Denying one's self
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Introduction
Introduction
Last week we studied Mark chapter 8:31-38 and we were only able to make it through verse 34 so today we will finish 35-9:1.
We saw Jesus begin a new teaching in verse 31 were he tells the Disciples plainly the son of man must suffer many things and rejected by the elders and the chief priests. He would be rejected and tried by the sanhedrin which was the highest supreme court for the jewish people at the time.
The disciples had just declared Jesus to be the messiah from the lips of Peter. If you remember I told you the Peter was right in his declaration but only partially. Their understanding of the messiah wasn’t complete. All the jewish people believed the messiah would come as a great political leader in the line of David. He would throw off the oppressors of Isreal. Jesus knew this so he needed to begin teaching them a concealed truth regarding the messiah.
That truth was the messiah would suffer complete rejection, be killed but then rise from the dead in three days. The disciple or anyone in all Israel had no idea the Messiah would actually be a sacrifice. A propitiation for sins. The connection of the sacrificial system and the messiah was no ware near anyone’s radar. So Jesus begins to reveal to them this truth and the all of his followers would follow after the pattern of suffering.
Peter begins to rebuke Jesus for saying such things. In the mind of Peter Jesus is making a mistake for saying such things regarding the messiah. Jesus says to Peter get behind me Satan, for you are not setting your mind on the things of God but on the things of man. Jesus knew the source of Peter’s words towards Jesus. He says get behind me, literally out of my sight.
Jesus calls the crowd to him
Jesus calls the crowd to him
Jesus then in verse 34 calls the crowd to him along with His disciples. He has something important to say. He says 7 distinct things to them and they have enormous meaning.
He says if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Whoever would save his life will lose it
whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul
for what can a man give in return for his soul
who ever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the son of man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his father with the holy angels.
Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.
Last week we only focused on the first one. We focused on the fact the messiah would suffer and die and also He is proclaiming if anyone come after him or in other words to follow him. To be a Christian means for come after him or follow him you are to deny yourself and take up your cross and follow.
Please go back and review the previous sermon if you missed it so we will move on to the other six things Jesus said. 4 statements and 2 questions.
The cost of discipleship
The cost of discipleship
Jesus says here whoever would save his life will lose it, what does he mean by this? whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel will save it? Lets understand our lord here.
First we need to understand the word he uses here for life. The word is means more than just physical life or ones natural life. It refers to the true self or essential self person, soul. The part of you that transcends the earthly sphere. It is the core of one’s existence that is not limited to boundaries of time and space.
Some people believe if they become a christian, then all of a sudden they wont be able to live a fun filled life anymore. Like God is a party pooper and just wants people miserable all the time.
They attempt to save their life by rejecting Jesus and his requirement, which is “ repent and believe the Gospel” They think they are saving their life by living according to their own self created moral compass. They have decided to reject the creator to serve themselves and do what it right in their own eyes. Ultimately will lose their life to eternal ruin.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
John 3:
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
But conversely a person who will “lose” (give over, deny oneself) a life that is now loyal to Jesus and the Gospel will preserve their life forever and ever. As a follower of Jesus he is a heir to eternal life forever with God
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
So Jesus says whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel will save it. We now have a better understanding of what this means. Jesus is preparing his followers for what it means to be a Christian. He is preparing them for eternity. We are not made for this world. When confronted by the call of discipleship, disciples do not have a “both..and” choice. They don’t have both Christ and their own private lives. No they stand with a “either.. or” Choice. The claim of Jesus is a total and exclusive one.
We are told in the book of Romans to present ourself to Him as living sacrifices. Jesus said to deny yourself and carry our cross. People should recognize us as Christians, by our love for one another, our self sacrificing actions should shine like stars in this dark and crooked generation.
Now look with me here at the two rhetorical questions. Read with me verse 36 and 37
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
Mark
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?
What is the main pursuit of most men or most Americans. To work as hard as you can to gain the most money, most stuff. People work hard for fame and high positions of power. They work tirelessly to stage the perfect picture of their lives to others. Jesus ask here for what gain or what profit do you get in exchange for losing your soul.
