Sunday 9.27.15 Message Preparation for First Southern Baptist Church, Bellflower
This Sunday we're studying Mark 8.34-9.1. It's a good idea to read it and pray over it on your own, with your family, and even with other church members. Let's pray for each other as we look forward to meditating on this passage together this Sunday. Here's the text (CSB):
[8.34] Summoning the crowd along with His disciples, He said to them, “If anyone wants to be My follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. [8.35] For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me and the gospel will save it. [8.36] For what does it benefit a man to gain the whole world yet lose his life? [8.37] What can a man give in exchange for his life? [8.38] For whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” [9.1] Then He said to them, “I assure you: There are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come in power.”
Main idea: If you want to follow Jesus you have to kill yourself. Why? 4 reasons.
1. Kill yourself or you'll lose your life (8.35)
2. Kill yourself or you'll waste your life (8.36-37)
3. Kill yourself or you'll be condemned (8.38)
4. Kill yourself or you'll miss out on the kingdom of God (9.1)
Feel free to leave a comment with your questions or thoughts on the text before Sunday's message (or after as well).
I pray God uses his Word to strengthen us in the inner person through his Spirit so that Christ Jesus would dwell in our hearts through faith.
In Christ,
PJ