WHAT WILL IT PROFIT?: "FOLLOW ME"
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. What Will It Profit?
a) Jesus asks what you would profit by gaining the whole world at the expense of your soul. You should instead dedicate your soul to his cause. To save your soul you must lose it! You must deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow him.
Mark 8:34-38
34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.
b) There are three commandments in Mark 8:34 that lead up to our Lord’s question. We will consider each of these commandments, because if we keep them we will save our souls. Otherwise, we might gain much temporarily in this world, but forfeit our souls and eternal life.
2. “Follow Me”
a) This commandment gives direction to desire and dedication. Jesus says, “and follow me” (Mark 8:34). This is not the ultimate following of Christ into heaven that we discussed earlier, but following Christ’s teaching and example while in this world.
b) Not every disciple can be a leader, but we all must be followers of Jesus. As Peter wrote, “You were called to suffer, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow his steps” (1 Peter 2:21).
c) This same Peter was the one Jesus rebuked before asking the question, “What will it profit...?” Jesus said to Peter, “Get behind me Satan! You are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men” (Mark 8:33).
d) Jesus is aware that following him is not easy. There's a lot of opposition along the way. But he says, “If you are ashamed of me and my words in this sinful and adulterous generation, the Son of Man will in turn be ashamed of you when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38).
e) It profits you nothing to follow the world. So, although the journey is difficult, follow Jesus. And remember, “Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14)
The End ...
1. What Will It Profit? a) Jesus asks what you would profit by gaining the whole world at the expense of your soul. You should instead dedicate your soul to his cause. To save your soul you must lose it! You must deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow him.
Mark 8:34-38
34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.
b) There are three commandments in Mark 8:34 that lead up to our Lord’s question. We will consider each of these commandments, because if we keep them we will save our souls. Otherwise, we might gain much temporarily in this world, but forfeit our souls and eternal life.
2. “Follow Me”
a) This commandment gives direction to desire and dedication. Jesus says, “and follow me” (Mark 8:34). This is not the ultimate following of Christ into heaven that we discussed earlier, but following Christ’s teaching and example while in this world.
b) Not every disciple can be a leader, but we all must be followers of Jesus. As Peter wrote, “You were called to suffer, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow his steps” (1 Peter 2:21).
c) This same Peter was the one Jesus rebuked before asking the question, “What will it profit...?” Jesus said to Peter, “Get behind me Satan! You are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men” (Mark 8:33).
d) Jesus is aware that following him is not easy. There's a lot of opposition along the way. But he says, “If you are ashamed of me and my words in this sinful and adulterous generation, the Son of Man will in turn be ashamed of you when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38).
e) It profits you nothing to follow the world. So, although the journey is difficult, follow Jesus. And remember, “Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14)
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