He say ok what if you gained the whole world. The entire world and all its slender become yours, but in the end you forfeit your soul, (the word forfeit means to suffer the loss of) to eternal hell. What have you gained?
His second questions is what can a man give in return for his soul? What can a man give for eternal life? Is there any amount of money? and amount of work? Is eternal life for sale? No there is nothing a man can give in exchange for his soul. The only price was paid already. The work is finished, the sacrifice took place on the Cross for your soul. Jesus became our sin so that we would become the righteousness of God. The wrath of God was fully satisfied in Christ Jesus on the cross.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
So here in verse 38 Jesus says whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him with the son of man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his father with the holy angels.
In the first century being ashamed of Jesus and his words had a particular reference to denying him in a time of persecution. The idea of adulterous generation is from a biblical concept often used to described the unfaithfulness to God, see for an example or the whole book of Hosea, where Gomer is a picture of unfaithful Israel. These words of Jesus echo something he spoke either when he said “these people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
To be ashamed of Jesus- when confronted with your position as a christian do we shrink back? Do we remain quite. Do we stand for Christ? We stand firm, gentle yes, humble yes but never the less do we stand firm?
How about the other part of the verse? He says to be ashamed of His word. Do we skip over the less convenient text of the bible? Do we water it down, so it doesn’t sting? Do we argue away to real meaning of the text so that it becomes more politically correct? Are you ashamed of Jesus and his word?
I often said to people in conversation, these aren’t my words. This is the word of God. How do we know if we are ashamed of Jesus or his words. Is there a hesitation in your profession?
Do you stand on the truth of his word when making decisions? When the culture says its completely acceptable and encouraged to live together in a fornicating relationship before marriage do you find yourself ashamed of Jesus and his word? When the world and culture says its normal and politically correct for homosexual behavior, do you find yourself ashamed of him and his word? When the word says husbands love your wives as Jesus loved the church do you find yourself ashamed of him and his word or wives submit to your husband, are you ashamed of him and his word?
1. Do you stand on the truth of his word when making decisions? Do you neglect his word or indifferent to it?
2. When the culture says its completely acceptable and encouraged to live together in a fornicating relationship before marriage do you find yourself ashamed of Jesus and his word?
3. When the world and culture says its normal and politically correct for homosexual behavior, do you find yourself ashamed of him and his word?
4. When the word says husbands love your wives as Jesus loved the church do you find yourself ashamed of him and his word or wives submit to your husband, are you ashamed of him and his word?
5. He says to go and make disciples of all nations are you ashamed of him and his word?
6. He says to forgive and love your enemies are you ashamed of him and his word?
The sections of scripture is know as the call and cost of discipleship. We have the very words of Christ here. These words are from his mouth. We should read them often as a reminder of what the call of Discipleship looks like.
The lord Jesus here in verse 38 is giving the picture of his return after the resurrection. He is coming back with his holy angels. Read Revelation chapter 19 and he says there will be people he will be ashamed of when he comes in glory with his angels. Let that never be us. We aren’t perfect, we don’t claim to be but we read the words of Jesus and march in obedience and are quick to repent and follow. If by the spirit’s power we put to death the deeds of the flesh and we walk according to the spirit as it says in
we will wrap up with Chapter 9:1
And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”
Jesus is giving more and more new revelation to them. Remember he just told them regarding the suffering, the death and the resurrection after 3 days. He now is reassuring them, he just said some hard things and he is reassuring them they will see the kingdom. It just wont be the way they are expecting. He is calling them to walk by faith here and trust what he is say even though they dont fully understand the full picture.
Conclusion
Conclusion
That is exactly what he does with all of us.
Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
Let us hear this call to be disciples of Christ Jesus, let us understand and embrace them. Let us be ones who deny the self and its desires. Lets us lose our self serving self fulfilling life to serve Christ Jesus and in do so will gain life as Jesus said in he came to give life and give it abundantly. Let us never be ashamed and shrink back in the face of opposition or persecution. Let us never be ashamed of His words. This is our daily call and one day we will hear “well done my good and faithful servant”
Lets pray