Deny Yourself

I didn't have a Thanksgiving Dinner picture to share so this "sinful" hamburger will have to do!

Scripture:

Mark 8:34   He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ³⁵ For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. ³⁶ For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? ³⁷ Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? ³⁸ Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” Mark 9:1 And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”

Observation:

Jesus has been talking with the disciples but now he addressed the entire crowd. Discipleship was not just something for those who would become the leaders of Jesus’ movement and the new church to be birthed at Pentecost, but it was for everyone who would follow him. 

The imagery of the cross was frightening. The people had no idea that Jesus would die on a cross but they understood what crucifixion was about because they had seen the Romans use it in with brutal force. To take up the cross was to submit to the authority of the Roman government and suffer as a result, costing them their lives. Jesus was inviting these listeners to submit to the authority of the kingdom of God, and this would cost them everything. 

The culmination of this call comes in 9:1 when Jesus seems to be speaking about a future event. Many have wondered if it was to be the second coming of the Messiah, or whether certain disciples would not experience death. In light of the conversation on discipleship it seems to point to Jesus’ victory on the cross. The kingdom of God will come to power when Jesus’ power destroys sin and death through his death and resurrection. There would be those in the crowd who would follow Jesus all the way to calvary and witness this in-breaking of victory in Jesus. 

We receive a vision of two kingdoms in conflict. There is the kingdom of the world and the kingdom of our Lord. Ultimately at the end of time the entire kingdom of this world will be overcome by the kingdom of our Lord. “Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign forever and ever.’” (Rev. 11:15, NRSV) While this is a vision of the future, Jesus was extending an invitation to all of those who would hear, to already enter into life and submission to the kingdom of our Lord. 

Those who submit to God’s kingdom will take up their cross and follow him all the way to Jerusalem. This gospel is now pointing us in that direction and inviting us to become participants on the journey through self-denial. 

Application:

One of the more challenging words in this text is “deny.” The concept of self-denial or conversations around that topic are considered in radical opposition to a world that encourages us to find our authentic selves through wholly embracing anything that makes us feel good. To encourage self-denial is viewed as repressive and out of touch with the world. Recently Kanye West was mocked when he stated in an interview that he asked those working on his “Jesus is King” album to fast and abstain from pre-marital sex while working on the project. He even spoke about his addiction to porn and how he needed God to set him free. 

I’m afraid that we have made discipleship a “feel-good” kind of adventure where we have a small group meeting at a Starbucks and chat about life. Jesus was calling us to much more than a small group study: he was calling all of those who would follow him to radically enter life in the kingdom of God, and this included self-denial. 

Following Jesus includes imitation of Jesus. This is a life that embraces denial of our own wants and desires for the greater good of the kingdom of God. The result is a lifestyle that may be mocked by the world. Self-denial for the sake of God and love of neighbor is what ought to define our reality. 

This gospel is written by Peter’s disciple, Mark and has much of Peter’s life and testimony at the core. We can connect this gospel with the writings in 2 Peter 1:3-7. In this passage Peter gives us his own list of things we should deny and the way in which we are to live the Christian life. We are to have faith that leads to a life of goodness. We are to take time to study and to know the scriptures and our Lord through prayer. This takes time out of life and so we deny ourselves of the activities that would take time away from gaining knowledge. He adds that this requires self-control. No, we cannot go out and do everything that our heart desires — and this includes every sexual temptation that a person may have. It goes beyond the sexual temptation to the need to hold back and show self-control when someone has wronged you, or said false things about you. Self-control may include our eating habits, or the physical exercise needed to remain healthy. We are to do all of this with endurance because discipleship is a life-long journey. Along the way we continue to be transformed into the image of God and become more godly, intentionally showing mutual affection for those with whom we are on the journey (even if we don’t agree all the time). The result is an overflow of holy love which ought to define those who are citizens of God’s kingdom. 

It’s Thanksgiving Day in the United States and today we will sit down and have a feast. What a day to thinking about denial. But maybe it’s the best time to think about denial so that when we do consume, it is with a heart filled with gratitude. For the Savior who asks us to deny ourselves also promises life in the kingdom of God where we are cared for and sustained by our Creator who loves us with overflowing and abundant love. It’s time to take up our cross and follow Jesus with our whole lives. With thanksgiving, I desire to give Jesus my all. 

Prayer:

Lord, self-discipline does not come easy. Please, help me on this journey, every day of my life, because I want to follow you. Amen.