Discipleship

Mark 8:22-38

Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.  If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. (Mark 8:34, 35 NLT)

I think these two verses are a concise logical extension of Matthew 28:18-20 (even though these words recorded in Mark 8 were actually spoken before those in Matthew 28). Jesus commanded us to make disciples, but what does it mean to be a disciple?  We give up our lives to follow Him and spread his message of love.

I don't think it was clear to me as an early believer what it meant to be a follower of Christ.  I think I thought the focus was on being a good person, but now I think understanding Christ's basic message and living incarnationally is the essence of being a disciple.  That is, to be a disciple is to make disciples; to participate in the chain reaction of walking with Christ.

Heavenly Father, please help me be a real disciple.  I don't want to confuse real discipleship with the false religion of "American Christianity".  Please teach me what it means to really follow Christ.  Please show me what selfish ways I am currently insisting, and please teach me what it means to "take up my cross".  I love you, Lord. Thank you for purchasing me with your blood.  Please fill me with joy and peace.  I ask in the name of Jesus Christ.