Notes of Faith April 29, 2026
Pastor’s Pen Pulpit
October 20, 2002
“THE SERVANT’S THOUGHTS ON DISCIPLESHIP”
Mark 8:34-37
The Gospel of Mark presents Jesus Christ as the true servant of Jehovah. In Mark 8:34-37 the Servant (Jesus) talks about true discipleship. Divine discipleship is simple – learning from and following Jesus Christ!
1. The Price of True Discipleship – v. 34
And He summoned the multitude with His disciples and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
To be a true disciple of Christ we must be identified with Christ. One might say that identifying with Christ is taking up our cross for Him. Taking up our cross is conforming to His program and accepting His purpose for us. In the culture of Christ’s time on earth, for a condemned man to take up his cross was to begin his death march. To us it is putting to death our old desires and presenting our bodies as instruments of righteousness to God (Romans 6:1-14).
2. The Divine Logic of True Discipleship – vv. 35-37
For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s shall save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Gain is loss and loss is gain. True discipleship defies human logic. No philosopher/logician operating within the arena of human wisdom can reconcile this kind of logic.
I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ and become one with Him. Philippians 3:7, 8 NLT.
This is the philosophy of authentic Christianity. Salvation is never earned by denying self and following Christ - salvation is proved by denying self and following Christ. Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me!” John 10:27.
The question for us today is - are we disciples of the Lord Jesus! Are we wasting or investing our lives? God bless.
Love to you all,
Pastor Charles Covington
Col 3:1-17
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him — 11 a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.
12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Once upon a time I had these verses memorized. I am working on them again as they are a reminder of whom I belong to and how I am called to live…dead to sin and alive to God in Christ…forevermore!
Let’s be true disciples of Christ following in His steps of sacrifice and love!
Pastor Dale