A Call to Discipleship

Reading of the Word

Luke 9:18–26 NASB 2020

And it happened that while He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying, “Who do the people say that I am?” They answered and said, “John the Baptist, and others say Elijah; but others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” And He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.” But He warned them and instructed them not to tell this to anyone, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised on the third day.” And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, this is the one who will save it. For what good does it do a person if he gains the whole world, but loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and the glory of the Father and the holy angels.

Prayer of Illumination

Gracious Lord,

As we enter this sacred season of Lent, quiet our hearts and minds so we may hear Your voice clearly. Open Your Word to us and illuminate the path You would have us walk. Help us to embrace the call to reflection, repentance, and renewal. May Your Spirit guide us to deeper understanding and transform us by Your grace, so we may draw closer to You and faithfully follow the example of Jesus, who gave Himself for us.

Amen.

Introduction

What does it look like when a person gives themselves completely to God, no matter the cost? We often share stories about what it looks like when a person is devoted to Christ, even when it means losing everything—even their lives.

Today’s scripture tells us about the beginning of the end of Jesus’s journey on earth. He set out for Jerusalem, knowing that suffering, humiliation, and death awaited him. Although the crowds were celebrating him now, he knew those crowds would soon turn. With this in mind, Jesus asked his disciples who people said he was. They gave a few different answers, none of them correct.

Jesus then asked them who they thought he was. Peter, in his characteristic boldness, said that Jesus was the Messiah, and Jesus affirmed that Peter was correct. But what Jesus did next took the disciples by surprise. Instead of telling them that they were about to ride into battle and come out physically and politically triumphant, setting up an earthly kingdom, he told them the opposite would happen.

Jesus predicted that he would suffer and die. Then he went a step further and told the disciples they too would need to be ready to suffer and die if they wanted to follow him. The disciples were shocked. Jesus flipped the script and upended all of their expectations about what a Messiah would do.

Although we have the benefit of hindsight and thousands of years of church teaching, we can still learn from this message today. God doesn’t ask us to grasp worldly or political power, taking land and people and lives. Instead, we’re called to emulate Christ, lowering ourselves and allowing God’s power to shine through our weakness.

Denying Self and Taking Up Our Cross Daily

a. There’s a huge difference between casually following someone and being fully dedicated to their cause.

For example, you might be a fan of a certain musician and follow them on social media. You might even keep up with the latest news about them. But you’re not likely to die for them.

b. Jesus was calling his disciples to deeper commitment, warning them that it could even mean death.

i. These men had already given up so much to follow Jesus, but Jesus knew a lot more had to happen in their hearts before they were ready to be the apostles they would become.

ii. We know most of them went on to become martyrs for the faith. While they would be reminded of these words after Jesus’s death, it likely took the repetition of this message and witnessing Christ’s own sacrifice before they really internalized it.

The word martyr doesn’t even begin to describe what they went through for the cause of Christ. They were tortured in the most inhumane ways ever created on earth. They were going to take a stand for Jesus because He took a stand and gave His life as a sacrifice “once and for all.”

c. Following Jesus means you won’t be playing it safe.

i. While following Jesus often feels fairly safe for many of us (especially those of us who live in North America), it can be literally dangerous. You don’t have to look long to find stories of people who’ve lost their lives for their faith.

ii. When we look outside the U.S., we hear stories from missionaries—especially in places where Christianity is treated with hostility by the government—who have personally experienced violence or who have seen violence done to other believers by those who don’t want the message of Christ spread.

In a remote village in the Middle East, a small group of missionaries embarked on a journey to share the gospel. Despite knowing the risks of imprisonment or even violence, their love for Christ drove them forward. Before leaving, they prayed for protection and strength. The villagers were initially hostile, but the missionaries’ unwavering faith eventually opened hearts and sparked a revival. This story reminds us that courage in the face of danger can lead to profound transformation.

iii. We aren’t called to be cozy and comfortable. There’s nothing cushy about taking up our cross and denying ourselves. Jesus didn’t sugarcoat this message, and neither should we.

Denying Ourselves - We want to follow sin and the ways of the world. We want to eat of the apple of the tree even though God said no. But God gives us and calls us to the better way.

Taking Up Our Cross - our cross to bear is complete obedience and yielding of ourselves to God’s will. But we all carry personal crosses everyday.

Following Him - We must deny ourselves and take up our cross before we can follow him. Following Jesus requires great sacrifice - it means we die to ourselves and find our new identity in Him.

Saving or Losing Life

a. Jesus told his disciples that whoever wanted to save their life would lose it and whoever lost their life for Christ would save it.

i. If we’re desperately grasping onto our lives, power, or money, we’re going to lose them. When we grasp onto those things, we often have a narrow, short- term perspective. We miss the point and lose in the end.

ii. However, when we lose life, power, or money in Jesus’s name, we aren’t really losing. Scripture reminds us that we should store up treasure in heaven instead of treasure on earth that can be destroyed. What we have on earth is meant to be invested in God’s kingdom.

