7: Discipleship

Read Mark 8:34-38.

Jesus is here saying what is expected of a disciple of his. The key phrase here is "deny himself". Denying yourself sometimes means giving up something, such as food, cigarettes and so on, but really denying yourself is essential to living in a moral way. Keeping the moral law always involves being able to say no to yourself. For instance, being honest means resisting the temptation to steal. Loving people means making sacrifices for them. Devoted parents give up an immense amount for their children. People who love God deny themselves to do God’s will. Aid workers and missionaries live and work in harsh and dangerous conditions for little or no money out of love for God and their neighbour.

Task Mk 1

Think of three examples of people who deny themselves for the sake of others. Write them down. Compare your suggestions with those of others.

Task Mk 2

How many problems in our society are caused by people being unable to deny themselves?

The next key phrase is "take up his cross." Jesus accepted the cross even though he did not want it. It was the responsibility which fell upon him. He is saying here that his disciples cannot choose all their responsibilities. He is also saying that not all responsibilities can be pleasant. Think of parents who bring up seriously handicapped children. They did not choose the handicap, but they accept what has been given them and do their best. This is true Christianity.

The saying "Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it." is a strange text. The word life might mean the things that we possess, our relationships, ambitions etc. The text gives people a stark choice: do you put Christ before your life, or vice versa. At another level of meaning it can refer to martyrdom. Remember that Mark’s Gospel was written for a church under persecution. Often the choice for Christians was deny your faith or die. The gospel is saying that those who are prepared to sacrifice their lives for Christ will be rewarded, while those who sacrifice Christ for their lives will lose everything. Being a true disciple brings the rewards of eternal life. Linked to this explanation is verse 38 which warns that those who are ashamed of Christ and his words will find the Son of Man ashamed of them. Christians must have the courage to proclaim their faith openly.

One of the most important parts of this scripture is the warning that gaining the whole world is useless if it means losing your life. The standard Christian interpretation of this is that if you achieve success by sinning, doing evil, you stand to lose eternal life.

Task Mk 3

"Live in the real world! You can’t expect anyone to give up everything or risk their lives for their faith." Do you agree with this statement?

Task Mk 4

Christians believe that they should be proud of Christ, and this means that they want to bear witness to him. Bearing witness means openly proclaiming your faith by word and example. Suggest ways in which Christians can do this.

Read Mark 10:28-31.

Task Mk 5

What rewards did Jesus say that his disciples would receive?

After Jesus had told the rich young man to give up his possessions, Peter spoke for the disciples and asked what benefits he and the others would receive. Jesus said that they would receive earthly benefits, such as houses etc. These did not materialise in a simple form, as the disciples did not become rich. On reflection, Christians consider this text to mean that the life of a Christian disciple has many deep emotional and spiritual satisfactions which are far greater than possessions. Christians feel that the satisfaction of knowing that you are at rights with God is worth more than possessions, as they feel that it gives their lives real value.

However, according to this text the Christian disciples’ main reward is eternal life.

Task Mk 6

If a Christian were asked what were the rewards of being one of Christ’s disciples, what might they say?

Read Mark 12:41-44.

This story is known as the Widow’s Mite, a mite being a small coin. There is a common misconception that Jesus condemned the rich people who put in large sums. He did not. He simply said that the poor woman who gave a small sum gave more than they did. This implies that he valued their offering, but hers more. Underlying Jesus’ statement is the realisation that it is not what is given that matters but the sacrifice that goes into it. Jesus is implying that God values the effort that goes into giving rather than what is given. The widow’s sacrifice was greater than that made by the rich, because they gave from their surplus, she gave what she needed to live on.

Task Mk 7

You have read the passages on discipleship. If a non-Christian asked you to explain Jesus’ teaching on discipleship to them, what would you say? (This answer requires a short paragraph.)