Lose it to Save it

introduction

Back in the UK I was a carpenter for around 6 years. Three years which was learning through an apprenticeship. This apprenticeship would include one day at college learning about carpentry, while the rest of the week would be attached to a experienced carpenter who in turn would be the teacher in the work place.

After college I

No apprentice enjoys there first months in the work place. The apprentice, like myself would expect to start cutting would, building cupboards, staircases. Though in reality these months come at a shock with being in charge of making tea for the workers (tea is loved in uk, 5 cups drank during a work day), and keeping all the workshop clean. i.e. sweeping the floors, throwing wood wastage away, and general cleanliness. Though, these unpopular jobs teachers a young apprentice some important and necessary safety protocols and well moral of the team.

During the apprenticeship,generally being 2-3 years, the apprentice works close to the teacher, learning how the teachers works. Slowly over time the teacher gives more and more responsibility to the apprentice till whole projects are given into the apprentices hands.

Without the close working partnership of the apprentice and teacher, the apprentice will not be able begin to develop a life long skill that he will never forget. And one day, the apprentice will be a teacher like the teacher before him.

Let us read this mornings Scripture passage from (ESV) version

-38English Standard Version (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[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 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.”

Let us pray for today as we hear from God’s word, may Abba give us the grace to accept his Word and strength by the Holy Spirit to walk in it...

This passage of Scripture selected today is not easy to swallow. Its difficult, for me, for all of us. We really need God’s daily help, his Holy Spirit to give us the courage to walk in it.

As we read the portion of scripture, highlighted is this relationship of apprentice and teacher. The teacher has gone first and calls the apprentice to follow him. Apprenticeship is the life-long command Jesus calls for discipleship.

Today we will go through the command Jesus proposes for his disciples. We will also look at four motivations/incentives why we would choose to follow Christ in what he calls all believers into.

As you may have heard already, over the year 2017 and 2018, Ethel, Sarah and myself have been on our own apprenticeship in the area of preaching. Ps Kenny has given us six different styles of sermons to preach. If you have been listening closely, you may have seen some similarities the three of us have preached. Today, the style includes preaching from a verse or small passage. And in helping for the preparation Ps Kenny gave me two books that have scripture verses to help in this style i’m preaching. One title is “hard saying of Paul” and the other book title is “hard sayings of Jesus”.

So be assured, today we go through this hard journey together. Turn to the person on your left and tell them, “we’re in this together”, now turn to the person on the right and tell them, “Jesus has gone before you”.

“And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone...” This call to discipleship is given to the crowd as well as the disciple, it is an inclusive calling for all. If anyone, meaning all are called but few choose to follow. This is a call for pre-believers to follow, but also in the discipleship of a Christian it is a call we need to continually be reminded, to face.

In England there is a theme park called Alton Towers, and at this theme park there is one infamous ride called Oblivion. The ride opened as 'the world's first vertical drop roller coaster' on 14 March 1998. The roller coaster has a simple layout with a 180 ft drop. As each car reaches the drop it is held by a holding chain for a maximum of five seconds, giving the rider a clear view of the long drop, before a brake is released allowing the car to drop into the tunnel at ground level, only to come out the other side a few seconds later, from pitch blackness. As the riders wait to be dropped, all there eyes focus on the pavement below, are the words, “don’t look down”!

All people in the theme park are welcome to take a ride on the Oblivion, If anyone would be courageous to do so..

This call of discipleship to follow Christ is offered to anyone, If he would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

This is where it gets difficult guys. denying oneself, taking up ones cross.

This is the call of discipleship

Deny yourself

Right at the beginning, in the garden where Adam and Eve was tempted, its where it began. When sin came in the world, when knowledge of good and evil became known to people, a self image appeared, apposed to God himself and all his ways. It has been Gods plan from the creation of the world for us to regain the image of God through Christ, to become like him once again. But no matter how short or long our Christian pilgrimage has been, there are two selves fighting to prevail. Our old sinful man and the new man in Christ, fighting daily over our decision making, our meditations, our lives. The battle of the wills. My will or His will.

Simply put, the attitude called for is one in which self-interest and personal desires are no longer central, but to accept God’s point of view about life.

To simply put it

When Jesus commands his follows to deny themselves, he’s saying die, die to the old man.

