Embracing Freedom Through Self-Denial and Surrender

Devotional

Day 1: Deny Self to Follow Jesus

To follow Jesus, we must first confront the reality that our greatest rival is not the world, Satan, or even our circumstances, but our own self. Jesus calls us to deny ourselves—not to hate ourselves, but to renounce ownership of our lives and be freed from the prison of self-obsession. In a culture that constantly tells us to trust ourselves, promote ourselves, and seek fulfillment within, Jesus offers a radically different path: freedom through surrender. Denying self is not about self-loathing, but about making room for the Savior to lead, heal, and transform us from the inside out. [45:15]

Luke 9:23-25 (ESV)
And he said to all, “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?”

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are still holding onto control, and what would it look like to practically surrender that area to Jesus today?

Day 2: Surrender is Your Greatest Power

True power in the Christian life is not found in self-assertion, but in surrendering ourselves to God. Jesus not only calls us to deny ourselves, but to take up our cross daily—a call to embrace sacrifice, suffering, and the daily death of our old ways. This is not a one-time event, but a continual act of laying down our desires, ambitions, and even our shame at the foot of the cross. In doing so, we find that our old self, with all its failures and regrets, has been crucified with Christ, and we now live by faith in Him who loves us and gave Himself for us. [01:11:13]

Galatians 2:20 (ESV)
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Reflection: What is one shameful memory or regret that you need to bring to the cross today, trusting that your old self has been crucified with Christ?

Day 3: The Invitation is for All—Anyone Can Follow

Jesus’ invitation to follow Him is radically inclusive: “all” and “anyone” are welcome, regardless of background, doubts, or past mistakes. The call to discipleship is not reserved for the spiritual elite, but is extended to skeptics, saints, the broken, and the searching alike. No matter where you come from or what you’ve done, Jesus invites you to sit at His table, to join His mission, and to find eternal purpose in relationship with Him. This is the best news in all of Scripture—no one is excluded from the opportunity to know and follow Christ. [48:10]

Luke 9:23 (ESV)
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Reflection: Who in your life might feel excluded from God’s invitation? How can you extend the welcome of Jesus to them this week?

Day 4: Your Greatest Gain is Jesus Himself

The Christian life is not about legalistic self-denial or white-knuckled discipline, but about gaining Christ Himself. When we lose our lives for Jesus’ sake, we find true life—relationship with the Son of God, who knows us fully and loves us completely. All the sacrifices, all the “no’s” to lesser things, are ultimately so we can say “yes” to something infinitely better: Jesus. He is the treasure, the profit, the joy that makes every other loss worthwhile. The call to follow is not just about what we leave behind, but about the One we gain. [01:17:29]

Philippians 3:7-8 (ESV)
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.

Reflection: What is one “good” thing you may need to let go of in order to pursue deeper intimacy with Jesus?

Day 5: Living with No Shame—Making Jesus First

At the end of our lives, what will matter most is not our achievements or possessions, but whether we lived with Jesus at the center. To live with no shame on our last day, we must make Jesus first place today—above every other priority, desire, or distraction. This means regularly examining our hearts, letting go of anything that rivals Him, and living with a desperation for His presence and mission. When Jesus is our greatest gain, we can face both life and death with peace, hope, and the assurance of eternal joy. [03:04:15]

Psalm 16:11 (ESV)
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Reflection: What is currently competing with Jesus for first place in your heart, and how can you intentionally put Him at the center today?

Sermon Summary

Over the past several weeks, I’ve walked through the most difficult season of my life, losing my dad and being with him in his final days. In that time, I experienced firsthand the beauty and necessity of the local church—not as a building or a service, but as a people who embody the love of Christ. You have shown my family and me what it means to be the church, not just attend it. Thank you for your prayers, meals, service, and the way you’ve carried the mission forward. This is not just a slogan on a tote bag—love truly moves here.

