Finding Life By Losing Life
In one point of the recent movie, “A Knights Tale”, Sir Orrick travels to Paris to compete in the Jousting Tournament. In case you are wondering, Jousting was a medieval game where two knights rode on a horse with a lance trying to hit the other knight. And the first one who hit the other knight three times won the match. It kept on going that way with different opponents until the tournament ended with one victorious knight.
While Sir Orrick is in Paris he travels to a Cathedral to visit the woman he loves. In the Cathedral, he asks her, “Joselyn, How may I prove my love to you?” She tells him, “If you would prove your love, you should do worst.” He replies, “My worst, what do you mean?” “ Instead of winning to honor me with your high reputation, I want you to act against your normal character and do badly.” “ Do badly?” “Lose.” “Losing proves nothing, except that I am a Loser.” “Wrong!, Losing is a much keener test of your love.” “Losing would contradict your self-love and Losing would show your obedience to your lover and not to yourself!”
When watching this, the Biblical lesson of Self-Denial popped in my head. This movie put it very simply if we put it on a spiritual level. In order to prove our love for God, we must lose to ourselves. We are to act against our normal character and do badly. When we lose to ourselves, we show our obedience to our lover, Christ, and not to ourselves, our wants and desires.
Luke 9:23,24 “ If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily. And let him follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life, he will lose it. But whoever loses his life for My sake, shall find it.”
The Title of my lesson is, “Finding Life By Losing Life.” And in order for you to understand how to do this, I must first give you ……………………
I. The Report of Self-Denial ( The meaning of Self-Denial)
A. Submit to Christ’s Will
1. It means you must put your own personal desires and what you want to do secondary to what the Lord wants. What God wants must come first in our lives, not what we want..
2. The Whole duty of man is to “fear God and keep His commandments.”(Eccl.12:13)
3. We are not on this Earth to please ourselves; we are here to please God!!
4. Jesus set the prime example for this! Paul said, “For Christ pleased not himself.”(Rom.15:3) In John 8:29 Jesus said, “For I do always the things that are pleasing to Him.”
5. Before Jesus’ Crucifixion He prayed three times in the Garden that the cup of suffering (i.e. the cross) might be removed from Him.
6. The main point is that He purposed to do His Fathers will and not His own.
7. In Luke 22:42 Jesus prayed, “Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but yours, be done.
8. A disciple of Christ must recognize the Lordship of Christ over his entire life, which involves complete submission to His will.
B. Self-Choice
1. R.T. France once said, “Discipleship is not the result of an easy compliance, but of a deliberate and permanent decision.”
2. The call is not for the easy denial of things to self, but denial of the very self.
3. It is a choice we make. Not a simple one, but an enduring and long-lasting one until the very day that we face death.
4. But it is hard to get people to deny themselves any pleasure today.
5. Modern Americans want immediate self-pleasure. They do not want to be uncomfortable in any way.
6. The philosophy in America is “Get all that you can out of life because you only live once…Live for today…Capture the moment…If it feels good, do it.”
7. Of course, this kind of life seems foolish to the world; but to the Christian, it is wisdom.
8. These people think they are really living it up, having a great time. But in fact they are really dead.
9. 1 Timothy 5:6 “She who gives herself to pleasure is dead while she lives.”
Illustration:
It was a 99-degree September day in San Antonio, when a 10-month-old baby girl was accidentally locked inside a parked car by her aunt. Frantically the mother and aunt ran around the auto in near hysteria, while a neighbor attempted to unlock the car with a clothes hanger. Soon the infant was turning purple and had foam on her mouth.
It had become a life-or-death situation when Fred Arriola, a wrecker driver, arrived on the scene. He grabbed a hammer and smashed the back window of the car to set her free. Was he heralded a hero? Arriola reported, "The lady was mad at me because I broke the window." "I just thought, What’s more important--the baby or the window?"
10. We need to consider, Which is more important in our lives, Following Gods Will or Following our Will?
C. Submit to Carry the Cross
1. It means to give yourself wholly to Christ, sharing in His shame, rejection, and death.
2. James Coffman states, “Cross-bearing is widely misunderstood. It is not old age, poverty, taxes, illness, or bad weather, or any other discomfort that may come along in life.”
3. Verse 26 says, “Take up his cross daily.” It is something we are to go and take. By this we see that bearing a cross is not something like cancer, or illness, death, etc.
