SERIES: Mark — The Cross-Shaped Life
TEXT: Mark 8:31-38
MESSAGE: “Evaluating the Cost”

What does it mean to be a disciple?

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” — Mark 8:34

“In the very first part of the book, chapters 1–8, everything revolves around this question…Who is Jesus?…Here at the middle part of the book of Mark, the end of the first half, chapter 8, Peter begins to get it. He says, “You are the Christ.” When he says the Christ, he’s using a word that literally means the Anointed One. It’s the Messiah…The Anointed One means the king to end all kings. The true King. The king who’s going to put everything right. “You’re the Messiah,” he says. Jesus says, “Right.” He accepts that, but then immediately turns around in verse 31 and begins to say things that are absolutely appalling and shocking.” — Timothy Keller

“And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.” — Mark 8:31

“He was teaching his disciples, saying to them, ‘The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.’” — Mark 9:31

“See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.” — Mark 10:33–34

“…What is not mentioned in each of those texts is why. Mark gives us the clearest statement of that after the three predictions. In Mark 10:45, Jesus says, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” — John Piper

What does it mean to be a disciple?

TEXT: Mark 8:31-38

“Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” 28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” 29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” 30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.” — Mark 8:27-30

How does Jesus define a disciple? It starts with…(1. The Clear Connection 2. The Clear Call 3. The Clear Choice)

1. The Clear Connection (v. 31-33)

“And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

“And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” — 1 Corinthians 15:14

2. The Clear Call (v. 34-35)

“And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.”

“Discipleship is not a part time volunteer work that one does as an extracurricular activity. God refuses to take a minor role in one’s life; He requires a controlling place.” — David Garland

“Not only do we know God by Jesus Christ alone, but we know ourselves only by Jesus Christ. We know life and death only through Jesus Christ. Apart from Jesus Christ, we do not know what is our life, nor our death, nor God, nor ourselves.” —Blaise Pascal

3. The Clear Choice (v. 36-38)

“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

TAKEAWAYS:

• Is the gospel more than information to me?

“There have been men before … who got so interested in proving the existence of God that they came to care nothing for God himself… as if the good Lord had nothing to do but to exist. There have been some who were so preoccupied with spreading Christianity that they never gave a thought to Christ.” — C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce

• Is there evidence in my life of dying to self?

“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” ― Deitrich Bonhoeffer (The Cost of Discipleship)

• Is Jesus and His Words enough for me?

“You may never know that JESUS is all you need, until JESUS is all you have.” ― Corrie ten Boom

“Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me;13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; 15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws, you lay me in the dust of death. 16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—17 I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; 18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” — Psalm 22:12-18