As we return to our series on discipleship, we come to one of the most challenging and countercultural teachings of Jesus: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” In a world obsessed with self—self-promotion, self-care, self-fulfillment—Jesus calls us to something radically different. He doesn’t say to hate ourselves, but to be freed from the prison of self-obsession. Our greatest rival is not Satan, not our circumstances, but our own self. We often think changing jobs, relationships, or churches will fix our problems, but everywhere we go, we bring ourselves with us.

Denying self is not about self-hatred, but about renouncing ownership of our lives and surrendering to Jesus. Scripture is clear: our hearts are deceitful, and following our own wisdom often leads to destruction. Jesus’ call to deny self is an invitation to freedom—a freedom that comes from surrender. The cross, the very symbol of our faith, is a symbol of suffering and sacrifice. Yet, it is also the place where our shame, guilt, and sin are crucified with Christ. Every day, we are called to die to the old self and walk in the new life Jesus gives.

But this is not just about loss or legalism. Jesus doesn’t just call us to deny ourselves and take up our cross—He calls us to follow Him. The greatest gain in all of this is Jesus Himself. When we let go of self, we receive the Son of God, the One who loves us, redeems us, and gives us eternal purpose. At the end of our lives, what will matter is not what we’ve accumulated or achieved, but whether we have lived for Jesus and His mission. My prayer is that we would be a people desperate for more of Him, willing to lay down anything that rivals His place in our lives, so that on our last day, we can say with confidence: no shame, only Christ.

Key Takeaways

1. Your Greatest Rival is Self The most significant obstacle to spiritual growth and flourishing is not external opposition, but our own self. We are often tempted to believe that our problems are “out there,” but Jesus teaches that the real battle is within. Denying self is not about self-loathing, but about recognizing that self-obsession—whether prideful or insecure—keeps us from following Christ fully. [45:15]
2. Denying Self is Freedom, Not Hatred Jesus’ call to deny self is a call to renounce ownership and be liberated from the exhausting cycle of self-focus. Our culture tells us to look inward for solutions, but Scripture reveals that our hearts are deceitful and our wisdom limited. True freedom comes when we surrender self and allow Christ to define our identity, purpose, and direction. [54:29]
3. Suffering and Surrender are Central to Discipleship The cross is not just a metaphor; it is the reality of the Christian life. Following Jesus means embracing sacrifice, suffering, and daily surrender—not as punishment, but as the pathway to resurrection life. The Christian journey is not about avoiding hardship, but about finding Christ in the midst of it, knowing that our old self is crucified and we are made new in Him. [69:42]
4. Your Greatest Gain is Jesus Himself The call to deny self and take up the cross is not about legalistic self-denial, but about gaining Christ. Jesus is better than anything we might lose; He is the true profit, the ultimate reward. The Christian life is not primarily about discipline, but about desperation for more of Jesus—knowing Him, loving Him, and living on mission with Him. [76:21]
5. Live Today for the Last Day Witnessing my father’s final breaths reminded me of the brevity and finality of life. The way to live without shame on our last day is to put Jesus first every day, letting go of anything that competes with Him. The invitation is to live now with the end in mind, so that when our time comes, we can face it with peace, fulfillment, and the joy of knowing we have spent our lives on what matters most. [84:11]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[36:07] - Reflections on My Father and the Church’s Love
[38:51] - Gratitude for Staff, Partners, and Church Growth
[42:14] - Prayer for Transformation and Community
[43:49] - The Most Controversial Command: Deny Self
[45:15] - Why Does Jesus Say Deny Self?
[46:32] - Luke 9: The Invitation to All and Anyone
[49:24] - The Best and Hardest News in Discipleship
[50:36] - What Does It Mean to Deny Self?
[54:29] - Freedom from Self-Obsession
[56:56] - The Problem of Self and the Illusion of Control
[58:33] - God’s Wisdom vs. Our Best Ideas
[62:07] - Lovers of Self and the Last Days
[69:42] - Suffering, Sacrifice, and the Way of the Cross
[76:21] - The Sequence: Jesus’ Sacrifice Before Ours
[84:11] - Living with No Shame: Lessons from My Dad’s Last Days
[86:54] - Invitation to Respond and Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Luke 9:21-26 (ESV) — 21 And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”
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.”

