Mark 8:34-38

Mark 8:34–38 CSB

34 Calling the crowd along with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it. 36 For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his life? 37 What can anyone give in exchange for his life? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Following Christ begins in sacrifice .

I. Following Christ begins in denial.

Mark 8:34–35 CSB

34 Calling the crowd along with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it.

All followers of God are called to sacrifice.

Mark 8:34 CSB

34 Calling the crowd along with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.

Illus: At this point in the story Jesus had not yet gone to the cross. This was simply Jesus speaking about the reality the disciples knew.

The cross was the ultimate way Romans forced their will on the people. They placed crucifixes outside the city gates to scare people into obedience.

For us we make so little out of the cross. We have a difficult day at work and say it is our cross to bear. No. That is not our cross to bear it is a tough day at work.

We need to realize how great a commitment following Christ is. Following Christ is more than placing religious language around our normal struggles. Following Christ is surrendering everything to him.

Luke 14:25–27 CSB

25 Now great crowds were traveling with him. So he turned and said to them: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

All followers of Christ are called to submission.

Mark 8:34–35 CSB

34 Calling the crowd along with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it.

Illus: Think about the vows you make when you get married.

I, ___, take thee, ___, to be my wedded husband/wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance;

What you are saying is that you are going to stick with your spouse no matter what comes your way, That your love will not be conditional, and that you are making a life choice to be with them forever.

Just as marriage should be a radical shift in your life, so should following Jesus. Faith in Christ is going all in with him. It is more than trying to live morally. It is making him the first priority and dependence of your life.

John 6:66–69 CSB

66 From that moment many of his disciples turned back and no longer accompanied him. 67 So Jesus said to the Twelve, “You don’t want to go away too, do you?” 68 Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Following Christ changes your priorities.

Mark 8:36 CSB

36 For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his life?

Most of our lives are spent is selfish pursuits.

(Lovers of self, proud arrogant)

Illus: Most of our lives are lived around convenience, comfort, and pleasure.

Think about the way you make decisions 1. Is is convienient. 2. Is it comfortable. 3. does it bring you pleasure?

Think about the way we approach church.

I will go if it convenient for my schedule. I can serve as long as it doesn't interfere to much in my life.

I sure hope church is comfortable for me. They need to play songs that appeal to my ears.

It is not just church, but instead all of our lives are built around convenience, comfort and pleasure.

God is not convenient. God does not always bring worldly comfort to your life. He may turn it upside down. And his call is to take up your cross, hardly a pleasurable experience.

2 Timothy 3:1–5 CSB

1 But know this: Hard times will come in the last days. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, demeaning, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, 4 traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people.

When you follow Christ, He becomes the prize of your life.

Illus: Let’s go back to the marriage illustration. When I was single I hung out with my buddies every Friday night. We would go out to eat, see a movie, or lock ourselves up and have halo tournaments till 3am in the morning.

Then I met my wife. When I met her, I didn’t care as much to hang out with guys and play halo. Instead I would go watch chick flick movies and walk around bed bath and beyond.

My affections didn't change because i thought Hugh Grant, Ben Afleck and Mathew McConahay were cute. I wanted to spend time with Jenn more than sit with a bunch of guys and play the XBOX.

That is the truth of the Christian life. When you trust Jesus, he becomes the most important thing to you. Your affections change because you want Him more than anything else. You gladly take up your cross, not because the cross is convenient or pleasurable, but instead because Jesus is worth it.

Philippians 3:7–8 CSB

7 But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ

Following Jesus genuinely will cost you.

Mark 8:37–38 CSB

37 What can anyone give in exchange for his life? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

It is possible to say you follow Jesus but still live ashamed of Him.

(The way is narrow)

You may profess Christ, go to church, but your affections may say otherwise. In fact you may come to church more to worship yourself than God.

Are you driven by your own convenience, or driven by Christ?

Are you driven by your own comfort, or by Christ?

Do you seek worldly pleasure, or Christ?

Matthew 7:13–14 CSB

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. 14 How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.