For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it. Mark 8:35 NABRE
Jesus is speaking to His disciples and a crowd about what is required to be a disciple. Jesus has given a passion predication which doesn’t seem to be understood and now He speaks plainly about what it takes to be His follower. Jesus outlines radical demands for discipleship. He has spoken of a suffering He will endure and now He declares all who follow Him must share in that suffering. Those that think the Messiah is coming to make life easy for His people are learning a different kind of future, one with shared suffering. Jesus offers the message to all, all are invited to discipleship. The first part of the message is very powerful, it begins, “whoever wishes,” being a Christian is not a default lifestyle, not inherited automatically, we must make a personal decision with utmost sincerity and resolve, understanding what this means. The conditions Jesus outlines apply to all without exception. To follow Jesus we must give ourselves away for Jesus, He is not just asking us to be committed to a cause, He is calling us to unconditional personal allegiance to Him. Whoever loses their life is to do it for the sake of Jesus and the gospel message. No greater motive is possible. Jesus lives the message Himself for all humanity. In giving up ourselves for Jesus we actually save our life.
This is a message Jesus states clearly, disciples will suffer, doing what we would not choose to do given any other choice. We are asked to do for others what Jesus has done. We must suffer and sacrifice, not only for those close to us, but for anyone. It is through the act of self-sacrifice that we declare our discipleship.
When do you suffer? Are you willing to give up your life for others?
We are asked to do for others what Jesus has done. We must suffer and sacrifice, not only for those close to us, but for anyone. Click To Tweet#bible’#godisgreat #jesus #christianity #dailybibleverse @youversion #BeAnEncourager #lost #save #Mark #everybodyalways #god #jesuschrist #jesussaves #godisgood #dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture #bibleverse #verseoftheday #cross #last #Matthew #loveeachother #godisgreat #thisVineyard #youversion #everythingalways