Introduction

Good morning, beloved family of God. I am so grateful to be here with you today, sharing the warmth of fellowship and the light of God's Word. Isn't it wonderful to gather together, to lift our voices in praise, to bow our hearts in prayer, and to open our minds to the wisdom of the Holy Scriptures?

Today, we are going to consider a passage from the Gospel of Mark, specifically Mark 8:34-38. In these verses, we encounter some of the most profound and challenging words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let me read them to you: "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. 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? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 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.'"

These are weighty words, aren't they? They challenge us, they confront us, and they call us to a radical life of discipleship. Our Lord is not speaking of a casual, comfortable Christianity but of a faith that is willing to deny self, take up the cross, and follow Him, even unto death.

The great preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, "There are no crown-wearers in heaven who were not cross-bearers here below." Isn't that a powerful reminder? The path to glory is the path of the cross. It's not an easy path, but it's the path that our Savior walked for us, and it's the path He calls us to walk with Him.

So, let's prepare our hearts and minds to engage with these profound truths. Let's ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate the Word for us, to convict us where we need to be convicted, to comfort us where we need to be comforted, and to empower us to live as true disciples of Jesus Christ.

Denying Self for Christ

As we reflect on the words of our Savior, we find ourselves faced with a powerful call. A call that goes against the grain of our human nature. A call that challenges the very core of our self-centered tendencies. It's a call to deny ourselves.

What does it mean to deny ourselves? It's not about self-deprecation or self-hatred. It's not about denying our worth or value as individuals created in the image of God. Rather, it's about setting aside our own desires, our own plans, our own ambitions, in favor of God's will. It's about saying no to the self-centered tendencies that so often drive our decisions and actions, and saying yes to the God-centered life that Jesus exemplifies and invites us into.

Our human nature is wired for self-preservation, self-promotion, and self-satisfaction. We want what we want when we want it. We seek comfort, convenience, and control. We resist anything that threatens our autonomy or disrupts our plans. But Jesus calls us to a different way. A way of self-denial, surrender, and obedience to God's will, even when it's hard, even when it hurts, and even when it costs us.

This call to self-denial is a call to true freedom and joy rather than masochism. Because when we deny ourselves when we surrender our lives to God, we find that His plans for us are far better than anything we could have planned for ourselves. His ways are higher than our ways, His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. His will is perfect, pleasing, and good.

But how do we deny ourselves? How do we live this out in practical ways? It starts with a daily decision. A decision to wake up each morning and say, "Not my will, but Yours be done." A decision to seek God's will in every situation, to listen for His voice in every decision, to follow His lead in every step. It's a decision to let go of our need for control, to trust in God's sovereignty, to rest in His goodness.

But we do this fully dependent upon the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit empowers us to deny ourselves, to live for God, and to walk in obedience to His will. The Spirit convicts us when we stray, comforts us when we struggle, and guides us when we're lost. The Spirit enables us to live the self-denying, God-centered life that Jesus calls us to.

And as we deny ourselves, as we live for God, we find that we're gaining everything of eternal value. We're gaining a deeper relationship with God, a greater understanding of His will, a richer experience of His presence. We're gaining a life of purpose, peace, and joy. A life that is truly life.

Transition. So, let's heed the call of our Savior. Let's deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. Let's live for God, not for ourselves. Let's seek His will, not our own. Let's trust in His goodness, not in our own understanding. Let's surrender to His sovereignty, not cling to our own control. Let's live the self-denying, God-centered life that Jesus calls us to. And let's do it in the power of the Spirit, for the glory of God, and for the joy of our souls.

Dedication to the Cross

As we ponder the words of Jesus in Mark 8:34, we are confronted with a stark image: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO