Self-Fulfillment or Self-Denial
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23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?
26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
What does it mean to be a Christian?
Are you living a life that truly identifies with Christ?
Jesus has a way of helping His disciples grasp the truth of who He is and how that affects their own lives.
Following the incredible miracle of Jesus feeding thousands with only five loaves of bread and two fish, Jesus knows that the time has come.
His disciples need to know that the redemptive plan of God was about to take it’s most significant step.
18 Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
Luke 9:
Again, we see the importance of prayer in the live and ministry of Jesus Christ. It is through prayer that Jesus asks a question that would eventually prepare His disciples to advance the Kingdom Message of God plan for salvation.
“Who do the crowds say that I am?”
Critical Point:
Knowing who Jesus is is essential to know who you are in Christ.
19 And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.”
Luke 9:19
The disciples answered Jesus’ question on how the crowds viewed Him—they did not see Jesus for who He really is.
Question:
How do you see Jesus?
To answer this question, we must go further than merely parroting what others say.
20 Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”
What the disciples do understand at this point is that Jesus is more than a prophet—that is, that Jesus’ role as the Messiah is central to the inauguration of the new era of the kingdom.
What Jesus is saying here is that when we take the name Christian, and openly identify ourselves with Christ, we must be ready not only to bear the normal suffering that life brings, but to share in the particular suffering of Christ.
What the disciples do understand at this point is that Jesus is more than a prophet—that is, that Jesus’ role as the Messiah is central to the inauguration of the new era of the kingdom.
But, even saying the right thing does not guarantee grasping the full measure and depth of meaning.
21 And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one,
22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”
Luke
Jesus clearly teaches the Twelve that his role as God’s anointed Messiah (Christ) involves suffering and death.
Three conditions of discipleship are laid out.
Jesus clearly teaches the Twelve that his role as God’s anointed Messiah (Christ) involves suffering and death.
Although Luke does not address the disciples’ reaction to this revelation, Mark does:
32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
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.”
Mark 8:32
Key Thought:
We can easily misunderstand God’s plan by superimposing our interests and our agendas.
Key Question:
How can we avoid misunderstanding God’s plan and how can we align ourselves with Christ and His agenda?
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Three conditions of discipleship are laid out. The first involves a need to deny oneself. This is much more radical than simply a denial of certain things. This mandates a rejection of a life based on self-interest and self-fulfillment. Instead a disciple is to be one who seeks to fulfill the will and the teachings of Christ. Another metaphor to express this act of commitment is to hate one’s own life (14:26). The opposite response can be seen in 12:9; ; .
The first involves a need to deny oneself.
This is much more radical than simply a denial of certain things.
This mandates a rejection of a life based on self-interest and self-fulfillment.
Instead a disciple is to be one who seeks to fulfill the will and the teachings of Christ.
Another metaphor to express this act of commitment is to hate one’s own life (14:26). The opposite response can be seen in 12:9; ; .
The second condition involves the need to take up one’s cross.
What Jesus is saying here is that when we take the name Christian, and openly identify ourselves with Christ, we must be ready not only to bear the normal suffering that life brings, but to share in the particular suffering of Christ.
Jesus’ own crucifixion reveals more fully to Luke’s readers that this call is for a commitment unto death.
There needs to be willingness to suffer martyrdom if need be. (Cf. and 23:26, where Simon of Cyrene takes up the cross and follows Jesus.)
Luke added the need to do this “daily.” Whereas Mark emphasized the initial act of denying oneself once and for all (), in Luke there is an emphasis on the need to make such a commitment each day.
The final condition is the need to follow Jesus.
In contrast to the other conditions this verb is a present imperative, indicating that following Jesus must be continual.
What Jesus is saying here is that when we take the name Christian, and openly identify ourselves with Christ, we must be ready not only to bear the normal suffering that life brings, but to share in the particular suffering of Christ.
The disciple follows his Master moment by moment, day by day. Self-interest must not dominate the lives of believers. Instead, God’s people have to be willing to suffer and to deny themselves every day, just as their Master.
Unless we are willing to participate in the humiliation of Christ, we cannot participate in his exaltation (R. C. Sproul).
The disciple follows his Master moment by moment, day by day. Self-interest must not dominate the lives of believers. Instead, God’s people have to be willing to suffer and to deny themselves every day, just as their Master.
(R. C. Sproul)
Unless we are willing to participate in the humiliation of Christ, we cannot participate in his exaltation (R. C. Sproul).
Have you begun to follow the Lord Jesus in this way? Are you ready to face hardships and to speak boldly of him? We must ask ourselves these questions. The Lord proceeded with the poignant question, ‘What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?’ (v. 25). To gain this world’s money, power or popularity is meaningless if final judgement swallows you up. Here Christ was speaking of the temptation to avoid persecution and pain. To be ashamed of Christ or of his words will mean that he also will be ashamed of us (v. 26). Our Lord’s hearers would have to speak up for Christ in the face of severe persecution, and even death.
Self-denial was a common thread in Christ’s teaching to his disciples (cf. 14:26, 27; ; ; ; ). The kind of self-denial He sought was not a reclusive asceticism, but a willingness to obey His commandments, serve one another, and suffer—perhaps even die—for His sake.
Self-denial was a common thread in Christ’s teaching to his disciples (cf. 14:26, 27; ; ; ; ). The kind of self-denial He sought was not a reclusive asceticism (see note on 7:34), but a willingness to obey His commandments, serve one another, and suffer—perhaps even die—for His sake.
Have you begun to follow the Lord Jesus in this way? Are you ready to face hardships and to speak boldly of him? We must ask ourselves these questions. The Lord proceeded with the poignant question, ‘What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?’ (v. 25). To gain this world’s money, power or popularity is meaningless if final judgement swallows you up. Here Christ was speaking of the temptation to avoid persecution and pain. To be ashamed of Christ or of his words will mean that he also will be ashamed of us (v. 26). Our Lord’s hearers would have to speak up for Christ in the face of severe persecution, and even death.
Loyalty to Christ (vs. 26)
Loyalty to Christ (vs. 26)
Salvation is God’s gift to us because Jesus died for us on the cross. Discipleship is our gift to Him as we take up our cross, die to self, and follow the Lord in everything (Warren W. Wiersbe).
Salvation is God’s gift to us because Jesus died for us on the cross. Discipleship is our gift to Him as we take up our cross, die to self, and follow the Lord in everything.
Warren W. Wiersbe, Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the New Testament (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1992), 170.