Lissara
  • Home
  • News
  • Devotions
  • Services
    • What to Expect
    • Why We Do What We Do In Worship
    • Series >
      • Misc Services
      • 1 Samuel
      • Mark
      • Exodus
      • Hebrews
      • Ezekiel
      • Romans
      • 1 John
      • Sermon on the Mount
      • Philippians
    • Telephone Service
  • Contact
  • What's On
    • Boys Brigade
    • Girls Brigade
    • Lissara Tots
    • Outdoorlissara
  • Resources
    • Toddlers
    • Age 3-8
    • Age 9-12
    • Teens
    • Women
    • Men
    • Parents
    • WSC
    • WLC
    • Apostles' Creed

Daily Devotions

Year 3 Day 10

1/4/2022

0 Comments

 
Year 3 Day 10


Pray (ACts)


Read - Mark 8:34-9:1


Message - Alan Burke


Following Jesus comes at a cost. That may not be surprising for you to hear but there are many times that I have heard people say things that just don’t equate with the words of scripture or they misapply scripture in a way that is just horrendous. We have an eternal hope of a new heaven and a new earth and that when we die believers immediately go to be with our Lord but until then we live in fallen sinful bodies in a fallen sinful world that lies in the power of the evil one (1 Jn 5:19). In the midst of the disciples expectation of a glorious, triumphal Messianic reign that Jesus had just left in tatters telling them he would suffer, be rejected and die he tells them the true cost of discipleship in this world. 


Gathering all those who were there, the crowd and the disciples Jesus takes the imagery of crucifixion and applies it to discipleship.What would have happened is that for those who were sentenced to death they would have had to carry the transverse beam to the place of execution, that’s the horizontal beam, the one that your arms would be attached to. Well for those who wish to follow Jesus well you got to pick up your cross, being part of the ranks of those who will suffer, those who are rejected, those who are despised and doomed. And the reason why we are to do this is clear because if we v35 want to save our lives we will loose it. 


Remember at the time Isreal was under Roman rule, a ruthless regime, and it was the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law who were conspiring to kill Jesus. From every side, secular Roman rulers and the religious of the day, in the midst of opposition if they wanted to follow Jesus they should take up their cross, walk as those who had a target on their head, carry their noose in their hand, what ever mode of execution. For those who follow Him can expect that this would be the outcome that they would also face, they must be prepared to die for what they believe, be willing to stand for Christ in the midst of life. 


Life as a christian today is very different, we do not face the same clear opposition although that day might be coming, but there are for many disciples of Jesus today, that these words resonate within the believer. For to be a follower of Jesus Christ in different parts of this world, to be His disciple may not mean that you carry a cross, but you will simply disappear and death this is what happened when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. Not every believer is called to the same kind of suffering, some like Peter will be martyred for their faith, others will live to a ripe old age like John, some of us will know much for the cause of the gospel other will no little but we should not expect that it will be a life of ease as we profess our alliance to Christ as we seek to live according to His word. It may cost us little or it may cost us much, but we will be saved eternally. 


We may make attempts to store up for the future, but nothing in this life can ransom our soul, for thats the point. We may think that what we need is everything this world has to offer, car, house, holidays, success , fame, we want ease, we want comfort, what ever it may be on your list, but when we place those things before Christ then it comes at a greater cost. Our bodies the world may kill but for all who trust in Christ alone then they will receive new resurrected bodies, and eternally lives with Him. Christ should come first, our obedience to Him is paramount, even when there is a cost in this life. That may not be something we want to hear but we are call to take up our cross, and it involves a cost, personally, privately, employment, friendship, relationships, there is a cost and the world hates those who are being conformed into the image of Christ and if the world hates us, remember it first hated Christ our Saviour (Jn 15:8).


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q17 Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?
The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery. (Rom. 5:12)
​
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Alan
    Burke

    and

    ​Scott Woodburn

    Each Day we bring you a daily devotion on what we will be focusing on this coming Lord's day. 

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020

    RSS Feed

Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC 105078) Streaming Licence (CCLI 422560/67937)
  • Home
  • News
  • Devotions
  • Services
    • What to Expect
    • Why We Do What We Do In Worship
    • Series >
      • Misc Services
      • 1 Samuel
      • Mark
      • Exodus
      • Hebrews
      • Ezekiel
      • Romans
      • 1 John
      • Sermon on the Mount
      • Philippians
    • Telephone Service
  • Contact
  • What's On
    • Boys Brigade
    • Girls Brigade
    • Lissara Tots
    • Outdoorlissara
  • Resources
    • Toddlers
    • Age 3-8
    • Age 9-12
    • Teens
    • Women
    • Men
    • Parents
    • WSC
    • WLC
    • Apostles' Creed