Sermons

Mat 16:24-26 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. (25) “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. (26)  “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Mar 8:34-37 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. (35)  “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. (36)  “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? (37)  “For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

1. Why does Jesus question if His professed followers really mean it? 
   

   “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? “Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. “But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.” Luke 6:46-49

2. What does Jesus mean when He says all true followers must deny themselves daily?
   

   Luke 9:23-25  And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. (24)  “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. (25)  “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?

3. What does denying yourself feel like?
4. What does that look like? Example?
5. What question does self – denial ask first?
6. What does Jesus mean when He says you must “TAKE UP YOUR CROSS DAILY”?
7. Describe a cross-shaped assignment?     
   

   Col 1:24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.

   Eph 4:15-16  but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, (16)  from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

8. Why must you deny yourself and take up your cross before you will ever follow Jesus?
9. From the following verses, what are things you must put in your life to build your soul and the souls of others?
   

   1 Ti 4:16  Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.

   Eph 6:18  With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

   Heb 10:24-25  and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, (25)  not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

10. How can we pray for you specifically?