Mark Chapter 8

Game

Jesus calms the storm

Ten lepers heraled

Feeding the 5000

healing of an officials son

healing of two blind men

resurrection of Jairus daughter

Jesus walking on water

Turning water into wine

The resurrection of Lazarus

Peter walking on water

Intro

Students we are in week 8 of our Mark series!

Hitting chapter 8!

Here’s a recap of what we didn’t hit in Mark 7 and 8

7:24-30 — Jesus cast out a demon from the daughter of a Syrophoenician woman

7:31-37 — Jesus heals a deaf man

8:1-10 — Jesus feeds the four thousand

8:11-13 — The Pharisees demand a sign from Jesus to prove he’s Messiah

8:14-21 — Jesus warns of the Pharisees plot + reminds the disciples of who He is

8:22-26 — Jesus heals a blind man

8:27-30 — Peter confesses that Jesus is Christ

Man I’m telling you if you’re not reading the book of Mark you’re missing out!

Missing out on all that Jesus is doing!

But today we are going to look at what Jesus says about following Him

More specifically we are going to look at what its going to cost you to follow Jesus

When it comes to counting the cost we do this all the time

We count the cost before we go to Taco Bell — like do we have enough money

We count the cost before we sign up to play a sport — do I want to spend every day after school doing this? Let it take up my weekend?

We count the cost before we make friends — are they worth being around? Are they enriching our life?

We the passage we are looking at today is Jesus telling us exactly what it costs us to follow Him

Deny yourself

Mark 8:34–35 ESV

34 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. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.

Jesus looking at the crowd of people that is following Him makes a bold statement

He declares that if anyone is going to follow Him they must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Him

The image of the cross in Biblical times has the connotation of death

Criminals were nailed to a cross and left hanging for anyone and everyone to see

The cross for us today is a symbol that we wear around our neck — but back them no one would be caught dead with a cross necklace

It was a symbol that was meant to be feared

That is the exact symbol that Jesus looks at all the people following Him and said they must embrace

Here is the first thing for tonight

To follow Jesus you must deny yourself

Jesus tells us plainly if we are going to follow Him that means we must deny ourself

This goes against everything in culture today — everything in the world is about self-indulgence

Doing what makes you feel good

Doing what you want

And yet Jesus tells us to follow Him means we have to deny ourself

We have to be willing to follow Jesus regardless of what we feel like — regardless of what we want

Jesus is calling us to follow Him by denying ourself

This doesn’t mean we no longer have a personality, no longer do things we like to do

Instead Jesus is telling us to turn away from “self” the idolatry that makes us believe that we are better

The belief that we know more and can do more

Self-denial is not being self centered but instead choosing to following Jesus and trust Him

To love others

If we are going to follow Jesus we must deny ourself

Play the long game

Jesus continues talking about the cost of following him

Mark 8:36–37 ESV

36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul?

Jesus goes on to tell us that if we are going to follow Him than we must not play for today

He tells us that there is nothing else on earth that is better than Jesus

There is nothing worthy of taking his place

That leads to the second point

To follow Jesus we must play the long game

We must play the long game

We have to have the eternal in mind when it comes to following Jesus

We cannot let our eyes focus solely on the earthly things

We must focus on Jesus

We cannot let the things of earth get in the way

What the world is telling you is to sell your soul for MORE

More money, more popularity, more attention, just more

Yet Jesus says if you are going to follow me you must play the long game

You must have the eternal in mind and not the temporal

The world is telling you to look at today — look at what you can get here

Yet Jesus says to follow Him, play the long game

Matthew 6:19–20 ESV

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

We must lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven — not here on earth

To follow Jesus means we must play the long game storing up treasures in Heaven

Stand Firm

Jesus finishes by saying

Mark 8:38 ESV

38 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.”

He finishes by telling us that to follow Him means we cannot be ashamed of Him

That the world is evil and to follow Jesus means we must stand firm

Here’s the last thing

To follow Jesus we Stand firm

We must stand firm

Listen to what Paul says

Romans 1:16 ESV

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

He says I am not ashamed for the gospel is the power of God

The Gospel is what changes lives

And we cannot be ashamed — If Jesus saved our life and changed our standing there is no way we should be ashamed

Jesus tells us if we are ashamed and hide him he will also be ashamed of them

Listen to what else Jesus says

Matthew 7:21–23 ESV

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

He looks and tells the disciples if you only follow me in name only — only when it is convenient — you never really knew me

Jesus says many will come and say I knew you Lord — but only followed Him when it was easy denied him when it was hard

To those people Jesus says “I never knew you”

Students we must stand firm

We must affirm the Lord at all times — not just when its easy

Conclusion

Students Jesus gives us the map of what it means to follow Jesus

To follow Him we must deny ourself — not be self-centered but focus on the Lord

We must store up our treasures in heaven not on earth — playing the long game of eternity

And we must stand firm of the gospel —trusting Jesus at all times

Discussion Questions

How can you recognize moments when you are tempted to prioritize self-indulgence over following Jesus?

In what areas of your life do you find it most challenging to play the long game instead of seeking immediate satisfaction?

Can you think of a specific example when you had to stand firm in your faith, despite pressure from peers?

How can you actively work to lay up treasures in heaven rather than on earth in your current lifestyle?