Following Christ … What does it mean?
Jesus said in Mark 8:34-38 that the key to following Him is to die to self. It is hard to give up self interest; yet Jesus promises to take care of us (cf. Luke 6:47-48).
Here’s the issue – Do we really trust Jesus while following Him to take care of us? The Message states Mark 8:34-38 in this way …
“Calling the crowd to join His disciples, He said,
‘Anyone who intends to 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 loose you, the real you?
What could you ever trade your soul for?
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.’ ”
Missional Maxim #1 – To follow Christ, you must stop following the crowd
