Sermon Tone Analysis

23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?

26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

Introduction

Reviewing the Basics: It is hard to be asked to be preach in a church that you are not too familiar with.

You don’t know a lot of things.

The hardships and trials that the congregation has gone through.

If the congregation is made up of baby Christians, seasoned saints, or some mixture of the aforementioned.

There was a WWII doctrine for fighter pilots that when you cannot communicate with your commanding officer and the enemy is in play, “When in doubt, win the war.”

Well when in doubt from the pulpit, edify the Church with an examination or reexamination of the basics.

So today we are looking to , as well as numerous other passages, and we are going examine what it costs to be Christ’s disciple.

Reviewing the Basics

It is hard to be asked to be preach in a church that you are not too familiar with.

There was a WWII doctrine for fighter pilots that when you cannot communicate with your commanding officer and the enemy is in play, “When in doubt, win the war.”

Well when in doubt from the pulpit, edify the Church with an examination of the basics.

So today we are looking to , as well as numerous other passages so be ready with your Bibles, and we are going examine what it costs to be Christ’s disciple.

It doesn’t

It is hard to be asked to be preach in a church that you are not too familiar with.

There was a WWII doctrine for fighter pilots that when you cannot communicate with your commanding officer and the enemy is in play, “When in doubt, win the war.”

Well when in doubt from the pulpit, edify the Church with an examination of the basics.

So today we are looking to , as well as numerous other passages so be ready with your Bibles, and we are going examine what it costs to be Christ’s disciple.

It doesn’t

The Setup

is preceded by some big events, with this type situation repeating later on in : The Feeding of the 5000, the Disciples confide to Jesus that they know He is the Christ of God, and Jesus foretells His suffering and death instructing the disciples to secrecy for the then present.

is preceded by some big events which is worth mentioning briefly as it is a common pattern found in the gospels.

Here chapter 9 we have the Feeding of the 5000, the Disciples confide to Jesus that they know He is the Christ of God, and Jesus foretells His suffering and death instructing the disciples to secrecy for the then present.

is preceded by some big events, with this type situation repeating later on in : The Feeding of the 5000, the Disciples confide to Jesus that they know He is the Christ of God, and Jesus foretells His suffering and death instructing the disciples to secrecy for the then present.

Our present text is a common theme of one of the predominant teachings of Jesus in the Gospels, which is also echoed in the teachings of the Apostles: We must die to Self, if we are to live to Christ.

, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

is preceded by some big events: The Feeding of the 5000, the Disciples confide to Jesus that they know He is the Christ of God, and Jesus foretells His suffering and death instructing the disciples to secrecy for the then present.

This is a common theme in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke: Die to Self, Live to Christ

-

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

In a few other places Christ repeats this, though slightly worded differently:

R. C. Sproul wrote, “What Jesus is saying here is that when we take the name Christian, and openly identify ourselves with Christ, we must be ready not only to bear the normal suffering that life brings, but to share in the particular suffering of Christ.

Countless times in the epistles, we find the promise that God has stored up for his people great joy, great glory, and that on the day of the consummation of the kingdom of God, all of Christ’s people will share in the inheritance that God has given his Son.

But there is a catch, isn’t there?

Unless we are willing to participate in the humiliation of Christ, we cannot participate in his exaltation.”

(pg.

201)

Jesus discusses his coming suffering and death many times alone with his disciples, and here he seemingly anticipates his disciples objections.

Another instance recorded in Jesus finishes discussing these things and Peter took Christ aside and declared in , “Far be it from you Lord!

This shall never happen to you.” and what was Christ response then?

“Get behind me Satan!

You are a hindrance to me.

For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Christ instructs them to prepare themselves for if you are to follow me you will suffer.

The Presbyterian pastor Matthew Henry wrote, “We must accustom ourselves to all instances of self-denial and patience.

This is the best preparative for martyrdom.

We must live a life of self-denial, mortification, and contempt of the world; we must not indulge our ease and appetite, for then it will be hard to bear toil, and weariness, and want, for Christ."

Jesus discusses his coming suffering and death many times alone with his disciples, and here he seemingly anticipates his disciples objections.

Another instance recorded in Jesus finishes discussing these things and Peter took Christ aside and declared in , “Far be it from you Lord!

This shall never happen to you.” and what was Christ response then?

“Get behind me Satan!

You are a hindrance to me.

For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Christ instructs them to prepare themselves for if you are to follow me you will suffer.

In essence, Christ is telling His disciples, the church of old and us today, that if we seek to claim the name of Christ we must give Christ the whole of our lives.

Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 1852.

Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 1852."

In essence, Christ is telling His disciples, the church of old and us today, that if we seek to claim the name of Christ we must give Christ the whole of our lives.

As the Dutch pastor and statesman Abraham Kuyper wrote, “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, MINE!”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .

A common theme in the Synoptic Gospels: Die to Self, Live to Christ

A common theme in the Synoptic Gospels: Die to Self, Live to Christ

18 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side.

19 And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

21 Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

22 And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

57 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

59 To another he said, “Follow me.”

But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

60 And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead.

But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.”

62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Application

R. C. Sproul wrote, “What Jesus is saying here is that when we take the name Christian, and openly identify ourselves with Christ, we must be ready not only to bear the normal suffering that life brings, but to share in the particular suffering of Christ.

Countless times in the epistles, we find the promise that God has stored up for his people great joy, great glory, and that on the day of the consummation of the kingdom of God, all of Christ’s people will share in the inheritance that God has given his Son.

But there is a catch, isn’t there?

Unless we are willing to participate in the humiliation of Christ, we cannot participate in his exaltation.”

(pg.

201)

, “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”

Countless times in the epistles, we find the promise that God has stored up for his people great joy, great glory, and that on the day of the consummation of the kingdom of God, all of Christ’s people will share in the inheritance that God has given his Son.

But there is a catch, isn’t there?

Unless we are willing to participate in the humiliation of Christ, we cannot participate in his exaltation.”

(pg.

201)

Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

, “And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”

And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .”

, "25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also.

If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”

25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also.

If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Jesus is teaching us this: If you are going to identify with Christ as being His, seeking Him in faith, it is going to cost you, and cost you greatly.