The Cost of Discipleship
Mark 8:34–38
The Gospel this Sunday focuses on the words of Jesus to his followers,
“If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Mark 8:38)
This reminds me of the often quoted words of the Lutheran Pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer,
“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”
Bonhoeffer takes the message of Jesus literally. During WWII, he was martyred for openly and actively opposing Hitler and the Nazis. In 1943, he was arrested, and was later executed, for taking part in the conspiracy to assassinate the dictator. All this is in line with his strong conviction that being a follower of Jesus means being ready to suffer and die for the ethics of the Gospel.
Imagine if Christians will preach the same message to people today, how many will become followers of Jesus? Maybe none.
If Jesus was after making thousands of followers, even millions, like many social media influencers today, this will not be the best message to preach.
The interaction between Jesus and the disciples in Mark 8 is quite interesting because of the ambiguities in his words.
“take up your cross and follow me.” (v. 34)
“those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.” (v. 35)
For what will it profit people to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? (v. 36)
“what can people give in return for their life?” (v. 37)
“Those who are ashamed of me and my words… the son of man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his father’s glory…” (v. 38)
But instead of explaining, Mark leaves it to the readers to understand what Jesus actually means.
Apparently, to be a follower of Jesus, one has to be wise and discern the real cost of being his disciple.
So, what does it require for a person to be a disciple of Jesus?
First is self-denial, renouncing the self and relinquishing everything that satisfies our craving for selfish glory and gratification. Instead, one must be willing to suffer and die.
To be a disciple means to carry one’s cross. In the time of Jesus, the cross is the symbol for the worst kind of death a person could suffer. It is humiliating and painfully excruciating. Some disciples of Jesus literally suffered this way. On the other hand, some take the words of Jesus as a figure of speech showing that being a disciple of Jesus is not a guarantee that a person will have a good life. Rather, there is a greater chance that life will be more difficult and challenging.
Second, a disciple is someone who is committed to the Gospel and words of Christ.
In Mark 8:35, 38, the writer draws the connection between Jesus, his words, and the Gospel as if these three are one and the same. Commitment to Jesus means dedication to the Gospel, and if one is loyal to Jesus, therefore, s/he should not be ashamed of his words as well.
It seems that an authentic disciple is someone who not only knows the life of Jesus but also understands how his life reflects the totality of the Gospel message as well as his moral and ethical teachings.
In other words, a disciple is a person who walks the path of Jesus—his selflessness, service, and how he sacrificed even his life to save the lost.
Third, a disciple is a person who understands that the true meaning of life is not in the accumulation of wealth or power but in accepting our nothingness and humility before God.
Notice that the answer to the questions of Jesus in vv. 36 and 37 is “nothing”.
What will it profit a man to gain the world yet forfeit his life? NOTHING
What can they give in return for their life? NOTHING
There are two realities in the words of Jesus. One, it is impossible for a person to possess the whole world. Not even the richest person on earth can do that. Second, while it is impossible for any person to gain the whole world, it is most likely that a person can lose his/her life because dying is sure whether you are rich or poor. What is the sense then of human beings’ desire to accumulate wealth and power?
This is the important teaching of the Gospel. If one wishes to become a follower of Jesus, that person must understand that to follow Jesus is to walk the way of the cross—humility and selfless sacrifice for the sake of the Gospel.
Salvation then is defined here in terms of freedom from the power of sin and death which is selfishness, greed, and pride.
What can we gain by acquiring all the riches and treasure in the world? Only death.
But if we learn to give and surrender everything for the sake of Jesus and his Gospel, we get fullness of life.
So, what are you going to choose? Be wise in your decision.
PEACE PRAYER by Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
