Today’s Scripture: Mark 14-16
“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” – Luke 9:23
Some years ago I spent the summer studying the book of Mark. I was reading Mark 15, when I came across these words in verse 31: “The chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can’t save himself!’” I wondered, Who else mocked Him as He hung on that cross? I started to find cross-references in other Gospels and discovered that along with the chief priests, Jesus was mocked by the soldiers, the thieves who were crucified with Him, and the people who passed by. This was a microcosm of humanity–the religious leaders, the military, those outside the law, and the general public. They all said essentially the same thing: “He saved others but he can’t save himself.” And then it hit me. “Right!” I shouted. “That’s right!”
To be used of God in the salvation of others requires denying self on behalf of others. The jeering crowd didn’t understand this as they hurled abuse at Jesus. They thought they had all their theological bases covered. But in their ignorance, they actually expressed a great truth.
Jesus said that if you’re not willing to give up your life for His sake and His kingdom, you will lose it (Luke 9:24). But if we deny self; if we follow the example of Christ and put the welfare of others before our own desires; if we repudiate self and give our lives for the salvation of others, we will find our lives and, in the end, come out winners.
Does your life reflect this Christlike characteristic of self-denial for the sake of others? If not, what stands in your way?
Prayer
Lord, give me the grace to give up my life for You and Your eternal purposes. Amen
To Ponder
Leading others to Christ calls for self-denial.
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