True Follower Of Christ Series

GOSPEL OF MARK: GOD’S SERVANT IN ACTION

TRUE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST

A. Last May I began a sermon series on the Gospel of Mark—studying the life of Jesus from His BAPTISM

to his CRUCIFIXION and RESURRECTION, and ultimate ASCENSION into HEAVEN.

1. The verse in Mark’s gospel that summarizes Jesus’ earthly purpose is found in Mark 10:45- “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and give His life a ransom for many.” (Jesus

came to SERVE and to SAVE.)

a. The first half of this GOSPEL focusses on Jesus as a SERVANT and the last half focusses on Jesus

as our SAVIOR.

b. Today we begin our STUDY on Jesus’ third and final year of His MISSION as He and the disciples

leave the region of Galilee and head toward Jerusalem where He knows DEATH is awaiting Him.

2. Let’s pick up where we left off in September- Mark 8:27ff.

a. “On their way to Jerusalem, Jesus asks His disciples who do people say He is”- Mark 8:27.

COMMENT:

They answered, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others say one of the prophets”- v. 28.

b. But most important to Jesus is who do His disciples say He is. Peter quickly answered, “You are

the Christ”- v. 29.

COMMENT:

It was certainly the CORRECT answer. Yet, Peter, nor any of the apostles, truly understood what it meant for Jesus to be the Christ—the Messiah.

3. So Jesus began telling the DISCIPLES for the very first time, His PURPOSE in coming to this earth-

vv. 31-32 (READ).

a. Obviously this upset Peter as he began to “REBUKE Jesus for even suggestion such a thing.”

COMMENT:

Peter can’t even imagine that his good FRIEND whom he BELIEVES is the Christ, could possibly be rejected by Jewish LEADERS and then be TORTURED and KILLED.

b. Jesus turns to the disciples and rebukes Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You do not have in the mind

the things of God, but things of men”- v. 33

COMMENT:

Peter didn’t realize it, but he was playing right into hands of the DEVIL. To PREVENT Jesus from going to CROSS puts an abrupt END to God’s MISSION to SAVE the WORLD through His Son. Without the CROSS there is no SALVATION.

B. Up to this point I think the APOSTLES and even the CROWDS of people, for the most part, have felt pretty

good about FOLLOWING after Jesus.

1. They have witnessed many MIRACLES. Many have been the recipients of HEALING, they’ve been

miraculously FED, they’ve heard some good PREACHING.

COMMENT:

It’s EASY to FOLLOW after Jesus as long as everything is WARM and FUZZY and COMFORTABLE.

2. We Americans like COMFORT, don’t we?

ILLUSTRATION:

We have our COMFORTABLE BEDS, our LAZY-BOYS, our BODY PILLOWS, FOOT SPAS, and SNUGGIES. We like COMFORT!

3. But that’s what makes FOLLOWING Jesus DIFFICULT for some because He doesn’t speak of

COMFORT, He speaks of SACRIFICE.

a. Mark 8:34-38 (READ and COMMENT)

b. How does a PREACHER supposed to WORK with that?

COMMENT:

We try to lessen the impact of Jesus’ words by emphasizing the BENEFITS, not the SACRIFICE.

We glamorize the CROSS, or talk about it only during Easter.

It’s bad enough that Jesus had to DIE on the CROSS, but why did He have to go and insist we all end up with our own CROSSES?

C. The truth is: The MESSAGE of the CROSS is not an EASY one.

1. That’s why Jesus tells us “to consider the COST of being His disciple”- Luke 14:25ff.

a. SALVATION is FREE, but being a FOLLOWER of Christ is COSTLY.

COMMENT:

Even though there were CROWDS of people PURSUING Jesus wherever He went, He turns to them and says, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and

follow me.”

b. It was not an AUDIENCE that Jesus WANTED—He wasn’t looking for NUMBERS. He wanted true FOLLOWERS.

2. What does it take to be a true FOLLOWER of Christ.

MESSAGE:

I. DESIRE

A. Jesus said, “If anyone WOULD come after me…”

1. First of all, notice that Jesus said that “ANYONE” is welcome to FOLLOW Him.

COMMENT:

No matter WHO you are, WHERE you are from, what BACKGROUND you might have, what SINS you have committed, you are WELCOMED to FOLLOW Jesus. No one is TURNED

AWAY because of WHO they ARE or WHAT they have DONE.

So, no one can make an EXCUSE, “Jesus doesn’t want ANYBODY like me.” He extends an OPEN INVITATION to “ANYONE”.

2. Secondly, Jesus wants only those who GENUINELY want to FOLLOW Him.

a. Christ doesn’t FORCE anyone to FOLLOW Him. He just INVITES us.

b. The phrase “WOULD COME” is the idea of INTENTIONALITY and involves the WILL.