Embracing Discipleship: The Call to Self-Denial
Summary
In today's reflection, we delve into the profound call to discipleship as outlined in Luke chapter 9. This chapter is rich with pivotal moments in Jesus' ministry, including the feeding of the five thousand, Peter's confession of Christ's identity, and the Transfiguration. At the heart of our discussion is Jesus' invitation to follow Him, which comes with three conditions: denying oneself, taking up one's cross daily, and following Him. These conditions are not merely theoretical; they demand practical application in our daily lives.
To deny oneself is to suppress the ego, to practice self-discipline, and to embrace humility. It is a call to push down our natural inclination to make life about ourselves and instead focus on serving others, much like Christ did during His earthly ministry. This self-denial is not about self-deprecation but about recognizing our place in God's grand narrative and living in a way that reflects His love and grace.
Taking up our cross daily involves enduring the challenges and sufferings of living in a fallen world. It is about trusting in God's goodness and sovereignty, even amidst persecution and hostility. This aspect of discipleship reminds us that following Christ often means standing against cultural norms and enduring hardships for the sake of the Gospel.
Finally, to follow Christ is to embrace the paradoxes of the Christian life. Jesus teaches that in losing our life for His sake, we find it. This counterintuitive truth challenges us to prioritize eternal values over temporal gains. The life of Borden of Yale exemplifies this principle, as he chose a path of sacrifice and service over worldly success, ultimately finding fulfillment in his commitment to Christ.
As disciples, we are called to live with an eternal perspective, recognizing that the glory that awaits us far outweighs any present suffering. The Transfiguration offers a glimpse of this glory, reminding us that our journey with Christ leads to a future of unmitigated joy and presence with God.
Key Takeaways:
1. Denying Self: To deny oneself is to suppress the ego and embrace humility, recognizing that life is not about us but about serving others. This requires self-discipline and a willingness to be reduced to nothing for the sake of Christ. [05:31]
2. Taking Up the Cross: Taking up our cross daily means enduring the challenges of living in a fallen world, trusting in God's goodness and sovereignty. It involves facing persecution and hostility with faith, knowing that God is working all things for His purpose. [13:21]
3. Following Christ: Following Christ involves embracing the paradox of losing our life to find it. This means prioritizing eternal values over temporal gains and living with an eternal perspective, as exemplified by the life of Borden of Yale. [19:24]
4. Eternal Perspective: Cultivating an eternal perspective helps us see beyond the present challenges to the glory that awaits us. The Transfiguration offers a glimpse of this future glory, encouraging us to persevere in our discipleship journey. [36:31]
5. Shame and Glory: As disciples, we may face the temptation to be ashamed of Christ in a culture that opposes His teachings. However, we are reminded that the reality of Christ's glory far surpasses any present appearances, and our allegiance to Him will be rewarded. [29:26]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:45] - Introduction to Luke 9
- [01:38] - Key Events in Luke 9
- [02:38] - Peter's Confession
- [03:36] - Invitation to Discipleship
- [04:38] - The Role of a Disciple
- [05:31] - Denying Self
- [06:30] - Ego and Humility
- [08:46] - Self-Discipline and Growth
- [10:36] - Christ's Example of Self-Denial
- [12:34] - Taking Up the Cross
- [14:15] - Living in a Hostile World
- [16:04] - Daily Faithfulness
- [18:32] - Paradoxes of Discipleship
- [20:25] - The Story of Dorian Gray
- [23:36] - Borden of Yale's Legacy
- [26:24] - Eternal Perspective
- [29:26] - Shame and Glory
- [31:31] - The Reality of Christ's Return
- [36:31] - The Transfiguration
- [38:59] - Light and Momentary Afflictions
- [40:15] - Closing Prayer and Reflection
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Luke 9:18-26
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Observation Questions:
1. What are the three conditions Jesus sets for those who want to follow Him as His disciples according to Luke 9:23? [03:36]
2. How does Jesus describe the paradox of losing one's life to find it in Luke 9:24? [18:32]
3. What significant events in Jesus' ministry are highlighted in Luke chapter 9, and how do they contribute to the theme of discipleship? [01:38]
4. How does the Transfiguration in Luke 9:28-36 provide a glimpse of the glory that awaits disciples? [36:31]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. What does it mean to deny oneself in the context of discipleship, and how does this relate to suppressing the ego? [06:30]
2. How does the concept of taking up one's cross daily challenge cultural norms, and what does it reveal about the nature of true discipleship? [14:15]
3. In what ways does the life of Borden of Yale exemplify the principle of prioritizing eternal values over temporal gains? [23:36]
