The Components of Christianity, Part 5 (Have I Died to Self)

Let's pray together. Father, we thank you for today and the truth of God that seems to continually march on from generation to generation because it's living, it's powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword. We thank you, Lord, that the truth of God never dies because it lasts forever. It's eternal as you yourself are eternal. In that truth, Lord, needs to be presented in its entirety with great clarity from age to age, and we pray that as a church, that would be our desire, that, Father, we would never dilute that truth, that we would never seek to diminish the effectiveness of that truth.

We proclaim it loudly, unashamedly, for the glory of Almighty God, that others might come to know the truth of God and be set free from the sin that's enslaved them. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Turn with me in your Bible once again to Luke chapter 9.

We have been here several weeks. We will be here at least this week and next week as we conclude this crucial section of Scripture, a section that must be understood completely, a section that deals specifically with the identity of the Messiah, the centrality of His mission, and the reality of His message. If you don't know who Jesus is and why He came, then you can't effectively preach the message He came to give. And so we must understand Luke chapter 9, beginning with verse 18, when the Bible says these words, and it came about that while He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying, Who do the multitude say that I am?

And they answered and said, John the Baptist, and others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen again. He said to them, But who do you say that I am? And Peter answered and said, The Christ of God. And He warned them and instructed them not to tell this to anyone, saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.

And He was saying to them all, If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gained the whole world, and lose or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words of him, will the Son of man be ashamed, when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father, and of the holy angels.

The focus of salvation, the whole meaning of salvation, the whole method of salvation, the whole message of salvation, centers on the cross of Christ. Everything about Christianity focuses in on the cross of Christ. For that cross, specifically, the destiny of every man, of every soul, lies in the promise of that cross. And the ministry of every saint lives in the pathway of that cross. Therefore we must come to understand what that cross means for us as we understand the life of Christ. And so as we draw to a conclusion, this section, dealing with the essential nature of salvation, centering around the identity of the Messiah, centering around the centrality of His cross and the reality of His message, we come and ask this one simple question, have you died to self?

Have you been crucified with Christ? That is the only question you need to ask and answer as a result of our study of Luke chapter 9, verses 18 to 26. Have you died to self? Have you been crucified with Christ? The cross is the central issue of Christianity. It is what makes a man a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. A.W. Tozer, many years ago, in his book, The Root of the Righteous, said this about the cross. He said, the cross is the most revolutionary thing ever to appear among men. The cross of Roman times knew no compromise.

It never made concessions. It won all its arguments by killing its opponent and silencing him for good. It spared not Christ, but slew him the same as the rest. He was alive when they hung him on that cross and completely dead when they took him down six hours later. That was the cross the first time it appeared in Christian history.

The cross affects its ends by destroying one established pattern, the victims, and creating another pattern, its own. Thus it always has its way. It wins by defeating its opponent and opposing its will upon him. The cross always dominates. It never compromises, never dickers nor confers, never surrenders a point for the sake of peace. It cares not for peace, it cares only to end its opposition as fast as possible. With perfect knowledge of all this, Christ said, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

So the cross not only brings Christ's life to an end, it ends also the first life, the old life of every one of his two followers.

It destroys the old pattern, the Adam pattern, in the believer's life and brings it to an end. Then the God who raised Christ from the dead raises the believer and a new life begins. This and nothing less is true Christianity. We must do something about the cross and one of two things only we can do. Flee it or die upon it. End quote. Mr. Tozer was right. Having heard the message about the cross, in the reality of that message for your life and mine, we must either flee the cross or die upon that cross.

So the question comes, have you died to self? Have you been crucified with Christ? We love Christmas. Everybody loves Christmas and we adore the cradle. We love to sing about the babe in the manger. And that cradle becomes a central focus of Christmas time. And people adore the cradle for the most part. Even the world sings songs about the Christ child born in a manger, that lonely stable in Bethlehem. People adore the cradle. People even acknowledge the credentials of the one born in that cradle.