4. How many people do you know that want to go take up a good case of cancer or a virus, or a deadly disease or something like that ?
5. To take up a cross does not mean to carry burdens or have problems.
6. I heard a lady once say, “Asthma is the cross I have to bear.”
7. To take up the cross does not mean to take up a burden, it means to identify with Christ in His rejection, shame, suffering, and death.
8. To lose to yourself is not an act of desperation, but an act of devotion.
9. As Jesus had to take up the cross, so are we to take up that cross also. “Like Master, Like Servant.”
II. The Reason for Self-Denial (The purpose, Why are we to do it?)
A. Discipleship
1. In Luke 14:27 Jesus pointed out that, “Whosoever does not bear his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”
2. The very reason we are denying ourselves is to be a disciple of Christ, because without self-denial, one cannot be a disciple.
3. The word disciple means one who follows another’s teaching.
4. It is not only a pupil, but an adherent, one who imitates his teacher.
5. There are many things one must do in order to be Christ’s disciple.
6. We must imitate and abide by his teaching. John 8:31 “ Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples.”
7. We must imitate his deeds. John 15:8 “ Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and so shall ye be my disciples.”
8. Doing these things prove our discipleship. It proves it to God, and also to men.
9. John 13:35 “ This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
10. So we must deny our self to be considered His disciple, We must make His will the most important thing in our life.
B. Direction- From God
1. Isaiah 58:11 “ and Jehovah will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in dry places, and make strong your bones; and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.”
2. If we are willing to submit to the Will Of God, then he will guide us, he will give us direction. He tells us to take up our cross and follow him, not take up our cross and go some other way.
3. Paul told the Thessalonian Brethren, “And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ.” (2 Th. 3:5)
4. One of the greatest reasons we could deny ourselves is because the Lord will Direct us.
5. The Lord told Israel in Isaiah 43:2 “ When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk in the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame kindle on you.”
C. Direction- From Men
1. When taking up our cross and following Jesus, we will need those who can guide us with Gods Word.
2. In Acts Chapter 8, the eunuch was reading prophecy from Isaiah, at that time Philip ran to his chariot and asked him if he understood what he was reading. He replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?”
3. We have many great spiritual leaders in the Church. Ask of them, and they will guide you, they will tell you what God wants from you, what you need to do.
4. Of course, there are some who think they are guides, but they are really a stumbling block to others, they are hypocrites!
5. Paul spoke to some of the Jews when talking on this subject.
6. Rom 2:19-22 “ Persuading yourself to be a guide of blind ones, a light to those in darkness, an instructor of foolish ones, a teacher of infants, having the form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law. Then the one teaching another, do you not teach yourself? The one preaching not to steal, do you steal? The one saying not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? The one detesting the idols, do you rob temples?”
7. So we need to examine those who claim to be leaders and teachers, whether they are true to Gods Word or not.
8. We need more true spiritual leaders in the Church today. Those who are to practice self-denial always need encouragement, they need direction from God and from men!
III. The Requirements of Self-Denial (What we must do when denying our self?)
A. Resist- The Devil
1. Jam 4:7,8 “ Then be subject to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners! And purify your hearts, double minded ones!”
2. How do we resist the Devil?
3. The same way Jesus did! Quote scripture.
4. Once Jesus did this three times, Satan fled.
5. If we are diligent Bible Students and recall Gods Word when we are being tempted by the Tempter, then He will Flee.
6. One thing we do need, as Jesus did, was to call up Mr. Will Power.
7. If we make our minds up to follow God, if we have Will Power, then we will overcome those fiery darts that Satan throws at us.
8. If you are familiar with the Prayer of Jabez in 1 Chronicles Chapter 4. Jabez prayed that the Hand of God would be with Him. That He would keep him from Evil, that he might not cause pain.
9. We need to pray this today for strength also, that the Lord would keep us from Evil, that we might not cause pain.
10. In the Lords Prayer, Jesus told his disciples to pray this ……
11. Mat 6:9-13 “ Our Father who is in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come; Your will be done, on earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil, for Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory to the ages. Amen.”
12. In order to deny ourselves, to take up our cross and follow Him, we need to resist the Devil.
B. Resist-The Possessions that bring us sinful Pleasure
1. 1Tim. 6:9-11 “ But those purposing to be rich fall into temptation, and a snare, and many foolish and hurtful lusts, which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all evils, by means of which some having lusted after it were seduced from the faith, and they themselves pierced through by many pains. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness.”
