The Way of the Cross: Deny, Take Up, Follow

We celebrate families and honor mothers while we acknowledge grief and longing that sit beside joy. We dedicate whole families to the Lord, declaring that children are intentional gifts, fully known and deeply loved by God. We remind parents that raising children aims beyond temporary goodness; we pursue raising adults who love and follow Jesus. We commit as a church to pray for, encourage, and walk alongside families so homes become places where scripture and grace shape daily life.

We read Mark 8 and confront a turning point: identity and mission collide. The crowd and the disciples finally confess Jesus as the Messiah, but they still misread the kind of Messiah he is. Jesus insists that the son of man must suffer, be rejected, die, and rise. Suffering does not interrupt God’s plan; it lies at the heart of redemption. The pathway Jesus walks becomes the pathway he calls us to walk. The cross and the crown belong together.

We receive a clear call to discipleship. Jesus gives three demands: deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him. Denying self means renouncing personal rule and trusting Christ with authority. Taking up the cross means deliberate, costly surrender, not a polite metaphor. Following centers our lives on personal allegiance to Christ rather than on merely adopting principles or pursuing comfort. The paradox of the kingdom holds: those who cling to life forfeit it, but those who lose life for Jesus gain true, lasting life.

We do not leave suffering as an unresolved tragedy. Scripture lights the shadow of the cross with the promise of resurrection and coming glory. The church must learn to cooperate with God in seasons of pain so that God can shape character, faith, and witness. We end in prayer, asking God to teach us what it looks like to deny ourselves and to carry our crosses daily, trusting that the same Lord who suffers will bring resurrection, and that following him, even through hardship, leads to life and ultimate vindication.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Children are God given rewards We affirm that every child stands as a deliberate gift from the Creator, not an accident or merely a project. That truth reshapes parenting from performance to stewardship, freeing parents to rely on God’s grace while discipling faithfully. When we see children as divine rewards, we prioritize long term formation over quick fixes and point them to Christ as their deepest need. [31:02]
• 2. Suffering is central to redemption Suffering does not fall outside God’s plan; it sits inside the method God uses to form his people and to secure salvation. If we treat suffering only as a detour, we miss how God refines faith, exposes idolatry, and reveals the power of resurrection. Embracing that paradox invites us to cooperate with God’s refining work rather than merely escape discomfort. [62:46]
• 3. Deny self and take up cross Denying self means giving up ultimate authority in our lives and submitting to Christ’s reign, not cultivating self hatred but renouncing self rule. Taking up the cross describes a costly, visible surrender that reshapes priorities, relationships, and ambitions. These practices unmake our idolatries so that God can make us into people shaped by his kingdom logic. [76:02]
• 4. Follow Jesus above all else Discipleship centers on personal allegiance to Christ, not on adopting ideas or ethical checklists. Following means tracing his path day by day, allowing his life to form ours, trusting him to do what we cannot accomplish by effort alone. This relational call keeps us rooted when the way includes both cross and crown. [81:38]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [27:08] - Mother’s Day and Worship
• [29:03] - Family Dedication
• [31:02] - Children: A Divine Gift
• [33:45] - The Shema and Commitment
• [35:19] - Prayer for Families
• [52:13] - Reading Mark 8
• [56:51] - Identity and Mission Shift
• [62:46] - Suffering in God’s Plan
• [75:14] - Call to Deny and Follow
• [87:35] - Blessing for Mothers and Close

1. In Mark 8:31-33, how does Jesus describe His mission, and how does Peter react?
2. What three specific actions does Jesus demand of His followers in Mark 8:34?
3. According to Psalm 127:3, how does Scripture describe children?
4. The sermon emphasized that suffering is not a detour but central to God’s plan. What example did Jesus give to show that glory and suffering are connected? [01:03:01]

1. Why do you think Peter rebuked Jesus after hearing about His mission to suffer? How does this reflect common misunderstandings about God’s purposes?
2. What does it mean to “deny yourself” in the context of modern culture’s emphasis on self-fulfillment? How does this differ from self-hatred? [01:16:02]
3. Psalm 127:3 calls children a “reward.” How might viewing parenting as stewardship rather than performance change a family’s priorities? [31:02]
4. How does the transfiguration (Mark 9:2-8) immediately following Jesus’ call to take up the cross clarify the relationship between suffering and glory?

1. Jesus calls us to “take up your cross” daily. What is one area of your life where you’ve resisted surrender, and what would it look like to embrace costly obedience this week?
2. If children are intentional gifts from God, how can parents practically shift from focusing on temporary behavior to nurturing lifelong faith in their kids? [32:25]
3. Suffering is described as a tool God uses to refine faith. How can you cooperate with God in a current hardship instead of trying to escape it? [01:14:10]
4. The church is called to “walk alongside families.” What is one tangible way you can encourage or support a parent or child in your community this month?
5. Jesus said, “Whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” What habits, relationships, or ambitions might you need to release to fully center your life on following Him? [01:22:06]
6. How can you intentionally model “personal allegiance to Christ” in your workplace, friendships, or home—not just adherence to principles? [01:20:21]