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MARK 8: 34-38

Intro: Jesus has given the requirements for any man who wants to come 
       after Him. They may seem severe, so He gives a rational.

I. DENY HIMSELF.
        A. How opposite this is to our human nature Get for yourself.
                1. (God helps those....
                2. Be aggressive, assert yourself.
        B. "What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose
           his own soul."

1 What are your highest ambitions?
                2. What goal are you striving to achieve?
                3. What security are you seeking to attain?
                4. What possessions are you seeking to acquire?
        C. "What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
                1. How much are you worth?

a. Chemically, a couple dollars.
b. You could probably sell your eyes for $10,000 a piece.
c. Sell one of your kidneys for $15,000.
d. Pint of blood for $5.00.
e. Courts are, often asked to establish worth in wrongful death  suits.
                1. Man seeks to establish the value of life.
                2. People establish different values.

a. Read of a wealthy man in France who offered doctors 
        1. ,000,000 for one year extension.
b.  Someone else deliberately takes his own life.
                3. How much is eternal life worth?

a. "What shall a man give in exchange..."
b. What have men given?
                                1. A few moments pleasure.
                                2. A bottle of booze.
                                3. Another fix.
                                4. A couple movies created with this plot.
                                5. What would you demand?
                        c. What God has given "He gave His only..."
                        d. What Jesus gave. He gave His life to save your
                           soul.

II. "TAKE UP HIS CROSS"  (FULL SUBMISSION TO THE WILL OF GOD).
        A. Whosoever shall save his life shall lose it.
                1. How many times I think I know a better way.
                        a. If you had the capacity to order your life, how
                           would you order it.
                                1. Money, good looks, no pain, no work no
                                   suffering.
                                2. You would turn out to be the laziest,
                                   spoiled, conceited, most intolerant
                                   snob, no one could stand to be around
                                   you.
                2. I can never win taking my life out of God's hand.
        B. "Whosoever shall lose his life for My sake..."
                1. Most of those that came after Him did, literally lose
                   their lives for His sake.
                2. Lose your life totally in God, you find yourself for
                   the first time.

III. FOLLOW ME.
        A. "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of my words in
            this adulterous and sinful generation."
                1. Stand up with Christ, stand up for Christ.
                        a. I'll be called a fool.
                        b. They'll make fun of me.
                1. Man still lashes out at Jesus, why?
        B. Of Him also shall the Son of Man...
                1. Stand up for Jesus, you'll want Him to stand up for
                   you.