The people of Israel never denied the credentials of the Messiah. His miracles were completely obvious. The words that he said were completely clear. So the credentials of the Messiah were acknowledged. And for the most part, people adore the cradle. And people even accept the character of the Messiah, that he is the son of God. But having adored the cradle, having acknowledged his credentials, and having even accepted the character of the Messiah, doesn't mean that you're born again. People even anticipate the coming of the Messiah.

But for the most part, people abhor the cross of Christ. When the cross is mentioned, people have the hair on the back of their neck stand up, because the cross is a symbol of death. And death is not something we like to talk about. It's not something we like to dwell upon. But in order to be a Christian, in order to follow Christ and understand the words of the gospel, you must, as the Apostle Paul testified, by saying, I am crucified with Christ. I have died to self. To understand the words of Luke 9, 23, if any man come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.

That's what salvation is. No more, no less than that. That is salvation. That is the gospel in one verse. In this portion of scripture, Luke 9, verses 18 to 26, is central to understanding everything you need to know about Christianity and the Christ, who came to die for your sins, in order that you might understand that dying to self really is not that big a deal when you understand who Christ is and what he did for you. And that is the essence of what Christianity is. And yet today that message isn't clearly preached.

Jeffrey Wilson, a number of years, wrote a book entitled The Authentic Gospel. In it he said these words, today's Christianity is in a state of disarray and decay, and the condition is deteriorating year by year. The truth of God's word has been watered down and compromised to reach a common denominator that will appeal to and accommodate the largest number of participants. The result is a hybrid Christianity, which is essentially man-centered, materialistic and worldly, and shamefully dishonoring to the Lord Jesus Christ.

This shameful degeneracy is due in large part to the erroneous gospel that is presented by many today around the world. And he's right. The gospel presented today around the world is not the gospel that Jesus preached, that the apostles preached. It has been rewritten to accommodate man. It has been redefined to somehow appease man. It has been shunned, set aside, so as to please the ones who hear it, instead of pleasing the master who gave it. And so we must come to grips with the reality of that message.

In doing so, you must ask yourself this question, have I died to self? Have I crucified the flesh? Is my life extinguished and has my life been relinquished so that I might live a distinguished life? That's Galatians chapter 2 verse number 20, when the apostle Paul said, I have been crucified with Christ. That is the extinguished life. And it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. That's the relinquished life. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and delivered himself up for me.

That is the distinguished life. It's a distinguished life because it's a life completely dependent upon God, because you live by faith in the son of God. It's a life completely devoted to God because you gave your life up for him because of his great love for you. So it's a life of devotion. It's a life of dependency. That is the distinguished life. And so Paul in one verse, in one short summation defines his life as it relates to Christ's life and what Christ's life means to him because his life has been extinguished.

His life has been relinquished so that he might live Christ's life. And that is what Christ is asking you today. Do you live my life or do you still want to live your life? Is your life extinguished? Has it been snuffed out? Has it been crucified with Christ so that your life can be a life of great distinguished quality because it depends solely upon me? That's the question you must ask and answer, having been with us the last seven weeks covering all these issues. So today we want to give you some principles.

We want to give you nine of them. Nine principles that will help you ask and answer the question, am I crucified with Christ? Have I died to self? And then if that's the case, you have been risen with Christ. And what does that risen resurrected Christ life look like? That's what we'll cover today and Lord willing we will conclude next week as we sum up Luke 9 verses 18 to 26. So principle number one is this.

Have I died to self? Am I crucified with Christ? The question comes then if you are, if you have died to self, then you have number one counted the cost.

You've counted the cost of what it means to be a follower of Christ. You're not going to die to self unless you have evaluated everything involved, unless you have counted the cost involved in following the Messiah. The passage for that is Luke chapter 14. If you have your Bible turn there with me if you would please. Luke chapter 14. We are at least a year and a half away from Luke chapter 14. So I figured if I covered today, by the time we get there a year and a half from now, you would have forgotten everything I said today.

So I'm good to go. Luke chapter 14. Now great multitudes were going along with him. He turned and said to them, if anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?

Otherwise when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him saying, this man began to build and was not able to finish. Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and take counsel whether he is strong enough with 10,000 men to encounter the one coming against him with 20,000?

