Mark 8:34-38 New King James Version
Take Up the Cross and Follow Him
34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Preparing ourselves for the coming of the new year of 2024 …
As part of that preparation …
Have you ever prepared for and practiced the discipline of dieting?
Have you ever prepared for and practiced the discipline of fasting?
Have you ever prepared for and practiced the disciplines of self denial and of self sacrifice?
Have you ever prepared for and practiced the discipline of talking to God?
Although most followers of Christ agree that the discipline of prayer is a highly valuable practice, there’s some debate about the practicing discipline of fasting.
Fasting is the disciplined practice of refraining from normal activities to focus our full attention on God, the Father, His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Most commonly, fasting is about avoiding food for a certain period of time.
In today’s verses from Mark’s Narrative, Jesus tells his disciples that following Him will require His disciples to disciplined practice of self-denial and sacrifice.
We might be able to intellectually understand, agree with the call to self-denial.
We might be able to see the benefit of obeying Christ, even when it contradicts our better more worldly desires.
We might even sincerely pray we would have the self discipline, the strength to discipline ourselves to overcome our “not so glorious worldliness” to obey Him.
However, when that time and that season arrives, summoned by God, called our by Jesus, comes to lay aside our desires and obey God’s commands, we’ll falter.
If we would ever get around to telling ourselves the God’s honest truth, it is not easy to say no to our own desires, especially when we have the means to satisfy our whims – the discipline of fasting helps us practice saying no to ourselves.
We do not gain virtue points by saying no to wolfing out on our favorite foods or not eating gobs of chocolate during the season of Lent, but we do learn the habit of setting aside our desire to make room for praying for, pursuing of, God’s will.
Self-Discipline: Prayer of Surrender to Jesus’ Calling
Mark 8:34-38 The Message
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?
38 “If any of you are embarrassed over me and the way I’m leading you when you get around your fickle and unfocused friends, know that you’ll be an even greater embarrassment to the Son of Man when he arrives in all the splendor of God, his Father, with an army of the holy angels.”
Most days, my day to day life feels like a back-and-forth battle with control.
One day I’m easily relinquishing my own way in favor of God’s plan.
Other days I have to physically, spiritually, struggle to keep surrendering over and over because of my weakness, the pull of being in control is just too strong.
“Give up your own way…”
That phrase sounds ridiculously easy – some days even – embarrassingly easy.
Truth Be Told …
My Confession for today …
“Not so much … If at all …”
“Who am I trying to run a con game on today, who am I trying to scam?”
Those five simple words Master Rabbi Jesus spoke to the crowd are probably the very ones I wrestle with the most.
Even after my heart surgery, I get too attached to my own way of doing things.
Even so, too soon afterwards, self-sufficiency rises and I start making decisions in my own former strengths, I am trying way too hard, and wearing myself out.
I end up exhausted instead of welcoming the peace Jesus offers.
Surrender.
34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Surrender is a hardcore concept to grasp because God gave us the will to choose.
Surrender means to give up complete control.
To yield to the power of another.
Surrender is an amazing gift offered to us.
Wouldn’t when we are at our weakest physically and spiritually, not rather hand over control of our lives to our Creator who literally holds power over all things?
Then why, in our great strengths, do we struggle to surrender when Jesus calls?
God designed us to hope, dream, create, and build.
Do not we long to do great and little things and make an impact on our world.
Do we not desire to great and little things, make an impact in God’s Kingdom?
So whether from our strengths or weaknesses, we must discipline ourselves to pray and find our purpose using the gifts God gave us, while daily surrendering, while daily disciplining our lives and daily subjecting our whole hearts to Him.
Mark chapter 8 tells us about Jesus’ ministry—from feeding four thousand people to healing one blind man.
After a private word with his disciples, Jesus turned to a crowd and explained how to surrender. Jesus said,
“If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?” (Mark 8:35-36)
In our efforts to do good, let’s not forget the presence of our Holy God.
Jesus is calling us to release control and follow His ways instead of our own.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Dear Heavenly Father,
I hear your precious son Jesus gently calling me, yet I realize I’ve let the temptation of control keep me from responding to his voice. Forgive me for trying to do things on my own when I know your ways are best. I resolve to surrender to Savior Jesus today.
Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to draw me back to you in those times when I’ve relied on my own strength. Your Word in John 14:26 says, “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” Thank you for reminding me that if I want to follow Jesus, I need to release my own way resolve to surrender to my Savior.
I have felt the weaknesses in my own body mind, spirit, I have felt your Holy Spirit tugging at my heart. So I am laying down my own plans, desires, and goals. I replace those right now with total surrender to your will. I am grateful for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and that Jesus never stops pursuing a deeper relationship with me.
Your will be done in my life, Lord. I will follow where you lead me. In Jesus’ name,
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 