Losing Your Life to Save It
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
As we consider Mark 8:34–38, we’re reminded that not all invitations to follow Christ are created equal.
Throughout church history, various methods have been used to invite people to respond to the gospel.
In the early 1800s, a preacher named Charles Finney introduced what became known as the Anxious Bench.
It was a special seat at the front of the church where those under conviction were urged to come forward and wait for salvation.
It was dramatic.
Emotional.
Pressing.
But not without controversy.
John Nevin, a Reformed theologian of the time, strongly opposed the practice.
He said it encouraged superficial conversions—decisions driven by emotional pressure, not genuine repentance and faith.
And sadly, he was right.
Emotional manipulation can stir people to move without any true movement of the heart.
Eventually, the Anxious Bench gave way to what became known as the Altar Call.
Evangelists like Dwight L. Moody, Billy Sunday, and later Billy Graham used this method to great effect in their evangelistic crusades.
I’m sure many of you have seen it or experienced it—Billy Graham inviting people to come forward while the choir sang, “Just As I Am.”
It was sincere.
It was passionate.
But over time, something dangerous crept in.
The altar call became linked with what we now call the Sinner’s Prayer—a short prayer someone repeats to “accept Jesus into their heart.”
And while God can certainly save someone in a moment, many were led to believe that saying a few words or walking an aisle equaled salvation.
No repentance. No change. No cross to carry. Just a moment.
This became standard practice in many Baptist, Pentecostal, and Methodist churches—and still is.
But let me say this plainly: that kind of invitation can be manipulative and unbiblical.
It gives a false assurance of salvation.
It reduces the supernatural work of God to a human decision or an emotional response.
John MacArthur put it well when he said, “You can’t just say a few words and think you’re going to heaven. Salvation is a supernatural work of God.”
And that’s exactly what Jesus is saying in Mark 8.
When Jesus gives His invitation, it’s not to come sit on a bench.
It’s not to walk an aisle.
It’s not to repeat a prayer.
It’s to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him.
That’s a call to die to self.
To lose your life for Christ’s sake.
That’s not a moment—it’s a lifestyle.
It’s a total surrender.
So let me ask you: Which invitation have you responded to?
An emotional one—or the biblical one.
Have you truly denied yourself—or simply raised a hand?
Have you taken up your cross—or just repeated a prayer?
The call of Jesus is clear.
It’s costly.
But it leads to eternal life.
Listen to what Jesus said in Mark 8:34–38…
One Perfect Life: The Complete Story of the Lord Jesus 88. Jesus Foretells His Future Suffering and Glory
Then Jesus called the people to Himself [and] said to them all, with His disciples also, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul and is himself destroyed or lost? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 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 His own glory, and in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.”
In Mark 8 Jesus shifts from public ministry to the private training of the Twelve
After Peter’s bold confession of Christ (Mark 8:29), Jesus solemnly reveals that the Son of Man “must suffer many things… and be killed, and after three days rise again” (Mark 8:31)
This prepares the way for His next words to the crowd and disciples: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34)
In our first-century setting this was shocking language
Crucifixion was Rome’s most terrifying and disgraceful death
As Josephus, the Jewish historian, put it, crucifixion was “the most wretched of deaths,” and even a Roman jurist called it “the most severe punishment”
To say “take up your cross” meant literally carrying the wooden beam to execution, a public sign of one’s coming disgrace
Yet Jesus uses it as a metaphor for discipleship and salvation
He summons us to a way of life so countercultural that it flows against every human instinct
Today we will unpack what it means to deny ourselves, bear the cross, and follow Jesus
First we hear…
The Invitation to Follow Christ (v.34)
“And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.’”
This is…
The Universal Invitation: “If anyone wishes to come after Me”
It begins with…
“If anyone” (τις, tis, pres.act.ind.): The Greek uses an indefinite pronoun (τίς or ὅστις) meaning “whoever” or “anyone,” any person is invited to follow Jesus, but also that the condition applies to all without exception
“Wishes” (θέλει, thelei): pres.act.ind., implies a deliberate, ongoing desire. Jesus isn’t talking about a one-time impulse but an ongoing willingness to follow
“Come after” (ἐλθεῖν ὀπίσω, elthein opiso): The phrase can be rendered “to come behind me,” i.e. to follow in someone’s footsteps.
In Greco-Roman culture, following a leader “behind” him implied full allegiance and discipleship
Crowds followed rabbis, but Jesus’ call was distinct, demanding total allegiance amidst persecution (MacArthur, Mark, 1:389)
John 12:26, “If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.”
Matthew 10:37–38, “37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.”
R.C. Sproul likened this to a king summoning subjects: “When Jesus calls, it’s not a suggestion—it’s a command from the Sovereign who deserves our all” (Ligonier Ministries, sermon on Mark 8).
John Calvin said, “Christ does not invite us to a feast but to a struggle, where we must renounce all that is ours to gain all that is His” (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 3.8.1).
The Radical Requirements: Deny Self, Take Up the Cross, Follow Christ
In first-century Palestine, well-known rabbis attracted followers who literally “hung on their every step.”
Prospective disciples would abandon home, work, even sleep and eat where the rabbi did, learning to live just like him.