One scholar puts it this way. To deny oneself is not to do without something or even many things. It is not asceticism, not self-rejection or self-hatred, nor is it even the disowning of particular sins. It is to renounce the self as the dominant element in life. It is to place the self with God-in-Christ as the object of affections. It is to place the divine will before self will.

not to deny something to oneself but to deny the self and all self-promoting abitions. not my will but thy will be done

Black’s New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Saint Mark 3 The Way of Discipleship (8:34–9:1)

The attitude called for is one in which self-interest and personal desires are no longer central.

Black’s New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Saint Mark 3 The Way of Discipleship (8:34–9:1)

The attitude called for is one in which self-interest and personal desires are no longer central.

The IVP New Testament Commentary Series: Mark New Terms for Life (8:34–38)

To deny oneself is to accept God’s point of view about life, which has implications not just for the Son of Man, but for everyone who is drawn to him.

It is encouraging to note that even the disciples struggled with this. Let us read the events just before Jesus gave this command in verse 34.

The New American Commentary: Mark 4. The Cost of Discipleship (8:34–9:1)

To deny oneself is not to do without something or even many things. It is not asceticism, not self-rejection or self-hatred, nor is it even the disowning of particular sins. It is to renounce the self as the dominant element in life. It is to replace the self with God-in-Christ as the object of affections. It is to place the divine will before self-will.

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.” 30 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

Peter had been given this revelation that Jesus is the Messiah. Though as will read, Peter still wrestles with what this Messiah truly is.

asceticism and self-discipline need not be christian

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

The NIV Application Commentary: Mark Bridging Contexts

Self-denial takes shape in many ways. For some, it may mean leaving job and family as the disciples have done. For the proud, it means renouncing the desire for status and honor. For the greedy, it means renouncing an appetite for wealth. The complacent will have to renounce the love of ease. The fainthearted will have to abandon the craving for security. The violent will have to repudiate the desire for revenge. On it goes. Individuals know best what hinders them from giving their lives over to God.

31 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. 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. Can you imagine this with me. I think Peter was embarrassed of what Jesus just said. So he put his arm around Jesus’ shoulder to hide him away, to prevent him sharing any more. And on their own Peter is like, Jesus!! what are you saying??? Don’t say that!!! Your the Messiah! Your the one who who is going to rescue Israel from the Romans. Your not suppose to die. Let’s fight them.

Peter though received revelation of who Jesus is, in his self way of thinking had the Messiah as a victorious ruler on earth, like that of the Romans.

Jesus needed to be clear, that this was not God’s plan at all, but merely human thinking.

33 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.

Again at

Peter like the other disciples had to learn to recognize what he was setting his mind on. Either the things of God,or the things of man. He needed to learn to choose his own way or God’s way.

We know after Pentecost, with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, all the disciples lived dependent on the Spirit, sharing the Gospel, the way of Jesus.

It is the Holy Spirit who intercedes for us today, who gives us His Spirit to overcome this battle of the wills.

Take up your Cross

Black’s New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Saint Mark 3 The Way of Discipleship (8:34–9:1)

The attitude called for is one in which self-interest and personal desires are no longer central.

The IVP New Testament Commentary Series: Mark New Terms for Life (8:34–38)

This is not a matter of austere living, but of persevering in pressing the claims of the kingdom of God.

The New American Commentary: Mark 4. The Cost of Discipleship (8:34–9:1)

The concept should never be cheapened by applying it to enduring some irritation or even a major burden. It is closely related to self-denial, involving a willingness to give up everything dear in life and even life itself for the sake of Jesus. It is a willingness to suffer for Jesus and for others. Such a concept of discipleship is so radical that many contemporary Christians in the West have difficulty relating to it.

The NIV Application Commentary: Mark The Demands of Discipleship (8:34–9:1)

By requiring disciples to carry their cross, Jesus expects them to be willing to join the ranks of the despised and doomed. They must be ready to deny themselves even to the point of giving their lives.

The NIV Application Commentary: Mark Bridging Contexts

Cross-bearing refers to self-sacrifice, even to the point of giving one’s life.

To become like Jesus

The NIV Application Commentary: Mark Bridging Contexts

The cross represents the oppression caused by humans who oppose the faith and witness of Christians. It does not refer to bearing patiently the aches and pains of life.

Follow Me

Jesus tells his disciples to follow the way he has chosen, not the way they would choose for themselves. The imagery means that disciples must obey his teaching, including what he says about giving their lives.

David E. Garland, Mark, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996), 328.

David E. Garland, Mark, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996), 328.

parrables

The IVP New Testament Commentary Series: Mark New Terms for Life (8:34–38)

In these parables Jesus invites us to look at human life from God’s point of view. We take a step forward if we admit that life belongs to God.