Day 13

Mark 7-9

During Jesus ministry, He had different types of followers. The crew that "turned the world upside down", His disciples, were the most serious. Others were attracted to Jesus because of what they could benefit from His presence. At the end of Mark 8, Jesus draws a definite distinction between His true followers and the not so serious followers. On this typical day, Jesus spoke to a crowd of people:

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.

To be a serious follower of Christ, it will cost us something. No, salvation is still a free gift. However, to continue as a follower we will have to deny ourselves of some things in this world. That is if we what to carry out God plan for our lives and be blessed by God.

I am corresponding with a former student now in a Middle Eastern country where one could lose their life for the gospel. He wrote that he is beginning to understand this principle. He shared that once there were times when he listened to music that Jesus would have nothing to do with. That he watched movies He would never be pleased with. That his thoughts were on things that Jesus would never entertain. The list went on to several different things that he realized were unholy.

If we are going to be serious followers of Christ, we have to sacrifice some things here on earth that hinder our pursuit of holiness. There are things that we are involved with that Jesus would have nothing to do with. Whose life is it anyway? Do you know what it is to lose your life for the sake of the gospel? What type of a follower of Jesus are you? Comment or check a box