Coach’s Challenge – New Life

Living as a disciple and follower of Jesus comes with a cost.  It is a cost that most American Christians do not want to talk about.  It is a cost that requires death, death to our old self, death to our own interests, death to our rebellion and death to sin. ‘We have been buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.’ (Romans 6:4).  We are supposed to be living a new life and Jesus was very clear that ‘if we wish to come after Him (and live this new life), we must deny ourselves, pick up our cross daily and follow him.’ (Luke 9:23) This is not an option but a command from Jesus.  Denying self requires us to now look at life differently with the desire to bring every aspect of our lives under the Lordship of Jesus.  We now choose to willingly surrender to His will and purpose and not our own.  That will require death and total sacrifice, exactly what the cross symbolizes.  This is radical teaching but it is teaching that we cannot continue to overlook. It is the true disciple that can proclaim with confidence, I serve at the pleasure of my King.