Matthew 6:19–21 NASB 2020

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

iii. We need the reminder that following Christ is life or death. There isn’t space to be lukewarm

Revelation 3:15–17 NASB 2020

‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have no need of anything,” and you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked,

Picture a lukewarm bathwater – it’s neither calming nor refreshing. People jump in expecting a soothing experience, only to find it uncomfortable and uninviting. Just like this water, lukewarm faith does not lead to real transformation. God calls us to be refreshed and renewed in Christ, to allow His warmth to transform us inside out, instead of settling for mediocrity.

We must die to ourselves to find life in Christ.

We will either be for Christ or against Christ. It’s one or the other.

Choosing Christ is like being on a game show where you stand before three doors, each representing a different prize. Behind one door is something small, like a television. Behind another is something better, like a living room set. But behind the third door lies the ultimate prize—a brand-new car. Here's the catch: the middle door isn't an option. You must choose between the lesser prize or the best one.

In the same way, life presents us with a choice: we can choose Christ, the ultimate prize, or settle for something less—something temporary and unfulfilling. The decision is ours, but the outcomes are vastly different. One leads to a life of purpose, joy, and eternal hope; the other falls short of what God has planned for us. There’s no middle ground. What will you choose?

God’s Economy

a. God’s economy is different than the world’s. Jesus asked his disciples what good it is to gain the world if it meant forfeiting their very selves.

i. All the money in the world cannot stop death from coming. Only trust in Christ can help us prepare for eternal life.

Jesus has already paid the price for our entry into heaven. The only thing left for us to do is to humbly accept this incredible gift of grace.

ii. Sometimes we don’t find what really matters until we have lost everything. Living in faith means we keep moving forward and seeking God’s will above all else—even when that doesn’t make worldly sense.

iii. We see this when people sell all their belongings and move to the mission field with nothing, taking jobs that won’t cover more than their basic needs.

When God called me to Texas in 2012, I took a huge leap of faith. I sold nearly everything I owned in Pennsylvania, packed my car with my dachshund, and set out, trusting God to provide and guide me. Leaving the place where I had grown up and felt comfortable was not easy, but I held tightly to my faith, believing that His will would be done as I stepped into the unknown.

b. We also see this when people choose less financially lucrative career paths to live out the vocation God called them to.

i. One young man found that he’d made his Xbox into an idol. It was preventing him from spending time with his family. He felt God leading him to destroy the Xbox. When other people asked why he wouldn’t just sell it, he said he felt like God wanted him to destroy it as a symbol of what it was in his life.

ii. The hymn “Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken” (see p. 35 in My Cup Runneth Over) sums up this idea well: “Perish every fond ambition/All I’ve sought, and hoped and known/Yet how rich is my condition/God and heaven are still my own!”

To Sum It Up…True discipleship requires daily self-denial, taking up our cross, and fully surrendering to Christ, trusting Him to lead us even into the unknown.

Conclusion

What would it look like if each person in this room truly committed to denying themselves and going where God leads? We have a problem as believers. Instead of living out the life God wants us to have, we often live lives that are almost what God wants us to have. For example, we might ignore the tugging of the Holy Spirit to go into missions. Instead, we donate funds and hope it will alleviate the guilty feelings we have inside. What would our families, our communities, and our world look like if every believer lived out the incredible calling God has for their life?

Picking up your cross and following Christ isn’t about a one-time act of valor. It’s about daily doing the thing God has called you to do. It also means that when the time comes, you’re willing to follow Jesus into the unknown—even if it costs you your life. As Christians, we aren’t called to stand in our power but to follow the example of the Lamb who was slain. We’re called to lay down our power, our money, our influence, and our lives for the greater good of the kingdom.

Where will you go? What is the cross Jesus is calling you to take up? Who do you say that Jesus is? How will your response to these questions shape not only your faith but also the lives of those around you?

Let this moment be the turning point during Lent where your journey aligns more deeply with God's purpose, and where His call compels you to live boldly, love unconditionally, and serve selflessly. The invitation is before you—how will you respond?

Prayer Following Message

Lord Jesus,

We stand before You, humbled by the call to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow You. It is not an easy path, but we know it is the only one that leads to true life. Strengthen us, Lord, to surrender our desires and align our hearts with Yours. Give us the courage to walk in Your footsteps, even when the road is hard and the cost is great. Teach us to trust in Your grace and to rely on Your strength, knowing that through You, all things are possible. May we live lives that reflect Your love and bring glory to Your name.

In Your powerful name, we pray. Amen.

Benediction

May the Lord bless you and keep you during this Lenten season. May He guide your steps as you deny yourself, take up your cross, and draw closer to Him. Through prayer, fasting, and service, may your journey prepare your heart for the hope of Easter. Go in His peace, grace, and love to glorify His name. Amen.