In that culture, self-sacrifice for one’s teacher was expected.
Jesus’ hearers would have understood “deny yourself” as part of standard disciple-training – but He then intensifies the call beyond any common rabbi.
He calls them to deny self, take up the cross, follow Him
First He says to…
Deny Himself:
The word “deny” [aparneomai (ἀπαρνησάσθω), aor.mid.imp.] means “to completely disown, to utterly separate oneself from someone” (MacArthur)
It is the word Jesus used to describe Peter’s denial of Him while He was being questioned by the high priest (Matt. 26:34)
Each time he was confronted about his relationship to Jesus, Peter more vehemently denied knowing Him (vv. 70, 72, 74)
He disowned his Master before the world
The middle voice suggests personal involvement—disowning one’s own desires
John MacArthur notes, “Denying self is not merely giving up pleasures but dethroning self to enthrone Christ” (MacArthur Study Bible, Mark 8:34)
In a status-driven Greco-Roman world, honor and self-promotion were cultural pillars. Self-denial was radical
The self of which Jesus is speaking is rather the natural, sinful, rebellious, unredeemed self that is at the center of every fallen person and that can even reclaim temporary control over a Christian
It is the fleshly body, the “old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit” (Eph. 4:22) and is yet to be redeemed in glorification (cf. Rom. 8:23)
To deny that self is to confess with Paul, “I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh” (Rom. 7:18)
To deny that self is to have the sincere, genuine conviction that one has nothing in his humanness to commend himself before God, nothing worthwhile to offer Him at all (MacArthur)
Paul said in Titus 2:11–12, “11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,”
A.W. Tozer wrote, “The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One… but he must first die to himself” (The Pursuit of God, ch. 10).
Take Up His Cross:
To “take up” [airo (ἀράτω), aor.act.imp.] means “to lift” or “take up” paired with stauros (σταυρός), the Roman cross, a symbol of execution
The aorist tense demands a definitive act of embracing suffering
Crucifixion was Rome’s cruelest punishment, reserved for rebels and slaves. The condemned carried their crossbeam, a public spectacle of shame. Jesus’ audience understood this as a call to embrace death (MacArthur, The Gospel According to Jesus, 221)
This was not just a metaphor but a literal horror
Luke 14:27 says, “Whoever does not carry his own cross… cannot be My disciple.”
Claiming allegiance to Jesus meant possibly alienating family and risking life
Modern listeners may miss this, but as one blog observes, while Western believers often face no real danger today, “in other parts of the world… they understand in entirely realistic terms” what Jesus meant . For Jews and Romans of Jesus’ day, following Him could cost everything – honor, security, even life.
Paul understood this, which is why he said in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”
One martyr said, “The cross I bear is heavy, but Christ’s yoke is eternal” (John MacArthur, Hard to Believe, 102).
The cross symbolized execution and curse (cf. Deut 21:23; Gal 3:13)
The call to take it up signifies willingness to share Christ’s curse
One commentator points out that John 12:26’s “follow me” implicitly means taking up Christ’s fate; indeed he says the one thing we must imitate above all Christ’s virtues is “His Cross, and not His life… His death”
John 15:20, “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.”
John MacArthur said, “The first requirement of discipleship is self-denial; a person who is not willing to deny himself cannot claim to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.”
Follow Me
“Follow” [akoloutheo (ἀκολουθείτω), pres.act.imp.] indicates continuous, lifelong obedience
The present tense underscores perseverance
1 John 2:3, “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.”
Following Christ means imitating His life, submitting to His lordship (MacArthur, Mark, 1:391)
Jesus said in John 10:27, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me”
Martin Luther said, “To follow Christ is to walk in His footsteps, though they lead through the valley of death” (Commentary on Galatians).
Picture a disciple trailing Jesus, undeterred by the world’s scorn.
A.W. Tozer said, “The cross is not a badge to wear but a burden to bear. It means death to self and life for Christ” (The Pursuit of God)
Picture a man carrying a cross through a mocking crowd, eyes fixed on Jesus ahead
The Paradox of Life and Death (v.35)
“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.”
Saving Life Leads to Eternal Loss
“Save” [σῶσαι, sosai: aor.act.inf.] refers to preserving physical life or self-interest
“Lose” [ἀπολέσει, apolesei: fut.act.ind.] is a definitive loss of eternal life
“Life” [ψυχήν, psuchen] can mean physical life or soul, here implying one’s entire being
“Clinging to temporal life at the expense of Christ’s call results in eternal ruin” (MacArthur Study Bible, Mark 8:35)
In a time of Roman persecution, choosing safety over faith could mean denying Christ to avoid imprisonment or death
John 12:25 says, “He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.”
Matthew 10:28, says “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Philippians 3:7-8: Paul counts all as loss “for the sake of Christ”
A.W. Pink wrote, “To save one’s life is to lose it, like a man clutching sand that slips through his fingers” (The Sovereignty of God, ch. 5).
