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Desiring to Follow Jesus

Text: Mark 8:27-38, Matthew 16:13-27, Luke 9:18-26
8 June 2014

DESIRING TO FOLLOW JESUS

1. “Desiring” is simply “wishing”

2. Mere wishing will not amount to anything significant

3. Many do not fully comprehend what it means to follow Jesus

WHAT IT TAKES TO SUCCEED IN FOLLOWING JESUS

1. Let him deny himself            Mark 8:34

A strong compound word used for the verb “deny”

2. And take up his cross            Mark 8:34

a) Note the use of the conjunction “and”
b) Taking up one’s cross

3. And follow Me            Mark 8:34

a) The conjunction “and” is effectively used again
b) Following Jesus is strongly connected to
i) Denial of self
ii) Taking up one’s cross

A DEEP PARADOXICAL TRUTH

1. Whoever desires to save his life

He will lose it            Mark 8:35

2. Whoever loses his life

a) For Jesus’ sake
b) For the gospel’s sake

He will save it            Mark 8:35

DEEP REASON

1. The worth of a soul

a) Is the soul worth less than the world?
b) What will a person give in exchange for his soul?            Mark 8:36-37

2. When the Son of Man returns

Will He be ashamed of those who are ashamed of being identified with Him?            Mark 8:38

POEMS – Charles Tan

#48 NOT MINDFUL OF THE THINGS OF GOD

The disciples of Jesus struggled so much to comprehend,
They battled against great odds to fully understand.
The natural heart was so inclined to doubts and fear,
And that in spite of the fact that Jesus was very near!

The disciples still lacked so many things Jesus wanted for them,
Till these spiritual virtues were cultivated they would not be gems.
They needed the special touch of the hand of the Lord in their life,
Or they would never be able to surmount the heart’s turmoil and strife.

The disciples had not reckoned just how the Evil One could attack them,
Till Peter attempted to dissuade Jesus from following His Father’s plan.
The Evil One had planted a thought in Peter’s heart that had seemed so right,
Jesus saw the wicked work of Satan and addressed the problem outright.

“You are not mindful of the things of God”- Jesus admonished,
This was another root problem that had not been demolished.
The disciples were still caught up “with the things of men,”
Jesus had to help them see that they needed to be further cleansed.

Inspiration: Mark 8:33