Or else while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks terms of peace. So therefore no one of you can be my disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. Now, I will be the first to tell you that that section of scripture is loaded with biblical truth.

But Christ asked this question, you must count the cost before you follow me. If you're going to come after me, you must count the cost involved. That's why it gives the analogy of the man building a building or a man going to battle. Before you build, can you finish? Before you go to battle, can you fight? Because if you begin to build and don't finish, you become a laughing stock to all those who see you. So you must first count the cost.

Because you see, in Christianity, it's not about how you begin. It's all about how you end. Because there are many who jump on the Jesus bandwagon without ever counting the cost of what it means to follow Christ. They just jump on that Jesus bandwagon because of what they think Jesus will do for them. We talked about that in our study of the parable of the sower, the soils, remember that? And people love to jump on the Jesus bandwagon. But when turmoil comes, when persecution comes, when affliction comes, they quickly jump off that Jesus bandwagon and are unable to finish because they never counted the cost to begin with.

So Jesus begins by saying to this multitude of people, if any man come after me in hate, hate not his father, his mother, his brother, his sister, yea, even his own life, he's not worthy of me. And people take great offense to that. They say, how can Jesus command us to hate someone when we are to love our brothers? Well, the meaning is very significant because he wants you to love him so much, be devoted to him so much that your love for your family looks like hate in comparison to your love for God.

Because people have this natural affinity toward their family. And Christ says, listen, your family must take a back seat when it comes to me.

When you make a decision, your wife must take a back seat when it comes to me. When it comes to going to church, your husband must take a back seat when it comes to me. If I am not the priority in your life, then you are not worthy to be my disciple. It's all about me. And if you don't get that at the outset, count the cost. Why? Because before you build and before you go to battle, you must understand, you must first consider.

That's why the word first is so important. Before you build, first consider. Before you go to battle, first calculate.

First, take counsel because the cost is enormous when it comes to following me. And so you encourage people to take that, to count that cost before they ever get into a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Because folks, it is a battle. It's a battle against Satan for the rest of your life. It's a battle against sin for the rest of your life. It's a battle against society for the rest of your life. And it could even be a battle against those closest to you for the rest of your life. Are you willing to take that risk?

Are you willing to give it all up for me, Christ says? Because that's what it takes. That's why he says in verse number 32, so therefore not one of you can be my disciple who does not give up all his possessions. So does that mean that Jesus is saying, I've got to sell everything for Jesus? No. It means that you are willing to submit to him in every situation. For he is a ruler, he is the Lord, he is the king, he is the master of your life, and whatever he says, you will do. Are you willing to make that cost?

Because that's what it takes. George Eldon Ladd comments on verse 26 in his commentary when he says this, the most radical form of renunciation includes a man's very life. Unless he hates his own life, he cannot be a disciple. Obviously this does not mean that every disciple must die. He must, however, be ready to do so. He no longer lives for himself but for the kingdom of God. What happens to him is unimportant, for the fate of the kingdom is all important. This is the meaning of the words, if any man come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

This does not mean self-denial, that is, denying oneself of life's enjoyments and pleasures. Self-denial can have a selfish end. By practicing self-denial, men have sought selfish advantage. Denial of self is the opposite. It means the renunciation of one's own will that the kingdom of God may become that all-important concern of life. Taking up one's cross does not mean assuming burdens. The cross is not a burden but an instrument of death. The taking of the cross means the death of self, of personal ambition, and self-centered purpose.

In the place of selfish attainment, however altruistic and noble, one is to desire alone the rule of God. What he says is that when you renounce yourself, you are saying God's kingdom is of utmost importance to me. The rule of God reigns supreme in my life. Whatever he says I will do, that's the cost that needs to be counted. If you're going to deny yourself, take up your cross and follow him. That's what it means to be crucified with Christ. I have died to myself, to my ambitions, to my desires, to my wants, to my goals, to my aspirations, to my plans because I want the plans of the king.

