Denying Self & Finding Life

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – June 14, 2020

Series Title: “Discovering Your Life in the Life of Jesus”

Today’s Title: “Whoever Wants to be My Disciple Must Deny Themselves”

Today’s Text: Mark 8:34-9:1

Gospel Parallels:  Matthew 16:24-28, Luke 9:22-27

 

INTRO: sneakers & water bottles on 9/11

CONTEXT:

After informing the disciples that He is indeed the Messiah, and then that the Messiah will suffer and die is when Jesus gives them these words. NOTE THAT THIS WAS SAID TO THE “CROWD” NOT JUST TO THE 12

1) deny yourself (v34)

                        - Colossians 3:1-11

2) take up your cross (v34)

                        - a journey of suffering, humiliation, shame, pain, and death

                        - 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

3) follow the Christ

                        - Philippians 2:5-8  

4) lose your life to save it

            - Jesus uses this term frequently, written in all 4 gospels, but in 4 different contexts

                        - Matthew 10:39 - (instructions before sending out the 12 two by two)

                        - Luke 17:33 - (Jesus speaks of the coming kingdom of God)

                        - John 12:25 - (on Palm Sunday, just after the crowd hailed Him as “king”)

5) lose the world, gain the soul (V36-37)

                        - don’t jump too quickly to heaven/hell when applying this

                        - the context is not about eternal destiny, but about how you live NOW

                        - BUT it also applies to eternity

                        - “soul” here is the SAME Greek word for “life” in v35

6) “ashamed of me and my words” (v38)

- Romans 1:16 

7) Jesus didn’t just use metaphors, He showed them who He really is (9:1)

                        - What happens next in Mark 9 will be a fulfillment of this verse