Our scripture this morning is Mark 8:34-35 (NLT).
Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.”
Jesus gives it to us straight: to accept Him as Lord and Savior we must “give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.” He is our one and only option for salvation, we can’t save ourselves. However, our selfish outlook keeps us from seeing that giving up our own way is the first step necessary to follow Him.
He teaches us “If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it.” This sounds backwards to a worldly way of thinking, but it is truth in His kingdom. The harder we cling to earthly things we think will save us, the less time and treasure we have to do the work He has for us.
Jesus calls us into service “for the sake of the Good News” and this is what will save us. It’s not the action which saves us, only Jesus can do that, but rather a loving reaction to that gift of eternal life and the joy of our relationship with Him.
Gracious God, in Your mercy You made a way for us to be saved through Christ’s sacrifice for us. May we go in Your name, offering ourselves as a living sacrifice to share the Gospel. Amen.
