Jesus is a lot more honest than I’d like him to be. Just when I start to think that he’s some kind of zen yoga instructor, or maybe an empathetic therapist, or maybe even a kind-mannered priest in a black gown, he surprises me (if I take the time to read his teachings of course).
34 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.” Mark 8:34-35 ESV
The Crowd
Many people were around Jesus, not everyone followed. It makes sense really.
Jesus is cool to be around. If you’re new to him, you’ll find out soon enough. You get such a beautiful taste of his personality in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (the Gospels). You see a riveting man, full of joy, life, zest, and most of all, love. Some people love him, some hate him, but most people at least want to be around him (to get a great visual picture of this, check out the show: The Chosen). As attractive as he is though, let’s put ourselves in the shoes of the crowds who heard his invitation to follow.
He spoke to merchants, religious leaders, laborers, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters. He asked them to leave everything they knew—their plans for their lives, their cultural norms—and just follow him around . . . every day. This was not an invitation to some mystical ascension or abstract belief . . . he was asking them to be homeless . . . with him. “Uhh, no,” you might be thinking. Yea, so did many of them, so they just stayed around in the crowd, a safe distance away. Close enough to benefit from him, but not close enough to know him.
If this isn’t enough, in verse 35 the phrase “loses his life,” can be translated “to have one’s life destroyed.” In other words, “. . . whoever [has ‘one’s life destroyed] for my sake . . .”
Jesus is telling them to really consider what they’re getting into. He tells us the same today.
His call is inconvenient and requires an immediate shift in lifestyle—everyday, ordinary life. He did not just intend to be the main figure of a religious system that punches tickets to heaven. He intends to be Lord (Master, Director, Teacher) of each of our lives, to teach us a new way to live in the here and now. He asks us to leave everything we know—our plans for life, our cultural norms, our concept of success—and come be his students.
The lesson of the crowd is this: Just because we hear the words of Jesus, even on a very consistent basis, does not make us one of his followers.
Friends, here is the bottom line: Hearing the words of Jesus will not do much for you if he is not the teacher (or informer) of your real, everyday life.
Surrender
For those of us who want to accept his invitation (“If anyone would come after me”) we are faced with the first task, one which is known to many as surrender.
In his letter to churches in Rome in the first century, Paul, author of the majority of the New Testament, gives us some more information about what Jesus’ invitation means for our lives.
1Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind . . .”
-Romans 12:1-2 NASB
Therefore
Therefore, or in light of what, Paul? What is the context for Paul’s exhortation to present our bodies to God, in other words, “lose our lives” to reference the words of Jesus we discussed earlier?
Well, we’re dropping into the twelfth chapter of Paul’s letter. He’s said a lot up to this point, things like:
Romans chapter 5
We are “Justified by faith” (v1)
“we have peace with God” (v1)
V8 “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”
Romans chapter 6
V14 “we are not under law but under grace”
V23 the “free gift of God is eternal life”
Put another way, Paul is saying, “If you’ve believed in Jesus, you’re at peace with God.” DON’T MISS THIS (please). Our aim for surrender is not to earn our way to God’s favor. Salvation, peace with God, is given to us the moment we believe in Jesus. The true “why” for surrendering to God is to know God—to know him closely, to experience the fullness of the life he offers in the here and now. “Therefore . . .” Everything that we’re talking about has to be in light of the fact of what God has already done: made us right with Himself through the sacrifice of Jesus his Son.
“. . . by the mercies of God. . .”
We can surrender to God only “by [means of] the mercies of God. . .” In other words, the invitation to follow Jesus by giving up our lives is itself a gift. It’s an invitation out of life choices that will only leave us unsatisfied, into a life better than we could have ever hoped for.
Having this opportunity is only enabled by the compassions of God
“present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”
Giving yourself up—letting Jesus have a hold of your everyday life—is the most genuine worship you can give to God. Choosing to sacrifice every area of your real, everyday life, subjecting it to the teachings of Jesus in the Scriptures rather than the feelings of the moment or the teachings of culture, pleases God more than we can know. We essentially say to God, “Teach me how to live my life. I don’t know what I’m doing. I give up the current way that I’m living my life.”
Overall, what we see in Romans 12:1 is that surrender (sacrifice) is an act of worship, in response to God’s actions, and it’s the precursor to genuine transformation (which we’ll talk about more next week.)
To those of you who are willing to accept Jesus’ invitation, you have a personal promise from Him.
“You will find life. You will find what you’re looking for. You will discover real life.”
“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.” Mark 8:34-35 ESV
HOW
It’s your turn to reflect . . .
What is God saying to you through His word?
How does this intersect with your life?
What is he inviting you into? (What action step is he calling you to take?)
If you’re not sure where to start, or you would like to pray or talk with someone, feel free to email me at ianreyes567@gmail.com, or another member of the Canyon Creek Project team at hello@canyoncreekproject.com.
This is a journey, and you’re not alone,
-Ian