Following Jesus Mark 8:34 From a Pastor's Heart "When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."

INTRODUCTION: There is a song we sing during church service, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," and sometime I wonder if we are singing for the sake of singing or do we really mean the words we are singing. Jesus had asked His disciples who people thought He was. Different answers had been given when Peter said He was the Christ, Son of the living God. Have we truly recognized Christ as the Son of God? Following His discourse, Jesus presented the criteria for following Him. Four conditions were required to be a follower of Jesus. A desire to follow Self-denial Taking up his cross Follow Him (the pattern of His life) Let us consider what is involved in following Jesus! Whosoever WILL Come After Me. Man must CHOOSE or desire to follow. There is a definite cost to being a follower of Jesus. Many may choose Christ based on their denominational teaching and have not fully considered what Jesus said. Following Jesus involves a conscious, willful decision. In business decisions are made after all the facts are presented. Man must be STEADFAST or faithful to his desire. Once we have chosen to follow Christ we must be true to our choice. Oftentime we become merely attenders and complacent rather than truly committing to Christ. We are not willing to really deny the flesh and the things that please us. Let Him DENY Himself (Self-Denial) What it means to deny self. Do we really understand what it means to deny ourselves? We may deny ourselves the doing of things that are not right. Maybe it is doing without certain material possessions. But is that self-denial? Paul said we are to RECKON ourselves dead. That would imply that self no longer exists. Paul also said, "It is not I but Christ who lives in me." We have to consciously look at opurselves as dead, deny that self is even here. That is extremely hard to do given that we live in a personal, material world. But to be an effective reflector of Christ, self cannot be seen. Self-denial in action. Many will plan church activities or meetings around their personal life. If nothing else comes along we will be there. That is self and the flesh in control. Denying self means that Christ and His work become first priority. Everything revolves out from Him. He is to be living through us. Jesus, in His prayer to the Father said, "I come to do thy will." He is still here to do the Father's will but He does it through His people, (His body). Self-denial in action is allowing Christ to fully live His life in and through our bodies. Take up HIS Cross. What a personal cross implies. Many will assume that taking up the cross is personal burdens we have to carry. That concept brings the focus on self and what self is doing. It is, "Look what I am doing or doing without for the Lord." Jesus said, "Take my yoke upon you," and that His burden was light. The cross, an emblem of a death. The cross was the place of Christ's death. It also represented our death as He died for each one of us. Taking up the cross in essence is dying to self, daily. Looked upon with scorn and shame.As the world looked upon Christ on the cross, they mocked and ridiculed Him. Today, when we take up the cross, deny self and allow Christ to live through us, we can also expect to be mocked by the world. Now an emblem of Christian faith. FOLLOW Me Let us follow Him through the Garden. Will we suffer for His sake? Will we run for our own safety? Let us climb Calvary with Him. Will we endure scorn and mockery with a forgiving heart? The Bearer of the Cross will Trade it for a Crown Paul traded his cross at Nero's chopping block Peter traded at his cross - upside down Those who love His appearing will trade their cross at that day. CONCLUSION: We ought to bear the cross with faith and patience for the exchange day is not far off. BACK | HOME