him.

Jesus is under no illusion that following him costs nothing.

To say yes to following Jesus means saying no to some things.

This passage forces us to confront the reality that discipleship is not merely about the benefits we receive but about the sacrifices we are called to make.

Saying yes to Jesus means saying yes to examining our priorities, our desires, and our willingness to surrender all to follow Christ.

It is a journey marked not by ease and comfort but by self-denial, taking up our cross, and following Jesus.

The Prediction of Suffering

Mark 8:31 ESV

And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Jesus begins by starting with explaining that his yes to saving humanity leads to a profound no.

Namely, he is saying no to the respect of the religious leaders…

And he is saying no to preserving his own life.

See, what Jesus knows is that there is no forgiveness, no covering of sin, and no sanctification, unless he says yes to the hard thing and no to the easy things.

Even so, he is saying no to preserving his life with an important caveat.

He will rise again after three days.

George Muller, a 19th century evangelist, described it this way…

Self-denial is not so much an impoverishment as a postponement: we make a sacrifice of present good for the sake of a future and greater good.

George Müller

Jesus’ sacrifice comes with a promise.

But notice the response of the disciples…

Mark 8:32–33 ESV

And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

The disciples' reaction to Jesus' prediction reveals two misunderstandings of the Messiah's role.

Firstly, they expected a conqueror, not a suffering servant.

Secondly, they felt that it should be possible for this Messiah to bring the blessing without sacrifice.

This mismatch of expectations highlights a crucial aspect of discipleship:

It often defies our expectations and demands a reorientation of our understanding of power and glory.

Sacrifice and forgiveness have gone hand in hand since Genesis 3:21.

Genesis 3:21 ESV

And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

This was the first death.

To quite literally cover Adam and Eve’s sin, God killed an animal and clothed them.

So it is with Jesus.

He, as the Lamb of God is the ultimate sacrifice, and it must be this way within the economy of God.

Now we transition to what Jesus’ sacrifice and way means for the crowd and for us.

The Call to Discipleship

Mark 8:34

Mark 8:34 ESV

And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

This command to deny oneself is the first step in understanding the cost of discipleship.

It's a call to relinquish our desires, ambitions, and wills in favor of God's will.

Like Jesus, we live for the glory of God and for the salvation of others.

Denying oneself is not merely about giving up physical or material comforts;

it's a profound call to set aside our ego and self-centeredness, making God's will and purposes the center of our lives.

B. Taking Up the Cross (v. 34)

The call to take up the cross is a call to embrace suffering and sacrifice as part of the Christian journey.

In Jesus' time, the cross was a symbol of shame, suffering, and death.

Following Jesus, therefore, means being willing to face hardship and persecution for His sake.

Taking up our cross is a daily commitment.

It's about enduring trials, persisting in faith, and staying loyal to Jesus, even when it costs us dearly.

Many of you have come from places where you have experienced those realities.

How fun was it in the moment?

But was it worth it?

C. Following Jesus (v. 34)

Following Jesus is the culmination of denying oneself and taking up the cross.

It is an active, ongoing decision to live in obedience to Jesus' teachings and to walk in His footsteps.

To follow Jesus means to align our lives with His values and mission, seeking to live out the gospel in every aspect of our lives.

It is challenging but it is also rewarding.

It's a path that leads to life, even through the valley of the shadow of death.

The Consequences of Discipleship

Losing Life for Jesus' Sake (v. 35-37)

Mark 8:35–37 ESV

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?

Jesus presents a paradox: those who seek to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for His sake and the gospel's will save it.

This paradox captures the essence of discipleship.

The true life, the eternal life, is found not in clinging to our earthly lives but in surrendering them to Jesus.

The question of what it profits a man to gain the whole world but forfeit his soul challenges us to consider the eternal implications of our choices.

Discipleship calls us to prioritize eternal values over temporary gains.

Oswald Chambers put it this way…

God nowhere tells us to give up things for the sake of giving them up. He tells us to give them up for the sake of the only thing worth having—life with Himself.

Oswald Chambers

Embracing the Glory of Christ (v. 38)

Mark 8:38 ESV

For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Jesus closes this passage by acknowledging the cost of discipleship in terms of social and relational pressures.

Evil will never embrace Jesus.

It is sometimes easier to go along to get along, and to try to minimize our faith and witness.

Jesus calls on us to be bold in our witness.

Respectful but bold.

To be a disciple of Jesus means to stand firm in our faith, even when it is unpopular or leads to social scorn.

Our allegiance to Jesus and His gospel must supersede our desire for social acceptance or approval.

Living It Out

Self-denial: This involves relinquishing our desires, ambitions, and will in favor of God's will.

We can practice self-denial by prioritizing God's will over our own desires and making sacrifices for the sake of others.

One thing I do every day is fast for at least 16 hours after my last meal.

I’ve learned that saying no to small things makes it possible to remain faithful to God in larger things.

Find ways to regularly tell yourself no and then tell yourself on some spiritual virtue like prayer.

Taking up the cross: This means embracing suffering and sacrifice as part of the Christian journey.

We can practice this by enduring trials, persisting in faith, and staying loyal to Jesus, even when it costs us.

I will never forget being a 22-year-old junior in college, debating a professor in his 70’s over my faith.

It was challenging, but it was worth it, and I knew in the end that I had done what Christ called me to do.

Following Jesus: This involves actively living in obedience to Jesus' teachings and walking in His footsteps.

We can practice this by aligning our lives with His values and mission, seeking to live out the gospel in every aspect of our lives.

Conclusion

Friends, the cost of discipleship as outlined in Mark 8:31-38 is high.

It calls for self-denial, taking up our cross, and following Jesus, regardless of the cost.

However, this passage also offers us profound hope and promise: in losing our lives for Jesus' sake, we find true life.

As we reflect on this passage, let us consider the depth of our commitment to following Jesus.

Are we willing to pay the cost of discipleship?

Are we prepared to set aside our desires, take up our cross daily, and follow Him?

The journey of discipleship is challenging, but it is the path to true life and salvation.

Let us embrace it with courage, faith, and steadfast love for our Savior.

Let us Pray

Hymn of Response: Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross