Can we be a true follower of Jesus if we stay in the shadows and hope no one notices? Allowing fear to keep us from making disciples. Not according to Mark 8:34-38. Over the past few days we have explored together this passage to learn The Meaning of True Discipleship and we have learned that Discipleship Is Not a Game. We have also seen that True Discipleship Requires Personal Sacrifice and we can come to appreciate the fact that True Discipleship Requires Absolute Commitment as well.
In this our final post on the passage from Mark 8:34-38 we shall see that Discipleship Requires Complete Loyalty. But first, let’s revisit the focal passage we have been studying to refresh our memories:
34Summoning the crowd along with His disciples, He said to them, “If anyone wants to be My follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. 35For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me and the gospel will save it. 36For what does it benefit a man to gain the whole world yet lose his life? 37What can a man give in exchange for his life? 38For whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
Our focus today is on verse 38, a provocative statement from Jesus that should get everyone’s attention. Everyone that is who seeks to enter the Kingdom of heaven.
True Discipleship Requires Total Loyalty
Can we be a true follower of Jesus if we stay in the shadows and hope no one notices? Allowing fear to paralyze us and keep us from engaging in our mission of making disciples. Not according to what Jesus said in this passage from Mark. According to Jesus, following Him requires us to choose sides and declare our allegiance, publicly. If we are “ashamed” to let people know that we are a follower of His then He will be ashamed of us when we stand before the Father at the great white throne judgment.
True discipleship requires complete loyalty to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; the kind of loyalty that is on display for all to see. The kind of loyalty that transforms us from the inside out. The kind of loyalty that fuels self-denial and self-sacrifice so that others may know Jesus the way we know Jesus. The kind of loyalty that compels us to fulfill the great commission in our daily lives. The kind of loyalty that Jesus has for the Father.
The Meaning of Discipleship
Indeed, as we have seen, discipleship is not a game, it is a serious life and death matter of eternal significant. True discipleship is voluntary and open to everyone who would believe and choose to follow Jesus. True discipleship is marked by personal sacrifice, put others ahead of one’s self for the sake of the Gospel. True discipleship is disruptive to the status quo, challenging us to submit our will and ways to God’s will and ways for our life. True discipleship demands absolute commitment to Jesus that is characterized by bold loyalty and courageous service. Are you a true disciple?
True Discipleship Stars Now!
If you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, then boldly follow Him and tell others about Him. If you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus then it would be my great privilege to introduce you to Him. As long as you have breath in your body, it is never too late to follow Jesus. To learn more about how you can have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ follow this link.
To download the PowerPoint slides for this study click this link: True Discipleship.
To view the YouVersion Live Event for this study follow this link: http://bible.us/e/os8.
