July 26, 2026 | LOSE YOURSELF | Sunday Worship Service

Mark 8 places Jesus before the disciples and the multitude with one great call: “whoever desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” The cross had already been explained, but the crown was what the disciples expected. Jesus had to teach them that glory would come, and the kingdom would come, but first the Son of Man must suffer, give his life as a ransom, and rise again.

Jesus makes the course of life very plain. The word “desire” carries the sense of resolve, determination, and direction. The one who desires Christ chooses him as the course of life, and that course begins with denying self. Denying self means saying “denied” to the old desires, the old temptations, and the old hunger to be approved by people. Saul cared more about honor before the people than repentance before God, but David, when exposed, cried for mercy and cleansing. Above David stands Jesus, who always did the things that pleased the Father and prayed in Gethsemane, “not my will, but yours be done.”

The cross brings shame and death in the world’s eyes. To follow Jesus is not glamorous before the world. It looks like a walk of shame, but it is the path where self dies and Christ lives. Romans 6 gives the confession that strengthens this path: reckon yourself dead to sin and alive to Christ. Sin is no longer master. Jesus is the new Master, and he has victory.

Jesus then sets a scale before the soul. On one side sits the whole world, with its wealth, luxury, trophies, pleasure, and passing desires. On the other side sits one human soul, and the soul outweighs it all. The world puts the souls of men at the bottom of the list, but Jesus came to save souls. The rich man who ignored Lazarus learned too late that no one can give anything in exchange for a soul once eternity has begun.

Jesus ends the call with judgment. The one ashamed of Christ and his words in a sinful generation will face the Son of Man ashamed of him. Yet Jesus is not ashamed of those who love him, no matter where they have been or what they have done. Nicodemus shows the change that comes when a man sees the cross. The man who first came at night later stood publicly with the body of Jesus, lost everything, and found that nothing compares to knowing him.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Denying self chooses God’s approval Denying self is not mainly about acting religious or looking strong. It is learning to say no to the old hunger for applause, approval, and control, and yes to what pleases the Father. Saul wanted to be honored before people, but David wanted to be washed before God, and that difference reveals the heart. [28:16]
• 2. The cross kills shame’s power The cross was shame and death to the Roman world, and Jesus does not hide that from anyone who follows him. The world may call discipleship embarrassing, but the cross teaches the believer to die to the self that needs the world’s applause. What looks like losing dignity before people becomes the place where Christ lives in a person with power. [33:20]
• 3. Reckon sin no longer master Romans 6 calls the believer to consider something true before the feelings catch up: sin is not the master anymore. Temptation may shout, kick, and demand an answer, but the old man is dead to its rule. The confession “dead to sin and alive to Christ” is not positive thinking, but agreement with what Christ has actually done. [36:40]
• 4. One soul outweighs the world Jesus places the whole world on one side of the scale and one soul on the other, and the soul is heavier. The world prizes wealth, luxury, name brands, trophies, and temporary comfort, but eternity exposes how light those things are. A person can gain everything visible and still lose the only treasure that cannot be replaced. [46:51]
• 5. Seeing the cross changes everything Nicodemus first came to Jesus at night because fear and reputation still held him. After the cross, he no longer cared who saw him handle the body of Christ with love. The cross made the scale clear: losing the world was nothing compared to knowing Jesus and having the soul saved.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [21:46] - Mark 8 and the Great Call
• [23:22] - The Cross Explained, the Crown Expected
• [25:35] - The Course of Following Christ
• [26:37] - Deny Yourself and Follow Jesus
• [28:16] - Saul, David, and God’s Approval
• [30:26] - Jesus Pleases the Father
• [31:44] - Take Up the Cross
• [34:28] - Reckon Yourself Dead to Sin
• [38:39] - How to Know Self Is Being Lost
• [43:41] - He Must Increase
• [46:12] - The Scale of the Soul
• [50:38] - The Rich Man and Lazarus
• [57:45] - The Judgment of Being Ashamed
• [61:45] - Nicodemus and the Cost of Following Christ

Bible Reading

Mark 8:34-38
“And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.'” [22:24]

Romans 6:11
“So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” [35:26]

Luke 16:19-31
“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.' And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'” [50:56]

John 3:30
“He must increase, but I must decrease.” [43:37]

Observation questions

1. In Mark 8:34-38, what three commands does Jesus give to the person who wants to come after him?
2. In the contrast between Saul and David, what different responses are seen when each man is confronted with sin? [28:16]
3. According to Romans 6:11, what are believers told to consider true about themselves in relation to sin and to God?
4. In Luke 16, what changes for the rich man after death, and what is he no longer able to do about his condition? [50:56]

Interpretation questions

1. Jesus says, “whoever desires to come after me.” What does that word “desires” show about following Christ being more than a passing feeling or a casual interest? [26:03]
2. Jesus connects taking up the cross with shame and death. Why does following him often clash with the world’s idea of comfort, image, and success? [33:20]
3. John 3:30 says, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” How does a growing view of Christ begin to weaken old desires and old ways of living? [43:37]
4. Jesus asks what profit there is in gaining the whole world and losing the soul. What does that reveal about how heaven measures value differently from this world? [46:12]

Application questions

1. Where is the pull for people’s approval strongest right now—at work, in family life, online, or somewhere else? What might it look like in that place to care more about God’s approval than human applause? [28:16]
2. What is one old desire, habit, or pattern that needs to hear the word “denied”? What helps a believer say no to that thing in a practical way this week? [27:27]
3. Romans 6:11 calls believers to reckon themselves dead to sin and alive to Christ. When temptation comes, what would it look like to answer it with that truth instead of simply giving in or feeling defeated? [36:40]
4. Jesus says a person can gain the whole world and still lose the soul. What kinds of “whole world” temptations seem most attractive right now—money, comfort, status, pleasure, reputation, control? Why do those things feel weighty in the moment? [46:51]
5. The rich man in Luke 16 realized too late what really mattered. Are there any small compromises that seem harmless now but could slowly harden the heart over time? [55:18]
6. Being ashamed of Christ can show up in quiet ways, not only open denial. In what situations is it easiest to stay silent about belonging to Jesus or to hide obedience to his words? [57:45]
7. Nicodemus moved from coming at night to standing publicly with Jesus. Where might courage be needed now to identify openly with Christ, even if it costs reputation, comfort, or acceptance? [01:03:21]