WHAT MATTERS MOST IN YOUR LIFE?

1. WHAT MATTERS MOST IN YOUR LIFE? Mark 8:34-38

2. 34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.

3. 36 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37 Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” Mark 8:34-38

4. “There is a fatal defect in the life of Christ’s Church in the 20th Century – a lack of true discipleship. Discipleship means forsaking everything to follow Christ. But for many of today’s supposed Christians – perhaps the majority – it is the case that while there is much talk about Christ and even much furious activity, there is actually very little of following of Christ Himself. And that means in some circles, there is very little genuine Christianity. Many who fervently called Him, ‘Lord, Lord’ are not Christians.”

5. “Discipleship is not a second step in Christianity, as if one first becomes a believer in Jesus, and then, if he chooses to, becomes a disciple. From the beginning, discipleship is involved in what it means to be a Christian....Is ‘faith’ minus commitment a true biblical faith?...If faith without works is dead—how much truer is it that faith without commitment is dead...True faith involves these elements: knowledge...heart response...and commitment …” James Montgomery Boice Extracted from “Christ’s Call to Discipleship”

6. “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all – how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:32

7. DENY YOURSELF Self-denial • “To disown” - to state that we are not connected with someone • To put to death our self-agenda and our self-interest • To die to self

8. “If you are busy and never have time to rest, when you relinquish your free time to serve a brother or sister, you are denying yourself. You deny yourself when you use the time that you could have spent with your family - the time that you could have spent with friends and things that you would like to do - to visit and care for the sick.You deny yourself when you give sacrificially to the poor and needy.”

9. TAKE UP YOUR CROSS Cross-bearing Difficulties are not an indication of cross-bearing. Difficulties for Christ’s sake are. “Cross-bearing” is our willingness to endure persecution, rejection, reproach, humiliation and even death for the sake of Christ.

10. Am I willing to stand up for Jesus if it means losing my closest friends? • Am I willing to stand up for Jesus if it means alienation from my family? • Am I willing to stand up for Jesus if it means losing my job? • Am I willing to stand up for Jesus if it means losing my life?

11. FOLLOW ME Loyal Obedience “One follows Jesus by trusting in Him, walking in His footsteps, obeying His commandments out of gratitude for salvation through Him ….” William Hendrikson

12. FOLLOW ME • Obey all that Jesus commands • Love what He loves; Hate what He hates • Make His life a pattern for our living

13. 1 John 2:4 The man who says “I know Him,” but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. • Matthew 7:21 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father.”

14. WHAT IS THE COST? • “High cost! High Commitment! BUT GREAT IS THE REWARD. • Promise of a crown of life - Revelation 2:10 Whoever wants to save his life will lose it – but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.” [Mark 8:35]

15. WILL YOU HEED THE CALL? [1] Deny yourself [2] Take up your cross [3] Follow me