Galatians 2:20 (ESV) — I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Jeremiah 17:9 (ESV) — The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Observation Questions

In Luke 9:23, what three things does Jesus say are required of anyone who wants to follow Him?
According to the sermon, what does it mean to “deny self”? How is this different from self-hatred? [[51:51]]
In Galatians 2:20, what does Paul say has happened to his old self, and what is now true about his life?
The sermon mentions that our culture is obsessed with self. What are some examples the pastor gave of this self-obsession? [[53:13]]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus focus on denying self, rather than denying Satan or sin, as the first step in following Him? [[45:15]]
The pastor said, “Your greatest rival is self.” In what ways can our own self be a bigger obstacle to following Jesus than outside forces? [[54:29]]
How does the call to “take up your cross daily” challenge the idea that following Jesus should be easy or comfortable? [[01:09:42]]
According to the sermon, what is the difference between legalistic self-denial and the kind of surrender Jesus calls us to? [[01:16:21]]

Application Questions

The pastor shared that after his father’s death, the love and support of the church was essential. When have you experienced the church “being the church” for you or someone else? How did it impact your faith? [[36:07]]
Jesus says to “deny yourself.” What is one area of your life where self-obsession or self-focus is holding you back from following Jesus more fully? What would it look like to surrender that area? [[54:29]]
The sermon described denying self as “renouncing ownership” of your life. Is there something you are still trying to control or hold onto? What would it mean to hand that over to Jesus this week? [[51:51]]
The cross is a symbol of suffering and sacrifice. How do you typically respond to hardship or suffering in your life? Do you see it as something to avoid, or as a way to grow closer to Christ? [[01:09:42]]
The pastor said, “Your greatest gain is Jesus Himself.” Are there things in your life that you are tempted to value more than Jesus? How can you practically put Jesus first this week? [[01:16:21]]
The sermon ended with the challenge to “live today for the last day.” If you knew your time was short, what would you want to change about how you spend your time, energy, or resources? [[01:24:11]]
The pastor shared about feeling shame over past mistakes, but remembering that his old self was “crucified with Christ.” Is there a past failure or regret that still brings you shame? How can you remind yourself of your new identity in Christ? [[01:13:22]]

Sermon Clips

Come sit at the table of Jesus Christ. Come give your life to something that has not just value for a little while, but value for eternity, and you can be a part of that. That's the best news in all of the Bible. [00:50:11] (17 seconds) #SelfObsessionPrison

He gives this great news, followed up with this hardest news. And as I read this, as I studied this, I had some questions. I don't know if you read the Bible and have questions. I don't know if you think it's okay to have questions, but let me just tell you, it is. In fact, the way I study for sermons is I come to the text with questions, right? And as I looked at this text specifically, I had a lot of questions, all right? The first question was, why deny self? Like, why deny? Why not sanctify self? Why not speak the truth to self? And then why is it deny self and not Satan or not sin or all the other things in the world? That we could be really specific about, pleasures that are going to cost you. Why deny self? [00:51:16] (50 seconds) #ChangeStartsWithin

You being self-obsessed prevents you from following anything else. Because you're too busy following yourself. See, the reality is, many of you need to know this, what's preventing many of you from following Jesus, flourishing in your relationship with Jesus. It's not that atheist professor. It's not the government who's trying to persecute you. It's not your spouse. It's not your enemy. It's you. It's you. Your greatest rival is you. [00:55:07] (41 seconds) #FreedomThroughSurrender

This is, again, as we look at our culture, you need to know this is controversial. This is offensive. This is not intuitive for us. Many of us, we want to be in control of our lives. We set it up that way. Right, from our financial lives to the car that we drive to the schools that we put our kids in. We are organizing and structuring things to protect ourselves. To be in control of our lives. To limit risk of failure and to set us up for maximum success. [00:56:56] (37 seconds) #CrucifiedWithChrist

