The Cost Of Discipleship

Mark 8:34-38

True Disciples (34)

True disciple must meet 4 requirements:

Come After Jesus

He must have a new birth.

He must have a personal commitment to leave the old life behind to follow the Lord Jesus Christ into a new and very different life.

Deny Himself

He must stop listening to his own voice or leaning on his own power.

He must stop fulfilling his own will and wishes.

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Instead, he must seek to do God’s will and carry out His plans.

He must give up all his rights and relinquish all control of his life to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Take Up His Cross

He must die to himself.

He must commit himself to a lifestyle of a living death.

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He must willingly bear the shame, the reproach, the humiliation, the suffering, the hatred, the alienation and even the death that may come his way because of his association with the Lord Jesus Christ.

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He must take up his cross and never to lay it down until he reaches the place of his death.

Follow Him

He must turn his back on his old life.

He must take up his cross.

He must be willing to lay down everything for the glory of God.

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He must take his place behind the Lord and follow Him wherever He leads.

He must walk in total obedience and submission to the Lord Jesus Christ.

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It is an ongoing action.

He must be a constant follower.

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The Way To Save Our Lives Is To Lose It (35-37)

If we believe that having our own way, living life on our own terms, and being our own lord are more important than surrendering to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, we will lose our lives.

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If we will yield our lives to Him, giving up total control over all we have and are to Him, we will actually save it.

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We can choose to do as we please, living our lives on our own terms, but in the end, we will lose our lives, and an eternity in Hell will be waiting for us.

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Or, we can choose to commit our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ.

We can deny our own will, give up all our rights, surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and follow Him faithfully.

At the end of the way, His way, we will find that the door of Heaven will be opened to us.

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We may gain the whole world and all its riches.

We may do anything we want, be anything we want, or go anywhere we want.

But after death, we will find ourselves in Hell forever.

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Would those years of pleasure be worth an eternity in Hell?

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What is the worth of our soul?

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Remember, our soul is the only part of us that will live forever.

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Are we willing to trade our soul for the right to do as we please and live life on our own terms?

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A Penalty (38)

The Lord Jesus had a word for those who were ashamed of Him and His words.

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They had refused to come to Him for salvation.

They had refused to accept Him and His message.

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They would face a terrible judgment when He comes.

The Lord Jesus Christ will refuse to acknowledge them.

They will face Him in judgment and they will be cast into Hell.

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There are no cheap seats in the body of Christ.

It costs something to be a genuine disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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True discipleship demands our all!

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We must deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow the Lord Jesus Christ all the way, even to death if necessary.

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For those who are willing to pay the price, there is a home in Heaven and eternal glory.

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For those who shrink back from the shame of the cross, there is nothing but judgment.