What He said!, Pt 14: What Profits

Mark 8:34-37                         Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?” (TMT)

34Jesus summoned the crowd, along with his disciples, and had them gather around. And he said to them: “If you truly want to follow me, you should at once completely disown your own life. And you must be willing to share my cross and experience it as your own, as you continually surrender to my ways. 35For if you let your life go for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, you will continually experience true life. But if you choose to keep your life for yourself, you will forfeit what you try to keep. 36For what use is it to gain all the wealth and power of this world, with everything it could offer you, at the cost of your own life? 37And what could be more valuable to you than your own soul?” (TPT)

These two translations of Mark 8:34-37 put the problems facing society, particularly American society, into specific relief.  As we think of following Jesus, we usually think in terms of following certain precepts, living our lives in certain ways, and maybe, if we are far enough along on the journey, we might think of changing certain habits and life patterns.  But the modern church often is very consumerist:  We may not actually say so, but we think in terms of “What’s in it for me?”  How often have we left the service muttering to ourselves “Well, I didn’t get anything out of that!”  Do we really go to service to be entertained by good worship, receive passable teaching and comfort, or do we attend to praise and worship the King?

The core of these verses is that following Jesus is costly.  And that cost comes from the attitude change that Jesus requires.  When Jesus says that we should take up our cross and follow him, he is referring to a decision to completely devote ourselves to him.  In the Middle Ages, and even today, some think that deliberately scourging themselves aligns them with the suffering Jesus endured.  That is not what these verses refer to.

These verses refer to a life-change.  The first believers faced death and abuse as a real possibility, and in many parts of the world today believers face the same possibility.  The severest forms of it aren’t seen much in Western culture, but as society becomes more and more secular and vulgar, and as deviant lifestyles are given a more in-your-face expression, believers who hold to Biblical values are seen more and more as intolerant or even hateful.  This Western resistance to Biblical values is prevalent in our society even though a person wouldn’t think so from a casual glance.  I had a couple in my Uber car the other day on the way to the airport and if I heard the F word once I heard it 100 times in a 30 minute trip.  When I was growing up if that word escaped my lips it was cause for a smack.  I have a pastor friend who often says we tend to hold others accountable by their actions but ourselves by our intentions.  What he means is that we are not willing to pay the price for holding to moral or Biblical values.  We talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk.  But Jesus does not allow for hypocritical behavior:  He requires bold confession.

But bold confession means we must be willing to be different.  It is not OK to go along with the crowd when the crowd is not following Godly principles.  Is He our Lord and Savior or not?  It’s easy to stand for Christ in a church environment, not so easy in the world.  When that young couple was speaking so vulgarly I did not ask them to stop.  I just hunkered down and rode it out.  Was Jesus pleased with this?  I doubt it.  I did not stand up for his values.  This sort of thing is by-stander believism.  We watch the game, but don’t join in.

On the other hand, believing is not all tears and embarrassment.  There are good things.  In the 1946 movie “It’s A Wonderful Life” George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) is so depressed about his life that he’s considering suicide.  But then an angel shows him all the difference he made to his town because of the way he lived his life.  All of us have impact on those around us even when we don’t realize it.  We know ourselves and are often prone to self-criticism, but others see us differently.  Impacting others positively through our lives is what the gospel is all about.  “It’s a Wonderful Life” was a secular movie delivering a profoundly spiritual message:  How one lives makes a difference.  Here’s where the Mark verse intersects with 21st Century culture.  Yes, we can live lives pursuing money and prestige, but these things are so transitory they are beside the point.  Who wants to have an epitaph “He made a lot of money”?  There is a line in a movie that says, “I’ve been poor, and I’ve been rich.  Rich is better.”  That’s true, but only if one keeps one’s perspective.  Money can be a wonderful tool to further the Kingdom, but as an end in and of itself, it is sinful.

When we seek fulfillment through money and prestige we can hurt those most important to us.  And at the end one might look back and realize that one’s life had been wasted.  But when believers fully commit to God fulfilment comes almost without trying.  Living a moral and Godly life brings blessings if for no other reason than that one is not engaging in risky behavior.  And living a Godly life brings love and affection from others because people like being around Godly people.  When we concern ourselves with others’ well-being our heart softens towards them, even toward our adversaries (Matt. 5:38-42) and enemies (Matt, 5:43-48).

But ‘pick up your cross’ is not touchy-feely either.  The day of Jesus’ return draws closer every day.  Whether it will be tomorrow or 100 years from now is beside the point:  We must be ready.  We cannot allow ourselves to be led by the world or our flesh, but must take our eyes off of ourselves, our desires, our wants, and instead engage in intercessory prayer, self-denial, Godly behavior, and renew our reverence and worship of the Sovereign God Almighty.  If we want to be free, forgiven, and made new, we must give up old ways and turn to God’s ways.

Garland, D. E. (1998).  The NIV Application Commentary: Mark.  Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Whitchard, D. (2021).  Retrieved from: www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/bid-him-come-and-die-sermon-on-committment.