Losing Life for Christ Leads to Eternal Salvation
“Loses” [ἀπολέσῃ, apolesi: aor.act.sub] suggests a hypothetical but deliberate act of sacrifice
“For My sake and the gospel’s”: The preposition dia (for the sake of) highlights the motive—devotion to Christ and His message
“Save” [σώσει, sosei: fut.act.ind.] promising certain eternal life
True life is found in surrendering to Christ, even unto death (MacArthur, Slave, 189)
Matthew 10:39 says, “He who loses his life for My sake will find it.”
Romans 8:36 says, “Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
Jesus told the church at Smyrna in Revelation 2:10, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
John Calvin wrote, “To lose one’s life for Christ is to gain it, for what is this fleeting life compared to eternity with God?” (Commentary on Mark).
Imagine a seed buried in the ground, dying to produce a harvest
“The world calls it loss; Christ calls it gain. To die for Him is to live forever” (John MacArthur, The Gospel According to Jesus, 225).
The Value of the Soul (vv.36–37)
“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
The Futility of Gaining the World
“Profit” [ὠφελεῖ, ophelei: pres.act.ind.] questioning any real gain or lasting benefit
“Gain” [κερδῆσαι, kerdesai: aor.act.inf.] implying acquiring the entirety of worldly wealth or power, including riches, fame, and power
“World” [κόσμον, kosmon]: The entire material and temporal realm
“Forfeit” [ζημιωθῆναι, zemiothenai: aor.pass.inf.] indicating suffering eternal loss, with the passive voice suggesting divine judgment
In the Roman Empire, wealth and status were ultimate pursuits, yet Jesus exposes their emptiness compared to eternal life (MacArthur, Mark, 1:393).
Luke 12:20–21: The rich fool stores up wealth but loses his soul
Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 2:11, “Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.”
Paul adds in 1 Timothy 6:7, For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.”
R.C. Sproul said, “Gaining the world is like building a sandcastle before the tide—impressive for a moment, gone forever” (Ligonier Ministries, sermon on Luke 12).
The Irreplaceable Worth of the Soul
“Give in exchange” [δόͅ… ἀντάλλαγμα, doi… antallagma: aor.act.subj.] referring to a transactional trade
Nothing equals the soul’s value
“The soul is priceless, for it alone endures into eternity, either in glory or judgment” (MacArthur Study Bible, Mark 8:36).
“Soul” [ψυχήν, psuchen]: The eternal essence of a person, distinct from temporal life
A.W. Pink wrote, “What madness to trade the eternal soul for fleeting pleasures, like Esau selling his birthright for a bowl of stew” (The Sovereignty of God).
John Knox said, “What profit is all the world’s glory if the soul is cast into eternal fire?” (Sermons on Psalm 6).
The Warning of Shame (v.38)
“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
The Sin of Being Ashamed of Christ
“Ashamed” [ἐπαισχυνθῇ, epaischunthe: aor.pass.subj.] implying a deliberate rejection under social pressure. The passive suggests being acted upon by shame
“Adulterous and sinful generation”: Echoes Old Testament imagery of spiritual unfaithfulness (e.g., Hosea 2:4)
Early Christians faced mockery, ostracism, and persecution in the Roman world, tempting some to conceal their faith to avoid suffering (MacArthur, Mark, 1:394).
Jesus said in Luke 9:26, “Whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him.”
Paul said in 2 Timothy 2:12, “If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us”
Paul said in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
Martin Luther said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation. Let the world mock; I stand with Christ” (Table Talk, 1542).
The Consequence of Divine Rejection
“Will be ashamed” [ἐπαισχυνθήσεται, epaischunthesetai: fut.pass.ind.] a certain divine response at Christ’s return
“Comes in the glory”: Refers to Christ’s second coming, a future eschatological judgment
Denying Christ now reverses the relationship at the final judgment (MacArthur Study Bible, Mark 8:38).
Picture standing before a judge, only to hear Him say, “I never knew you.”
Jesus said in Matthew 10:33, “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.”
Daniel 7:13–14: The Son of Man coming with authority and glory
Revelation 19:11-16: Christ’s return in judgment
To be ashamed of Christ is to forfeit His advocacy before the Father” (The Gospel According to Jesus, 230).
John Calvin said, “Let us not blush to confess Christ, lest He blush to own us in the day of His glory” (Commentary on Luke).
CONCLUSION
Jesus’ call to discipleship is not a shallow invitation but a costly demand for self-denial, cross-bearing, and unashamed allegiance
The paradox is clear: losing life for Christ saves it, while gaining the world forfeits the soul
Examine your priorities
Are you denying self or pursuing self-interest?
You need to embrace the cross
What sacrifice is Christ calling you to make?
You need to stand unashamed
Proclaim Christ boldly, even in a hostile world
John MacArthur recounts a missionary who gave up wealth to serve in a hostile land, saying, “I lost my comfort but found my soul secure in Christ” (The Gospel According to Jesus)
A.W. Tozer said, “The cross will cut into our lives where it hurts worst, but it is also the place where healing begins” (The Radical Cross, ch. 4).
Reject the shallow altar calls of emotionalism
Commit today to follow Christ fully, whatever the cost, trusting His promise of eternal life
If you’ve never called on Him, call on Him now
Romans 10:13 says, “for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.””
Let’s pray