I want the desires of the kingdom. I want what God wants because he has purchased me with his blood. I am a part of his kingdom. I am a child of God and I want that more than I want anything else. It was J.C. Ryle who wrote these words, a man must be content to be thought ill of by man if he pleases God. He must count it no strange thing to be mocked, ridiculed, slandered, persecuted, and even hated. He must not be surprised to find his opinions and practices of religion despised and held up to scorn.

He must submit to be thought by many a fool, an enthusiast, and a fanatic, to have his words perverted and his actions misrepresented. In fact, he must not marvel if some call him mad. For the master says, remember the word that I said to you, the servant is not greater than his lord, if they have persecuted me they will also persecute you. It is always unpleasant to be spoken against and forsaken and lied about and to stand alone. But there is no help for it. The cup which our master drank must be drunk by his disciples.

They must be despised and rejected of men. Let us set down that item last in our account. To be a Christian will cost a man the favor of the world. That's the cost. Are you willing to lose favor in the sight of the world? Are you willing to put aside the world, to crucify yourself to the world, to crucify the flesh, to lay aside all those things for the sake of the kingdom? If not, you have not counted the cost. If not, you have not been crucified with Christ. If not, you have not died to self. If not, salvation escapes you, does not embrace you.

That's what salvation is. We must say it the way Jesus said it. We must understand the words of Christ. We can read all kinds of books about Christianity, but we must read the Bible that explains Christianity. And that's what Jesus said. It's a cost. And that's why the parable of the pearl of great price and the treasure hidden in the field is so important. Because once you recognize who Christ is and what he's done, there is absolutely nothing worth holding on to. Nothing. And that's Christianity.

You come to a place in your life where you say, you know what? This world really means nothing to me. So much so that even if my family doesn't follow, I will follow all alone. I will stand alone. I will stand all by myself for the rest of my life if that's what Christ asks of me. Because having him is more than having anything or anyone else. That is what Christianity is. And that's what counting the cost means. And Christ wants the people, the multitude. And there were thousands, thousands that followed.

He said simply this, listen, you must count the cost if you're going to follow me, if you're going to be a disciple of mine, if you're going to become a Christian, you must count the cost. Number two, those who have counted the cost and those who have been crucified with Christ have repented of their sin.

Not only have they counted the cost, but they have repented of their sin. And we told you before that repentance affects mind, will, and emotion. All three, all at once. It affects them all. It's a turning from sin to the Savior in order that you might serve Him and serve alone. It's an about face of mind, will, and emotions. That's what happened to those in Thessalonica. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 1, verse number 10. In verse number 9 it says, for they themselves report about us what kind of reception we had with you and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God.

The testimony of those in Thessalonica was so supreme because they were ones who actually had turned from idols to serve the true and living God. And that's what repentance is. It is an about face. It's a willingness to turn from that which is sin to a Savior that you might serve Him alone. That's what repentance entails. Paul said in Galatians 6, verse number 14, these words. He said, but may it never be that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.

In other words, I have died to the world and I have died to self. And the world has died to me. In other words, those things of the world mean nothing to me any longer because I've turned from my sin to follow my Savior that I might honor and glorify His precious name. Over in Romans 6, Paul stated it this way. Romans 6, verse number 1. What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? This may never be. How shall we who died to sin still live in it? In other words, because we have died to self, we have been crucified with Christ, we have died to sin.

Therefore, it is theologically impossible for me to continue living a life of sin. And then he says, or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore, we have been buried with Him through baptism into death in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.

No longer are we slaves to sin. Because we have died with the Christ. We have been crucified with Christ. Our life has been extinguished. Our life has been relinquished. It's not us anymore, it's Christ. It's all about Him. And therefore, we have turned from our sin. And that's why the Bible says, in Luke 24, Christ says, Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sin should be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Folks, that admonition has never changed. It's never changed. Beginning in Jerusalem, and to all the nations of the world, you must preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Unless a man turns from his sin, there is no forgiveness of that sin. Folks, forgiveness is never unconditional. Forgiveness is always conditional. Love is unconditional. But forgiveness is conditional. Why is that? If forgiveness was unconditional, everybody would go to heaven. But we know that everybody doesn't go to heaven.