4. How does the Transfiguration serve as an encouragement for disciples facing present challenges and suffering? [36:31]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent situation where your ego got in the way of serving others. How can you practice self-denial in similar situations in the future? [06:30]
2. Identify a specific challenge or hardship you are currently facing. How can you take up your cross daily and trust in God's sovereignty through this situation? [13:21]
3. Consider the paradox of losing your life to find it. What is one area of your life where you need to let go of control to fully embrace Christ's call to discipleship? [19:24]
4. How can you cultivate an eternal perspective in your daily life, especially when faced with temporary setbacks or disappointments? [26:24]
5. Have you ever felt ashamed of your faith in a particular setting? How can you stand firm in your allegiance to Christ despite cultural opposition? [29:26]
6. Think of a person or group who might be marginalized or persecuted for their faith. How can you support or encourage them in their discipleship journey? [15:09]
7. Reflect on the glory that awaits believers as depicted in the Transfiguration. How does this future hope impact your current walk with Christ? [36:31]
Devotional
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Quotes
"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?" [00:03:14]
"So first, what does it mean to deny ourself? We have this thing that we need to push down, tamp down, almost on a constant basis. It is the thing called the ego. And Jesus is probably the greatest psychologist of all time, to analyze deep into the human self and the human sense of self to know that we like it to be about us and that ego comes up." [00:05:53]
"To deny the self also means humility, to recognize the other. To recognize that I have something to learn from the other, and to be truly humble. And also to deny the self means that we are not here for ourself, but we are here to serve others. But was there anyone more than Christ who illustrated this in His incarnate life?" [00:10:05]
"To say, 'Take up your cross,' is to say, 'Can you bear and endure the absolute worst this world has to throw at you?' When Calvin again reflects on this verse, he speaks of taking up our crosses as living in a fallen world, of suffering, of enduring whatever our cross is as we live in a fallen world." [00:13:00]
"Persecution takes different shapes and forms. One of the things you realize as you study church history is that for the majority of the church, for the majority of the time, the church suffers persecution and is on the margins of society. We think of our brothers and sisters right now around this globe in various areas of persecution, of imprisonment, of torture." [00:14:22]
"Christianity speaks of our weaknesses; Christianity speaks of dependance, Christianity speaks of the eternal. None of that mattered to Rome. Rome was about strength. Rome was about autonomy and independence. And Rome was about the glory of Rome. And so, if you are called to be Christ's disciple, you are called to fly in the face of everything that defines the culture that you live in." [00:27:02]
"Jesus says, 'If you are ashamed of me before men, I will be ashamed of you before God.' The opposite of shame is this word 'glory,' when the Son of Man, when Christ comes in His glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. Let me read for you an extended quote from Calvin on this." [00:29:37]
"Calvin is telling us, and this verse is telling us, and Christ is telling us that the appearance is one thing, and the reality is another thing. The appearance is Rome and its power, and its power over you and its power to persecute, and its power to oppress, and its power to kill. That's the appearance. But here is the reality. There's a judgment to come." [00:31:16]
"Jesus Christ is Lord. That's the reality. Caesar is not Lord. Rome is not Lord. What does Luther say? 'The body they may kill. The body they may kill'. You know, if you were to put this all into a risk reward analysis and set up a balance sheet of what it means to be a disciple, in fact, go ahead and do it." [00:33:30]
"But now go to the other side of the ledger and just write one word. 'Glory. Glory. Glory.' It is not a literary accident that following verse 26 and 27 comes the next incident in the incarnate life of Christ. But Jesus is such a gracious teacher to us, an incredibly patient teacher, an incredibly loving and merciful teacher." [00:35:28]
"Because not only does He tell the disciples about glory, but He gives them just even a glimpse. That in the glimpse of this, they will know that being a disciple so far outweighs any of the negatives, any of the challenges. And so, we have the Transfiguration. In verse 29 we're told that the appearance of His face was altered." [00:36:31]
"Paul understood this precisely when he told us about 'these light and momentary afflictions.' He's not, not discrediting them. He's not discounting them. He's not a stoic. They're afflictions. They're real. And people we love will suffer as Christ's disciples. But let's put them into perspective. They are light and they are momentary, again, on the balance sheet." [00:38:38]
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