2. 16. Follow Me (2)
Mark 8:27 – 9:1
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3. Taking Stock of our Lives ...
A busy but blessed week:
Budgeting and Finances
Have a surplus of $3,000 for 2012
New Year: A Good time to take stock of our Lives
Distractions and frustrations – my new PC
The suffering Jesus talks about here
Some sort of character development program?
The contemplative exercises from last week ...

4. 1. Being a Disciple Jesus must suffer, be rejected, killed ...
“Must”: It is intended. Part of the plan.
Religious Elite will do it.
His disciples: deny themselves, take up cross, follow.
Says this also to the “crowd” (v 34)
It is something we each must do.
Les Miserables – Jean Valjean.

5. 1. Being a Disciple . . . Les Miserables – Jean Valjean.
Hand himself over to save another innocent man’s life:
He is Mayor – the town needs him
He is a big employer – his workers need him
He is a Father – his adopted daughter needs him.
He cannot face another stint in prison.

6. 2. Saving our Lives Is struggle good for us, part of spiritual zeal?
1 Pe 4:1 – “those who have suffered ... Are done with sin”
It purges sin from our lives (e.g. Mark 9:43)
We must deny ourselves ... No other way to be saved.
Following Jesus makes us outsiders, foreigners
Puts us at war with our own sinful desires (1 Pe 2:11)

7. 2. Saving our Lives . . . The stark Reality (v 35)
Whoever wants to save their life will lose it
Whoever loses their life for Jesus and the Gospel will save it
Pastor Babu in India.

8. 3. Shame and Honour
We live in an “adulterous and sinful generation” (v 38)
Prophetic Language: “Adultery” = “unfaithful to God”
(e.g. Jer. 3:6; Ezek. 23:37)
If we are ashamed of him, he will be ashamed of us
Because we are his voice
OT theme of false prophets (e.g. Jer. 6:13-14; 23:22)
They rob people of the opportunity to repent.
We speak truth so that people have a chance to repent.

9. Faithfulness Suffering is part of faithfulness in a sinful world.
Above our own self interest and desires (deny ourselves
Above our own safety & comfort (take up cross)
BUT – Faithfulness will bring us and others to salvation
Lenten Experiment – Journey of drawing closer to God