Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mark 8:34 is a well-known verse that often takes the spotlight in sermons about discipleship. Many of these sermons begin and end with this verse. Rarely do preachers take a step back to consider the context in which our Lord spoke these words.
As we take a journey through Mark 8:27-37, we encounter three distinct Christian archetypes: “The Seeker,” “The Saved,” & the “The Follower.” By understanding what sets them apart, we uncover the truth about ourselves and discover which archetype reflects our own identity.
Think of this as a self-discovery audit, a way to assess our current state. When we’re through, we’ll have a clear understanding of the next steps we need to take on our journey.
Level 1 Christian : “THE SEEKER”
The seeker is a Level 1 Christian and belongs to the great multitude that follows Jesus Christ. They’re bear striking similarity to the followers in Jesus’ day who journeyed through the wilderness just to hear Him speak and catch a glimpse of those mind-blowing miracles – they were there when He multiplied loaves and fish, when He healed the blind and other wonders. They'd totally vouch for Him as a Great Teacher, a Good Man, and a Prophet of God, ranking right up there with the heavyweights like John the Baptist, Elijah, and even Moses. But, to be honest, they followed Jesus for what they could get from Him (to meet their earthly needs), they saw him as their ultimate problem solver and not as the Christ, the Son of the living God.
A significant number of Christians in today's world fall into this “seeker” category. They deceive themselves into thinking that they are following Jesus, when they are actually following their temporal (physical, financial and psychological) needs. You might have encountered some of them and I hope you don’t find yourself in this category, because this is the kind that will hear the dreadful words mentioned in Matthew 7:22, “I never knew you; depart from me, you who work iniquity.”
Level 2 Christian: “THE SAVED”
Within this ‘great multitude’ of seekers was a smaller group that included the likes of Simon Peter – who declared that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. While the majority saw Jesus as a mere man (albeit a prophet). there were a handful that saw Him as God. They did not arrive at this understanding on their own. It was revealed to them - this revelation did not originate from ‘flesh and blood’ but from God, the Father.
The distinction between Level 2 and Level 1 is quite evident : The Level 1 could only see Jesus as a great teacher and a miracle worker, but not as the Christ, the Son of the living God. On the other land, a Level 2 Christian, knows Jesus Christ is not a mere man, but the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). This Christian who confesses Jesus Christ is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead (i.e. conquering death and the grave) is saved.
If you find yourself in Level 2, you are truly blessed! Your sins are forgiven, you’re justified, adopted into God’s family, you’ve become a son or a daughter of God, the creator of heaven and earth, and a joint-heir with Christ! Congratulations!
Level 3 Christian : “THE FOLLOWER”
This level serves as the birthplace of world changers. These individuals stand apart from the those who seek Christ solely for their physical needs (Level 1), as well as from the newly born-again believers (Level 2). These are the seasoned believers (aka followers of Christ, a level many of us aspire to reach, even though we haven’t quite reached there just yet.
Even Apostle Peter, as seen in Mark 8, was a Level 2 Christian - Though he knew Jesus was the Christ, there was still a long way to go. He was not concerned about the things of God. Therefore, he struggled to grasp Jesus’ words about His crucifixion. He attempted to force his will on God’s will and received the sternest of rebukes, “Get thee behind me, Satan.” from our Lord.
We often find ourselves in Peter’s shoes, when we try understanding Christ words such as “if anyone wants to follow me – he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me”.
How Can I become a Christ-follower?
Becoming a Christ-follower is not a riddle wrapped in mystery. Our Lord lays out the path to becoming a “Level 3 Christian” (i.e. “the follower”) in three straightforward steps:
1. Deny yourself
2. Take up your cross
3. Follow Me (Christ.)
Step 1 : Deny Yourself
To deny yourself isn’t turning your back on who you are; it is about saying “no” to your personal desires and aspirations. It is like a slave saying “yes, sir” to all of his master’s commands at the expense of laying aside his own preferences. A person who truly denies himself will whole-heartedly proclaim :”not my will, but let yours be done”.
A Level 3 Christian sees himself as a pliable, moldable lump of clay in the hands of the all-wise potter. He relinquishes his own personal ambitions or desire and willingly yields himself to the desires of the Potter.
When you deny yourself, you are saying YES to Christ and NO to your own agenda and plans. This becomes possible when you realize that you are not your own but you’ve been bought with a price.
Step 2 : Take Up Your Cross
’Take up your cross’ is not about sporting a shiny pendant around your neck. The cross you carry is not your cranky teenager or the challenging mother-in-law, as some might think.
Transport yourself back to the first century, in those times, a person carrying a cross meant you were en route to your own execution. You have bid farewell to his loved ones, you’ve left the world behind (all your wealth and accomplishments included) and have embarked on a journey to the next.
When Christ said “you must take your cross” – it might have sounded like an unreasonable demand at first, but if you closely examine, it’s actually quite the opposite.
1. Keep your eyes on the Prize:
Remember how Jesus Christ carried His cross without hesitation or flinching? He was able to do it because He was not fixated on the gruesome crucifixion; he was looking beyond it - to the glory that lay ahead. His eyes were fixed on the hour where He would be glorified (John 17:1 & 2). Similarly, when we take up our crosses and follow in His footsteps — we look past our Golgothas and are laser-focused on Kingdom of heaven. We look past the hardships and set our sights on the ultimate prize.
2. Not of this World
Here’s another nugget : A true Christ-follower is in the world, not of it. We are aware we are pilgrims, sojourners and ambassadors for Christ. The world cannot tempt or distract us from our God-given mission. The disciples were not foolish for ‘leaving everything’ to follow Him (Matthew 19:27). They are the wise ones, giving up their earthly treasures that rust, get stolen or get eaten by moths, to gain heavenly treasures that are indestructible.
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” – Jim Elliot
Step 3 : Follow Me (Christ)
The world often urges us to chase after titles like “leaders” and “influencers,” implying that only those that lack intelligence or education are meant to “follow.” A Christian stands right in the middle of this contradiction, proudly declaring that Christ is his Master and Lord. He willingly take on the role of a follower, even a humble slave.
But there’s more to it. Would you follow Christ even to the brink of death? Would you hold to your ground when He leads you through uncharted lands? This litmus test reveals our true commitment, and sadly, it’s an area where many of us stumble.
Shifting our gaze from the temporary to the eternal is crucial. And once this shift occurs, things become clear. Our time on earth, even if it stretches into a hundred years, is just a tiny fraction in God's grand design. Physical death does not mark our end. It's a transition point and we continue to exist either in heaven or hell. Just like the cross and crucifixion wasn’t the end of our Lord, we, too, when we put our trust in Him, live on eternally. That’s the crux of Christ’s words in the passage.“What profits a man, if he gains the whole world and loses his soul.”
The decision to follow Christ who conquered death and grave, and not the fleeting pleasures of this world, is, truly the smartest decision, you could ever make.
It’s a well thought out and clearly explained progression of someone who’s a nominal Christian, to a believer and then moving even beyond and to a higher calling to ‘take up the cross and follow’ command of Jesus. Without dwelling on the immediate ever present hardships but looking with hope to what God has prepared for those who love Him.
Thanks Theo!
May many read this and be encouraged that sufferings are temporary and that we need to look beyond what’s in store for God’s children.