How Committed Are You? Series

Luke 9: 23 – 27

How Committed Are You?

23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? 26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels. 27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God.”

There are two other Gospels that address this same incident so to gain the most information that we can, let us take a look at what Matthew and Mark have to say.

Matthew 16:24-28, “24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. 28 “Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Mark 8: 34 – 9:1”34 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. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

“ And He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.”

Let me ask you a question. Well, actually its two questions and they are these, “Have you ever lead any person to Christ’, and two, ‘are you involved in any ministry in serving the Lord?’

I am not trying to make you feel bad or convicted. No, wait a minute, I am. If you haven’t what makes you so special? We are all, who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, adopted sons and daughters. We are all part of the body of Christ. Please send your exclusion letter that says that you are exempted from sharing the Gospel and from serving the rest of the body?

We have today in our bodies some elements that work apart from the rest of our physical bodies and do you know what that is? It is called ‘Cancer’.

As a minister I am called to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. In which category do you fall into?

Anyway, let me tell you about our lives after you ask the Lord Jesus to forgive your sins and rule your life for now through all eternity.

I have witnessed too many ‘cool guys’. Oh, they are gifted in looks and appeal. They come up and flatter you with all types of strokes. Then, they sell you Jesus. If you respond, they chalk you up as a victory. I do not believe that this is how we are to share the ‘Good News’

What did our Lord Jesus Christ instruct the disciples before He returned to Heaven? We read this in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 24,“16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”