Did you know, do you know that it's not just experiential, that's theological. Did you know scripture says that all over the place? Jeremiah 17, 9. It says, the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick. So when you say follow your heart, you're saying follow a sickness that's deceptive. That's what scripture says. Proverbs 14, 12 says this. There is a way that seems right to man. It seems right. It seems like it's going to give us life. But in the end, it leads to death. And this one is wild. 2 Timothy 3 says this. But understand this. In the last days, there will come times of difficulty. Is that what it says? No, there will be lovers of self. Like in the last, are we in the last days? Look at all the wars. Look at all the travesties. Look at all the abortion. Look at all the hate. Look at all the school shootings. Are we in the last days? Why are we in the last days? Why do last days happen? Lovers of self. Everybody looking inward. [01:00:14] (80 seconds) #ResurrectedLifeDaily

And so Jesus is going to say, hey, I want you to follow me. All, anyone. You want to be in a relationship with the God of the universe. You want to have eternal purpose. You want to have redemption from your sin. Here's what you need to do. Stop being obsessed with self. Deny yourself so you can get more of your Savior. That's what Jesus is saying. That's the key to unlock this whole thing. You want to grow? You want to be a disciple of Jesus? Jesus says this is where it starts. [01:02:13] (36 seconds) #GainThroughJesus

So taking up your cross daily is you dying to all those parts of yourself, all those shameful parts, the parts nobody knows about. The parts you don't like to talk about, the parts you don't like your kids to know. You died. You take up your cross daily and every single time you remind yourself, this is not who you are anymore. That person who did those things sexually, that's not who you are. That person died on a cross. That part of you who did those things financially, who did those things relationally, that person died. It is no longer you who lives, but Christ within you. [01:14:20] (46 seconds)

And Jesus says, you want to follow me? You want to flourish in a relationship with me? You need to experience that. Remind yourself of that every single morning, every single night, and probably a few times during the day. Amen? And you need to come back to church every single Sunday, because every single day, the lies of the enemy are telling you, that is who you are. That's all you'll ever be. And Jesus is going to say, no, that person died on the cross with me. You walk in resurrected life. And you need that every Sunday and every single day to follow Jesus. [01:15:06] (33 seconds)

``Your greatest rival is self. Your greatest power is surrender. Why? Because when you let go of yourself, you get to grab hold of the Son of God. Who lived the perfect life that you could never live. Who died in your death, on the cross, in your place. Who rose again in victory. Who is the Alpha and the Omega. Who has the power, not just to take away guilt, but shame. You get to know him. You get to love him. You get to live on mission with him. You're on his team. You made it. You don't have to audition. You made it because you're in Christ. Amen? You get this. You get to gain Jesus Christ. And that's what this is about. It's not legalism. It's about relationship with Jesus Christ. [01:17:29] (51 seconds)

We're all going to get to that day. They're going to be counting your breaths one day, or you're going to die in an instant. And you want, on that day, you want to know there's no shame. There's no regret. I haven't lived for lesser things. I haven't given myself to things that were going to fade or fail me. I haven't just been consumed with myself. And I looked at a man who wasn't perfect, but he knew that. He knew he was secure in Christ. Isn't that amazing? And I just, verse 26, Jesus says this scary phrase, like, don't be ashamed of me. I'll be ashamed of you. And there's this idea of shame. And let me just tell you, on your last day, you have the opportunity to experience no shame like my dad did. And that's the kind of life you want to live, not just the death you want to die. And that starts with following Jesus, putting him first place in your life. [01:24:49] (59 seconds)

What is above Jesus right now in your life? As you look at the way you spend money, your time, your schedule, how many times do you say, we'll go to church if this, if this gets done in time, if we feel like it, if we wake up in time? How many times do you read your Bible if you have time? How many times do you give to the church if you have something left over? Is that the sales pitch? The last time I check, it's deny self, take up a cross, sacrifice everything and put me first and you get me. But that's where you find fulfillment and that's where you find flourishing. But how many of you, is that your reality? What needs to die in your life? What needs to be brought down or rung in your life? So that on your last day, your last breath, I'm ready to go home. No shame. I've spent my life on the one thing that matters most. Jesus Christ and his mission and my relationship with him that's, by the way, going to extend into eternity. [01:25:48] (63 seconds)

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