Losing To Win Series

Salvation is free, but discipleship will cost you your life.

2. Denial. The first condition is to settle your desire. The second condition is to deny self: “…let him deny himself…” Everything within us screams against these words. To “deny” means, “to refuse.” This is the same word that describes what Peter did to Jesus. One Bible Dictionary puts it like this: “to disown and renounce self and to subjugate all works, interests and enjoyments.” Check out what Jesus said in Luke 14:33: “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”

Denying self is not the same thing as self-denial, like not eating chocolate, going on a Facebook fast, or not rooting for the Bears (though that would be a good idea). Denying self means I stop thinking I’m always right, I stop living in my own power and I refuse to pursue my own pleasures because I no longer belong to myself. We see this in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” In short, I must give up the right to run my own life because I no longer own my own life. I’ve been bought with the blood of Christ and I now belong to Him.

John Calvin called self-denial “the sum of the Christian life.” I like what Erwin Lutzer posted on New Year’s Day: “But there is one resolution we all should make: that we will not begin a single day in the New Year without giving thanks to God, meditating on one chapter of God’s Word, and praying, ‘Father, glorify yourself in my life today at my expense.’” Most of us, me included, are fine with glorifying God, but we don’t really want to do that if it costs us something. We can’t fully follow Christ while living our lives any way we please.

I am so moved by the caliber and commitment of the servants who are serving at Edgewood. It’s a joy to partner in disciple-making with the leadership teams God has assembled – the staff, the deacons and the trustees. Last month I attended the first trustee meeting of the year and encouraged these guys from 1 Corinthians 15:58 that their ministry matters: “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

Here’s a picture of our trustees – John Bril is serving as chairman, Chris James is vice-chairman and Paul Janacek is the secretary. After reflecting on this passage I asked each of them what they hope to contribute this year. I took notes so I wouldn’t forget their answers. Listen to how this team of servants demonstrates what it means to deny self.

• I simply want to serve

• I want to help

• I want to be available

• It’s my duty

• I have ownership of this church and want to give back

• I want to give my hands and feet to whatever needs to be done

• This is my home so I want to help

• I want to do what I’m gifted to do

• I’m grateful for what Christ has done so I want to serve