2. In order to follow Jesus and take up our cross daily, we must resist all the things that bring us sinful pleasure.
3. Enjoying things, obtaining wealth, security, and happiness are not bad things, but they can become bad if we seek them the wrong way, when we use them the wrong way and let them control us.
4. The farmer in Luke 12:13-21 thought that his wealth meant security, when really it was an evidence of his insecurity.
5. He was not really trusting God.
6. Riches are uncertain, not only in their value, but also in their durability.
7. Thieves can steal wealth, investments can drop in value, things can rust,mold, and things can be destroyed.
8. Therefore we should lay up treasures in Heaven, where thieves can not break in and steal, where treasures cannot rust and be destroyed, but are eternal.
9. If we receive wealth, then we should trust the Giver, God, not the gifts.
10. In the same text of Luke 9, verse 25 asks us the question, “What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and yet loses his own soul?”
11. The answer is nothing. So we should rid of all those things that bring us sinful pleasure if we want to follow Jesus and be His disciple.
IV. The Ransom of Self-Denial (What is the price we must pay to follow Jesus and to be freed from the captivity of sin?)
Ransom- To free from captivity or punishment by paying a price. For one to be saved, a two-way Ransom must be Paid
A. The Ransom Christ Paid.
1. To free us from the captivity of sin, Christ paid the ultimate ransom in Giving himself for us.
2. Matthew 20:28 “ Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
3. 1Timothy 2:6 “ Who gave himself a ransom for all; the testimony to be borne in its own times.”
4. And because of that ransom, he made possible and demands for us to make a ransom to follow Him.
B. The Ransom we are to Pay because of Christ’s Ransom.
1. Before we take up our cross and follow after Him. We must first consider the cost, the ransom we will have to make in order to receive the great gift that was offered because of Christ’s Ransom.
2. In the context of Luke 14:25-35, Jesus again teaches on discipleship.
3. He discusses the cost of discipleship.
4. Luke 14:28-32 “ For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the cost, whether he have wherewith to complete it? Lest haply, when he hath laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all that behold begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, as he goes to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an ambassador, and asks for conditions of peace.”
5. If we decide to follow Jesus, we must first consider the cost, what we will have to give up to become his disciple.
6. Luke 14:33 “ So therefore whosoever be of you that does not renounce all that he has, he cannot be my disciple.”
Illustration:
Let’s ask ourselves this question: "Am I concerned about the sacrifices I may be called upon to make in serving Christ?" Two young men were talking about this very thing. One of them said, "I cannot tell you all that the Lord Jesus is to me, or what He has done for me. I do wish you would enlist in His army." "I’m thinking about it," answered the other young man, "but it means giving up several things-in fact, I am counting the cost." A Christian officer, just passing, heard the last remark, and laying his hand on the shoulder of the young soldier said, "Young man, you talk of counting the cost of following Christ, but have you ever counted the cost of not following Him?"
V. The Reward of Self-Denial (What do we gain by denying our self?)
A. Eternal Life
1. Jesus said in Verse 25, “ But whoever loses his life for My sake, shall find it.”
2. If we choose to deny ourselves, then we will find it, having for us a mansion of Glory laid up in Heaven.
3. Let us deny ourselves, considering the end, the reward we shall receive.
4. 2Corinthians 4:18 “ While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
5. From the human point of view, we are losing ourselves, but from the Divine perspective, we are finding ourselves.
B. Enriched Life
1. Jesus said in John 10:10 “I have come that you may have life, and have it more abundantly.”
2. There is no reason that we cant have an abundant life on this Earth.
3. Because in order to help and bless others, we must first be blessed ourselves.
4. Although we will suffer persecution. Romans 8:18 “ For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward.”
5. Horace Bushnell says, “The more a man denies himself, the more shall he obtain from God.”
CONCLUSION:
1. In the Movie, “A Knights Tale”, after she tells Him that He must deny himself to win her love, she asks him, “Well, What is your answer?”
2. “I Will Not Lose.”
3. “Then you do not love me!” She says.
4. He let his pride hold him up, he let his pride get in the way of proving his love to her.
5. Christ is now asking you, “Well, What is your answer?”
6. Don’t let your pride get in the way of proving your love to Christ!
Brandon Mayfield
17 Years old
Brandon84@msn.com
