The Cost of Being a Follower of Christ

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The Cost of Being a Follower of Christ

• Mark 834-38

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Karl Marx

• Religious distress is at the same time the
  expression of real distress and the protest
  against real distress. Religion is the sigh of
  the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless
  world, just as it is the spirit of a spiritless
  situation. It religion is the opium of the
  people. 

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Is Marx Right?

• Is being a Christian an easy way out?

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Mark 834

• And when he had called the people unto him with
  his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever
  will come after me,

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Big Question

• Can a person be saved and NOT be generally
  characterized as a follower of the Lord Jesus
  Christ?

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Mark 834

• And when he had called the people unto him with
  his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever
  will come after me, let him deny himself,

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deny himself

• As inherently selfish people we dont want to
  deny ourselves

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Turn Over To

• Mark 1021

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The Present Entitlement Mentality is Completely
Unbiblical
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Consider for a Moment

• Just how much the NOT denying ourselves mentality
  afflicts the church

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Deny

• I deny myself of ___________ because I am a
  Christian.

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Mark 834

• And when he had called the people unto him with
  his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever
  will come after me, let him deny himself, and
  take up his cross, and follow me.

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Context, Context

• Look Back _at_ v. 31

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Mark 831

• And he began to teach them, that the Son of man
  must suffer many things, and be rejected of the
  elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes,
  and be killed, and after three days rise again.

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Jesus Said

• John 1520
• Remember the word that I said unto you, The
  servant is not greater than his lord.
• If they have persecuted me, they will also
  persecute you

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Everyones Cross is NOT the Same all the Time

• What cross are you presently bearing?

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Turn to

• John 2118-22

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• Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast
  young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst
  whither thou wouldest but when thou shalt be
  old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and
  another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither
  thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by
  what death he should glorify God. And when he had
  spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. Then
  Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom
  Jesus loved following which also leaned on his
  breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he
  that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to
  Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus
  saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I
  come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

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American Christians are NOT martyred for their
faith

• How do I then take up my cross and follow Christ?

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As a Follower of Christ

• You must bear your cross in a completely God
  glorifying mannerit is not optional.

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Bearing Your Cross

• When some would turn bitter or become a drunk
• You dont
• When some would divorce or have an affair
• You dont
• When others would abandon faith in God
• You dont

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The Cross

• Of Hard Work!
• Christians must NOT be Lazy

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When everyone else is sitting at home collecting
welfare checks

• Christians DO Not

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The Cross

• Of Integrity
• Christians must DO Right!

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1 Peter 115

• But as he which hath called you is Holy, so be ye
  Holy in all manner of conversation
  lifestyle/conduct

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The Cross

• Of Morality
• Christians cant be immoral.

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Christians deny themselves immoral ___________
gratification and bear the cross of purity.
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Mark 834

• And when he had called the people unto him with
  his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever
  will come after me, let him deny himself, and
  take up his cross, and follow me.

29

• If you follow Jesus only because he makes life
  easy now, it will look to the world as though you
  really love what they love, and Jesus just
  happens to provide it for you. But if you suffer
  with Jesus in the pathway of love because he is
  your supreme treasure, then it will be apparent
  to the world that your heart is set on a
  different fortune than theirs. This is why Jesus
  demands that we deny ourselves and take up our
  cross and follow him.
  John Piper

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Mark 835

• For whosoever will save his life ???? psyche
  shall lose it

If you are not willing to trust Christ with your
life you will lose it.
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Mark 835

• but whosoever shall lose his

Turn to 1 Cor. 619-20
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1 Corinthians 619-20

• What? know ye not that your body is the temple of
  the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of
  God, and ye are not your own?
• For ye are bought with a price therefore glorify
  God in your body, and in your spirit, which are
  Gods.

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Mark 835

• but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and
  the gospels, the same shall save it.

Giving up your life is NOT enoughit must be for
Christ and gospel.
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What is the gospel?

• How can I loose my life for His sake and the
  gospel if I dont know what either is?

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my sake

• The Person and Work of Christ
• Person
• Humanity (incarnate)
• Deity (the only Son of God)
• Work
• Prophet (Teacher)
• Priest (Savior)
• King (Lord)

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What is the Gospel

• It is the good news that Christ died in a penal
  substitutionary manner for the sins of mankind
  and rose again on the third day so that ALL who
  believe this truth have their sins forgiven and
  are granted eternal life by grace through faith
  in Christ.

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Mark 836

• For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain
  the whole world, and lose his own soul
  ???? psyche?

True Life
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Has materialism been the enemy of following
Christ for 2000 years?
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No!

• It has been the enemy even longer than 2000
  yearslook to the right to
• Hebrews 1124ff

40

• By faith Moses, when he was come to years,
  refused to be called the son of Pharaohs
  daughter Choosing rather to suffer affliction
  with the people of God, than to enjoy the
  pleasures of sin for a season Esteeming the
  reproach of Christ greater riches than the
  treasures in Egypt for he had respect unto the
  recompence of the reward.

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Mark 837

• Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul
  ???? psyche?

What could this world possible offer that would
make up for an eternity in hell?
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The Fact Is

• America wants a salvation that costs it
  absolutely NOTHING!

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When I give you this beautiful full loaded Toyota
Tacoma 4x4 truck FREE and CLEAR by my Sovereign
Grace Are you shocked when I tell you to take
care of it and use it well?
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Mark 838

• Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of
  my words in this adulterous and sinful
  generation of him also shall the Son of man be
  ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his
  Father with the holy angels.

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Revelation 2212

• And, behold, I come quickly and my reward is
  with me, to give every man according as his work
  shall be.

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You cant BE ashamed of Christ and the Word of
God and be Born Again
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I Hope I am Wrong BUT

• I believe the NT teaches that one cant be saved
  and NOT be generally characterized as a follower
  of the Lord Jesus Christ.