Are you nailed to the cross?
Mark 8:34-8:38
- Our lives ought to be a living worship of Jesus Christ’s example
-- Honestly, I am more and more convinced that we (all) are just not there yet
- Jesus warned that not all that called upon Him will enter into the Kingdom
-- If you are pretending to be someone you are not then this passage is for you
-- We mustn’t lie to ourselves, and think that God is fooled by our performance
- I see four things that we must nail to the cross this morning
- I see four chances to apply this passage to our lives and be changed
- I want to tell you up front that this message is NOT a crowd pleaser
-- If we aren’t careful, it can be an attendance killer; because it hits close to home
- Encouragement: When we encounter God’s truth, it should cause a change
-- The Gospel is not for the weak at heart, so count it an honor to be included
- Read Mark 8:34-8:38
- Right up front, I am going to give you all four points (only slide today)
Point 1 - I must nail my SELF to the Cross (v34)
- Following Jesus means I am no longer at the center of my life, He is.
-- How many times have you thought to yourself that you can do it alone?
-- How many times have you been in sin and convinced yourself that it is ok?
- How many times have you said that you don’t need so-and-so because you are just glad that you are not like them?
- How many times have you had to look at yourself in the mirror after indulging in something sinful and told yourself that you would never do that again?
- Today church, I want you to examine your SELF.
- I want you to see that there is more to this flesh than what YOU want
-- (v34) There is a need to live for Christ because Jesus died for you!!
- Many choose each week, convincing themselves that the message is not for them
-- If you have said that ever in your life – then this message is for you
-- Complacency is killing our church, and the devil is laughing at us.
- Challenge: Do you care?
-- Our desire to convince ourselves that we are something is killing THE church.
- Challenge: Do you care?
-- Our own flesh convincing ourselves that we don’t need to pay attention or even attend church is killing THE church.
- Challenge: Do you care?
-- Do you know that a man (forget the deity) died for this? (Expound ...)
-- Is His life worth more to you than 60 minutes a week? (Expound ...)
-- We must devote ourselves to Him beyond the minimum offering we have
- We must nail ourselves to the cross before any healing can take place
-- We must be willing to admit that we are sinners and that we need forgiveness
-- We must admit that repentance is the order of the day
- Do you need to be nailed to the cross? I do.
- I am willing to stand here and admit that I am not perfect and that I need to ask forgiveness from the Lord Jesus. I need to nail myself to the cross.
Point 2 - I must nail my SECURITY to the Cross (v35)
- Jesus is trying to teach you something here … do you see it? (v35)
-- If I hold on to my life I will lose it, yet if I let go of my life I will save it!
- He is telling you that you must lose your life – that is:
-- We must give it up for Him in order to gain eternity
- Many today don’t want to do that
-- We have answered an altar call in the church one Sunday and said we’ve given our lives to Jesus
-- We’ve made a public profession of faith … but I think it is safe to say that not everyone is really living the life they proclaimed
- How can I make such a bold statement?
-- Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
- The bible says very clearly that we should not give up on meeting together
-- Yet, Wednesday nights we dwindle down and Sunday nights are less
-- Of course, this is just our church right here, but now expand that to each church
-- Brothers and sisters … that is giving up on meeting together on a global scale!
- When you give your life to the Lord you should have gave it ALL to the Lord!
-- Which is more important: Serving Jesus by being strengthened together as believers … or making sure that you see the latest reality TV show or the end of the football game?
- We hold very near and dear the security of who we are – but who are we really?
-- Do you not belong to the Lord?
-- If you came forward and gave your life to Jesus you are no longer yours!
-- APP: You are no longer in charge of anything!!
- This scripture means that we have to give up our security of who we are
-- We have to give up our self-worth and validity seeking and follow Jesus totally
Point 3 - I must nail my SUCCESS to the Cross (v36-37)
- What is success?
-- Better asked of us: “How do you measure success?” (stuff, money, kudos)
- Re-read v36 – How can you stand to profit but lose your very soul?
- Re-read v37 – What if God gave you a bill for your soul – could you afford it?
- Jesus came into this Earth for one purpose and one purpose only:
-- To die and serve His Father by being a sacrifice FOR each of us
-- Isaiah 53:10, “Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.”
- APP: Have you sacrificed for Jesus today? How about Yesterday? This week?
- If you can say yes, then I am going to challenge you by asking, “How?”
-- I am asking you not out of defiance, but because I want to know of your witness
-- I want to be strengthened by what God is doing in your life (mutual testimony)
- I am convinced that we spend too much time away from the church
-- It’s not the building we avoid, but the Body of Christ
-- BIG APP: This is how the devil has us split apart; we’ve divided ourselves
- Jesus’ paid a price that none of us could ever afford to pay
-- He did so freely; willing to follow His Father without debate/argument
-- Luke 22:42, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
- He was not driven by success
-- He was also not concerned with what this world considers is a successful person
-- Mark 10:21 says, “Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
- The rich man could not give all he had: it was what made him who he was.
-- Is this you? Does success measure who you are?
- Even our success needs to be nailed to the cross!
Point 4 - I must nail my STATUS to the Cross (v38-9:1)
- In the beginning of this message I asked repeatedly if you cared about things
- Often times, we get caught up in ourselves and believe that we are something
-- We get so wrapped up on ensuring that so-and-so knows us
-- Then, we get mad when someone doesn’t thank us for a good job
- Often times, our status defines who we are in our own minds
-- Did you know that Jesus had no status?
- Isaiah 53:3-4 says, “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.”
- Phil 2:8 says “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death … even death on a cross!”
- He was not concerned with the opinions of others. (v38)
-- He was focused on the mission (of the cross) and the will of the Father!
- We already have the adulterous nation which denies the Father
-- We’ve forgotten our first love (Revelation 2:4)
- What is your status today?
-- Is it nailed to the cross or is it caught up in worldly things?
- We must be willing to lose ourselves to the cross
-- Why? So that we can be followers and imitators of the Lord Jesus
- Turn to John 10
- Jesus gave us the example that we are to follow Him
-- Once He had done this, He then went to offer His life freely
-- John 10:17-18, “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
- What Jesus did was simple:
-- He preached repentance and obedience to God; demonstrating why He’s loved
-- Do you see it? Do you see that God loves Him because He willingly follows?
-- Everything else we have put on ourselves to justify why we do the things we do
- He died so you could live ... we must live for something worth-while!
Big Ideas
- There are four things we must see here from this scripture
- God calls us to surrender four different things because of who He is!
- All of these must be surrendered if we are EVER to follow Him totally
- Which do you need to lose? Which are you willing to commit to Him? (SIGN)
- Pray
