Introduction: Counting the Cost
Some things in life are easy to say but harder to live out.
I remember a young firefighter in training. He was passionate, excited, and couldn’t wait to get out there and fight fires. But during a live burn drill, the flames got hotter than he expected, the smoke thicker, and panic started to rise. He froze. He wasn’t sure he could push through. His instructor pulled him aside and said, "Son, you signed up to save lives — but that comes with a cost. You can’t back down when it gets hard."
It’s the same with following Jesus. It’s easy to say, "You are the Messiah" — like Peter did this morning — but what happens when Jesus explains what that actually means?
After Peter's great confession in Mark 8:29, Jesus shifts the conversation from who He is to what He must do — and what it will cost to follow Him.
Let’s read Mark 8:31-38 together.
I. Jesus Redefines Victory (Mark 8:31-33)
"He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that He must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him."
Peter had just gotten the answer right — "You are the Messiah." He was probably feeling pretty proud. But now Jesus is talking about suffering, rejection, and death? That wasn’t Peter’s idea of what a Messiah should be. He wanted a conquering King, not a suffering Savior.
Peter pulls Jesus aside and rebukes Him — and Jesus fires right back:
"Get behind Me, Satan! You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns."
Peter wasn’t evil — he just didn’t understand. He wanted the glory without the sacrifice. He wanted victory without the cross.
How often do we do the same thing? We want the blessings of Jesus — peace, joy, eternal life — but not the hard parts: surrender, obedience, and sacrifice.
II. Take Up Your Cross (Mark 8:34)
"Then He called the crowd to Him along with His disciples and said: 'Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me.'"
In Jesus’ time, the cross wasn’t jewelry or a symbol of faith. It was an instrument of torture and death. When people saw a man carrying a cross, they knew he was walking to his execution.
Jesus is saying, "Follow Me — even if it costs you everything."
It’s not about adding a little bit of Jesus to our lives. It’s about surrendering our lives to Him completely. We can say, "Jesus is Lord," but if our lives don’t show it, what does it really mean?
III. The Paradox of the Gospel (Mark 8:35-38)
"For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?"
The world tells us to look out for #1 — to build our own kingdoms, chase success, protect our comfort. But Jesus flips that upside down: "If you try to save your life, you’ll lose it. But if you give up your life for Me, you’ll truly find it."
There’s a story of a missionary couple who gave up a comfortable life in the U.S. to serve in a dangerous, unreached region. When asked why, they said, "We decided a long time ago that our lives belong to Jesus — and He’s worth it." They lost comfort, safety, and security — but they found something far greater: the joy of serving Christ fully.
Are we holding onto something that keeps us from following Jesus wholeheartedly? Pride? Comfort? Fear? Plans? Jesus is asking us to lay it down.
Conclusion: Who Do You Say I Am... Now?
This morning, we answered the question: "Who do you say I am?"
Tonight, Jesus asks us a follow-up: "What will it cost you to follow Me — and are you willing to pay it?"
"If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels." (Mark 8:38)
It’s not enough to say, "Jesus is Lord." Our lives must reflect it.
• If you’ve been holding back — if fear, comfort, or pride is keeping you from fully following Him — tonight is the night to lay it down.
• If you need to recommit, to say, 'Jesus, You’re not just my Savior — You’re my Lord,' tonight is the night.
Who do you say He is… and what are you willing to give for Him?
