WHAT WILL IT PROFIT?: "WHOEVER DESIRES TO COME AFTER 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. “Whoever Desires To Come After Me”
a) Jesus said, “Whoever desires to come after Me...” (Mark 8:34). Jesus doesn't mean that this desire is optional — it's alright to have the desire, and it's alright not to have it. Rather, this desire is essential to saving your soul.
b) Jesus defines the desire as “to come after me” (Mark 8:34). By this Jesus means that he is going somewhere, and you can go there too, at a later time. He was predicting his death and resurrection followed by his ascension.
c) Jesus is “our forerunner” (Hebrews 6:20). He has gone on into heaven before us. He promises that we can “come after” him. We will do that “when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38).
d) However, for that to happen, we must desire it, not abandon from the commitment needed to gain it. And the desire must be consuming — not halfhearted or lukewarm.
e) Jesus says, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it” (Mark 8:35). Jesus isn't here speaking of salvation to eternal life, but of saving your soul from the pains of discipleship — from carrying a cross.
f) You can desire pleasure and power in this world to save your soul from suffering here. But that profits you nothing, for you lose your soul in the next world. Or you can desire to bear your cross in this world so that your soul will be saved in the next.
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. “Whoever Desires To Come After Me”
a) Jesus said, “Whoever desires to come after Me...” (Mark 8:34). Jesus doesn't mean that this desire is optional — it's alright to have the desire, and it's alright not to have it. Rather, this desire is essential to saving your soul.
b) Jesus defines the desire as “to come after me” (Mark 8:34). By this Jesus means that he is going somewhere, and you can go there too, at a later time. He was predicting his death and resurrection followed by his ascension.
c) Jesus is “our forerunner” (Hebrews 6:20). He has gone on into heaven before us. He promises that we can “come after” him. We will do that “when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38).
d) However, for that to happen, we must desire it, not abandon from the commitment needed to gain it. And the desire must be consuming — not halfhearted or lukewarm.
e) Jesus says, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it” (Mark 8:35). Jesus isn't here speaking of salvation to eternal life, but of saving your soul from the pains of discipleship — from carrying a cross.
f) You can desire pleasure and power in this world to save your soul from suffering here. But that profits you nothing, for you lose your soul in the next world. Or you can desire to bear your cross in this world so that your soul will be saved in the next.
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