Why? Because you must turn from your sin to follow Christ. In order to receive remission, there must be repentance. That does not mean there is something you must do to receive that forgiveness in your flesh. No, because we understand repentance to be a gift from God. We know that because 2 Timothy 2, 24 and 25 says that God grants man repentance. So if God grants man repentance, we know that when God calls a man to Himself, that man will turn from his sin because he's been called by God to turn from his sin, because man in his own flesh can't do that on his own.

But if God has called him, he will turn. And that's why Christ says when you go and you preach, you preach that man must turn from his sin to receive the forgiveness of God.

And that message must be proclaimed not only in Jerusalem, but in every nation around the world. Walter Chantry in his book, The Authentic or Synthetic Gospel says this, Our ears have grown accustomed to hearing men told to accept Jesus as your personal Savior, a form of words which is not found anywhere in Scripture. It has become an empty phrase. These may be precious words to the Christian personal Savior, but they are wholly inadequate to instruct a sinner in the way to eternal life. They wholly ignore an essential element of the gospel, namely repentance.

And that necessary ingredient of gospel preaching is swiftly fading from the evangelical pulpits. Though the New Testament is filled with it. Paul confronted the intellectuals of Morris Hill by preaching Acts 1730, God now commands all men everywhere to repent. This was no optional note on the apostolic trumpet. It was the melody, the theme of their instructions to sinners. Merely to talk about accepting a personal Savior eliminates this crucial imperative. Boy, he is right on, spot on. We invite people to accept Jesus as personal Savior.

Folks, let me tell you something about Christianity. Christianity is a complete transformation of a soul. That when Christ invades a life, He completely turns that life around. And it happens because there has been repentance. So what is repentance? How do you define repentance? Gerhard Kittel, who wrote a theological dictionary about all the different meanings, definitions, origins of Greek words. Every theologian has Gerhard Kittel in his library because he is so, so deep in understanding the meaning of words.

He describes for us what that Greek word repentance means. He says this, and listen to these words and ask yourself, have you repented of your sin? He says repentance is a radical conversion, a transformation of nature, a definitive turning from evil, a resolute turning to God in total obedience. This conversion is once for all. There can be no going back. Only advance in a responsible movement along the way now taken. It affects the whole man. First and basically the center of personal life.

Then logically his conduct at all times and in all situations, his thoughts, words and acts. The whole proclamation of Jesus is a proclamation of unconditional turning to God, of unconditional turning from all that is against God, not merely that which is downright evil, but that which in a given case makes total turning to God impossible. It is addressed to all without distinction and presented with unmitigated severity in order to indicate the only way of salvation there is. It calls for total surrender, total commitment to the will of God.

It embraces the whole walk of the new man who was claimed by the divine lordship. It carries with it the founding of a new personal relation of man to God. It awakens joyous obedience for a life according to God's will. That's repentance. So ask yourself, have you died a self? Have you been crucified with Christ? Have you taken up your cross and followed him? If so, you have counted the cost. You have repented of your sin. And thirdly, you are unashamed of the Christ.

You are unashamed of the Christ. We read that in our study of Luke last week when the Lord said, For whoever is ashamed of me and my words of him, will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels? If you have died a self, you are unashamed of the Christ. Paul said in Romans 1.16, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. If you are a Christian, if you've denied yourself, you are not ashamed of the words, If any man come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.

You accept those words, you affirm those words, and you are not ashamed of those words, and you proclaim those words loudly because those are the words of Christ. And in context of Luke 9, that's exactly what it's referring to. You must accept my words for what they mean, you must not be ashamed of my words, you must believe these words, you must affirm these words, and you can't be ashamed of them, because if you are, will I return with all of my holy ones in the glory of my Father, I will be ashamed of you.

Paul would say these words in Philippians 1.20 He said, According to my earnest expectation and hope, I shall not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness Christ will even now as always be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. Peter would say these words in 1 Peter 4. 1 Peter chapter 4, verse number 16 If anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God. And Peter knew about what it meant to deny the Lord and to be ashamed. And to run away from that which was the truth.

