Carry the Cross

Before sermon:

GMCE

Nepal 

- slide

Churches and Believers Affected 1. Syaprubesi Church, Rasuwa – Pastor: Ps. Lakpa Tamang (3 believers missing) 2. Punarutthan Church, Rasuwa – Pastor: Ps. Dipak Bartal 3. Punarutthan Church, Nuwakot – Damaged, pastor missing 4. Mailung Church, Rasuwa – Pastor: Ps. Dil Bahadur Tamang (approx. 50 believers missing) 5. Santi Bazar, Nuwakot – Approx. 30 believers have died 6. Timure Church, Rasuwa – Pastor is the only survivor; many believers have died 7. Tukche Anugrah Church, Nuwakot – Pastor: Ps. Dipak Yonjan (4 believers missing) 8. Dakhbari Church, Rasuwa – Pastor: Ps. Kumar Gurung (17 people missing) 9. Grace Church, Nuwakot – 3 believers missing 10. St. Petra Church, Nuwakot – 4 believers missing 11. Naw Jyoti Baptist Church, Nuwakot – Partly damaged, Pastor: Ps. Tirtha Giri

• QR code on notes

Introduction

Parents, finish the saying:

What would you do for a . . . Klondike bar?

Kids, what t would you do for a $1

What would you do for a $100? $1000?

The greater something is worth, the more you might be willing to give or give up for it.

Context - Peter’s confession 

Mark 8:27–29 ESV

27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.”

ILLUST - *child* I want you to follow … (name someone the child doesn’t know)

You need to know Jesus before you can follow him.

The most important thing in your life is that you know Jesus and follow Jesus

Notice Jesus did not ask his disciples - where do you think we are going?

Where do you think we will end up?

He asked them who do people say I am?

(more importantly) Who do YOU say that I am?

It is more important for you to know who Jesus is and follow him than it is for you to understand everything he is doing.

*Do you know Jesus?

Now we see why it was so essential that Peter should grasp the conditions of Messiahship for Jesus: otherwise, Peter could not grasp the conditions of discipleship for himself.

Cole, R. Alan. 1989. Mark: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 2. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

“34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples,

Notice what Jesus is about to say is for EVERYONE. He had been talking with his disciples, but now he wants to talk with everyone.

“Give up your life for Jesus’ life for you — no matter the cost — for Jesus and for others to know Jesus”

“Follow Jesus (point out, point down) no matter the cost (shake finger)”

he said to them, “If anyone would come after me,

This means to follow Jesus — to be his disciples

let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

ILLUST - Red light Green light)

Stop living your life for yourself (Live the life Jesus has for you)

let him deny himself

Means asking Jesus what HE wants for you and for you to do

What does it mean to “deny” yourself?

Mark 8:34 (NLT)

34 Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.

Means to give up your desires and what YOU want to do in any and every situation

Ex: - Kids, any of you yell at your brother or sister this past week? Be honest!

Felt good, didn’t it? Why did you do it? Because you wanted to - you had a desire to.

Would Jesus have done the same?

“denying yourself” means that while you may WANT to, you don’t because you are following what Jesus would want.

No matter the cost

take up his cross

(the significance of the cross)

symbol of suffering, shame, and pain

It stripped you of everything in your life (and even your life)

If you carried a cross you were under someone else’s control

Jesus carried his cross and willingly submitted himself to the control of the Romans

Why would Jesus do this? Because he understood the cost would be worth it. HE KNEW THAT YOU WOULD BE WORTH IT!

ILLUST - carry the cross

Would you be willing to literally carry the cross through your school / work?

How would people react?

ask questions?

point and laugh?

What’s your favorite football team?

How many of you are willing to rep your favorite sports team even though they stink this year?

Sometimes we are more committed as fans then we are as followers.

(Quote from fan or follower?)

There are plenty of church goers who are willing to acknowledge the cross, sing about a cross, even wear a cross,

But Jesus said that to be his disciple you must be willing to CARRY the cross.

willing to carve out a few hours one day a week but not meet with Jesus everyday

willing to tithe a bit of money but not make Jesus Lord over their wallet

willing to sit in a pew at church but unwilling to stand with Christ at work or at school.

willing to pick up their Bible but not their cross

Following Jesus means letting his desires control our lives and not letting our own desires control our lives.

You can’t carry your cross AND carry the things of your desires:

ILLUST - If i toss you your phone while you are carrying the cross, which would you drop?

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? 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.””

Start (and continue) to Follow Jesus

follow me.

To follow Jesus means to go to the places he would go and to do the things he would do.

Since we do not life in the First Century Palestine, we cannot go to the literal places Jesus has gone.

But where would Jesus go

at your school?

to the lunch table with the ones no one else wants to sit with?

to help the teacher without being asked?

at home?

help mom and dad or siblings?

Where would Jesus NOT go?

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.

It is worth the cost! for Jesus and the gospel.

Jesus lost his life for you. . .

Communion

Instructions for families

1 Corinthians 11:23–26

BREAD

“23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

CUP

25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

Conclusion

Begin to make your way for prayer for your students.

How is the Spirit applying the message to your heart / life?