Introduction:
Peter’s response to what Jesus tells His disciples about His death reveals that the disciples did not expect Jesus to die.
What the next verses reveal is that it is not just Jesus who must die. Everyone who follows Jesus must die.
The deaths are not the same of course.
Christ’s death is in the interest of saving His people.
The believer’s death is in the interest of being saved.
Christ’s death and resurrection saves us.
Our death does not save us — though our death is necessary to our being saved (and in that sense is a decision to be made if we wish to be saved).
But there is no effort, or suffering, or martyrdom, on the part of the sinner that could ever atone for our sins.
Nor would any effort, or suffering, or martyrdom on the part of the sinner, make the sinner worthy of the benefits of Christ’s saving work. We are NOT earning what Jesus did to save sinners.
To receive the benefits of the death of Christ is entirely a matter of grace.
Christ died so that we would not die for our sins. He died to save us from the wrath of God. AND HE DIED FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE HELPLESS.
NAS Romans 5:6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
The riches of Christ’s righteousness answers for the poverty of our lives. At the moment of saving faith, God puts to the spiritual account of the believing sinner all of the righteousness of Christ Himself, so that the sinner is then COMPLETELY ACCEPTED in the beloved.
ESV Philippians 3:8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith--
SO, OUR DEATH IS NOT SOMETHING THAT EARNS SALVATION.
Nor does the death that Jesus speaks of here always result in martyrdom. In fact, the believer’s death is SUPREMELY on display in the believer’s living.
The believer dies even as he lives. And, in a great paradox, in that dying the believer experiences life.
But the death that Jesus speaks of in our verses — the death of a disciple — WILL speak OF THE PERCEPTION OF A DISCIPLE.
The willingness to take up our cross, or the lack of willingness to take up our cross, reveals what we truly perceive concerning what God has revealed.
Is the gospel true?
Is Christ really the only Savior?
Is a Savior really needed?
Is man born in spiritual death and does he really need A NEW LIFE?
What is knowing Jesus and following Him worth?
What does the world really have to offer us in comparison with Christ’s kingdom?
What will we live for? We will live for the momentary pleasures of sin, or will we live for the pleasures that will forever exist at God’s right hand?
ESV Psalm 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
WHAT IS OUR SOUL WORTH?
WHAT ARE WE WILLING TO SELL OUR SOUL FOR?
Tonight, we contemplate that. What is our soul worth? What is its value?
And, as we do that, we consider the supreme worth of Christ, and the promise of life that is stationed in Him.
• THE DESIRE UNDER CONSIDERATION (vs.24a)
Do you desire to follow Jesus?
What Jesus is describing is the desire to be His disciple. The desire to know Him, to have Him, to walk with Him, to be ONE OF HIS OWN SERVANTS.
Is that really what you desire?
And what He is describing is UNIVERSAL AMONG HIS PEOPLE.
THIS IS NOT DESCRIBING A DESIRE TO BE CONSIDERED AND EXAMINED BY AN ELITE FEW.
This is not a call to some HIGHER LEVEL of discipleship.
This is the call to TRUE DISCIPLESHIP. And to be a disciple of Jesus is to be one of His people — it is to BELONG to Him.
IF ANYONE WISHES.
NOTE: What Jesus is about to say TESTS that desire.
It sifts out the difference between mere words and devoted hearts.
ESV Matthew 15:8 "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
And so, before we hear what Jesus says about this desire, I want to begin with where we each register ourselves on this question.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOU DESIRE TO COME AFTER JESUS?
Just as Jesus was addressing this teaching to men who were already identified as His disciples, along with the crowds (Mark 8:34), so I address it to professing Christians tonight, as well as anyone else hearing me.
DO YOU TRULY DESIRE TO BE A DISCIPLE OF JESUS?
WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY MADE THE DECISION TO COME AFTER JESUS?
• THE REQUIREMENT TO FULFILL THE DESIRE (vs.24b)
You meet with an imperative verb.
HE MUST deny himself and take up His cross, and follow Christ.
This is a demand. This is a requirement. This is not optional.
AND THIS IS NOT WHAT IS OFTEN PRESENTED IN THE NAME OF THE GOSPEL.
What must be decided if a man or woman is follow Jesus?
• DECISION REGARDING THE PAST