But remember, his ashamedness, his denial was short-lived. Two weeks at best. Because when Christ recommissioned him, and you read the book of Acts, having received the Spirit of God, everything about him changed. That's very significant. Why? Because one thing about the apostles, although they were Christians, the one thing they didn't have, listen carefully, when they all forsook him and fled, they did not have the Spirit of God indwelling them like you and I have today. Please remember that. Because when you read the book of Acts, what happens?

The Spirit of God comes, and let me ask you, did Peter ever be ashamed of Christ again once the Spirit of God indwelt him?

No. All the apostles were willing to give their life away for him no matter what the cost. Why? Because of the Spirit of God that resided in them. And that's why Paul said these words in the book of 2 Timothy, very simply these words, he said this, verse 7, for God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and of discipline. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me as prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God.

Timothy, you have no reason to be ashamed. Why? Because you have the Spirit of God in you. He's not given us a spirit of timidity, but of love and of power and of sound mind and of self-discipline. That's why Christ said, listen, when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you shall receive power. Why? Because you're going to need my power to infuse you so that you are not ashamed of the gospel. So you will give your life for me, that you will die for me, you'll do anything I ask you to, you need my spirit to empower you.

So Paul says to Timothy, he's not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and of love and of self-discipline. So he says, therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, Jesus Christ. And Timothy, don't even be ashamed of me, a prisoner. Don't be ashamed of me, Timothy, because I'm suffering for the sake of the gospel. And Paul, in 2 Timothy 1, helps us understand that because we are supplied by his promise, what's that promise? He's given us not a spirit of timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

Because you've been strengthened by his power, because that spirit of God resides within you, you are continually sustained by his presence. He says this in verse 12, for this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. I am not ashamed, because I am sustained by the presence of Almighty God, for I know whom I have believed. He didn't say, I know what I have believed.

And believe me, if anybody had the what's of belief, it was the Apostle Paul, because theologically he was sound. It wasn't what I believe, it's whom I believe in. I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe in that one who gave his life for me. I believe in that one to sustain me from day to day. And that's why he could say, I am unashamed of the Christ. Folks, listen.

These messages are absolutely essential for you and for me. We must come to understand them. We must come to grips with what Jesus said. And we must fully begin to digest them and appropriate them in our lives. Because he wants you to realize that if any man comes after me, finish it with me. Let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. That's Christianity. That's the message of salvation. And that's what Christ expects us to preach. That's why he said, after Peter said, thou art God's Messiah.

In Luke 9. He identified the Messiah. And we know that Christ, that in Matthew's account, blessed are you Simon Bar-Jonah, because my Father in Heaven revealed it to you. But you know what? What you tell people is not that. But tell them that this Messiah is going to die. He's going to rise again to show victory over sin and death. And Satan. And what you need to do is go and tell people that they won't embrace me. They must deny themselves, take up the cross, and follow me. That's what Christianity is.

So I ask you this question. As I ask myself the same question. Have I died to self? Am I crucified with Christ? If so, I've counted the cost. And I have found the cost worth exchanging my life for his life. That's what Christ says in Matthew 16.

For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul, right? So I've counted the cost. I realize that my life is nothing. That Christ's life is everything. And I throw myself on him to obtain his mercy and his love. And in throwing my life on him, I repent of my sin. I turn from that which I have followed all the days of my life that I might serve my one true idol, God, the king of the universe, and serve only him. And because that is my direction, I am unashamed of the Christ who gave his life for me.

Have you died yourself? Have you been crucified with Christ? Let's pray. Father, we thank you for today and the truth of your word. And we pray that, Lord, you'd go before us that we might completely embrace the truth of God, that we would understand what it means to live for the glory of God. If there be one person today who has not given their life to Christ, may today be the day they do so. They realize their life really, truly means nothing. And all that they have assessed, and all that they have amassed over all these years really means nothing.

Only your life means something. And I pray that they would understand the words of the apostle Paul when he said, I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. Yet not I, but Christ lives in me. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.