1. To follow Jesus, one must deny their past self and old ways, take up their cross by sacrificing for others out of love for God and people, and follow Jesus above all else. 2. True disciples lose their old life and find new life in Christ as they are made new creations focused on becoming who God intends. 3. By following Jesus above saving ourselves, we find eternal life through losing our lives in service to Him and others.

1. Follow me
By SK
(aka Sanyu)

2. Matthew 16.24-25
24 Then Jesus said to his
disciples, “Whoever wants to
be my disciple must deny
themselves and take up their
cross and follow me. 25 For
whoever wants to save their
life will lose it, but whoever
loses their life for me will find
it.
2 Corinthians 5.17
17 Therefore, if anyone is in
Christ, the new creation has
come: The old has gone, the
new is here!

3. Deny yourself
Then Jesus said to his
disciples, “Whoever wants
to be my disciple must
deny themselves
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a
new creature [reborn and renewed by the
Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous
moral and spiritual condition] have passed
away
1. Our past selves have no power
over us.
2. Speak! - shame loves the dark
3. Focus on who you are
becoming
4. Lean on God. “Seed > Speed”
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it
springs up; do you not perceive it? I am
making a way in the wilderness and
streams in the wasteland.
Matthew 16.24
2 Corinthians 5.17
Isaiah 43.19

4. TAKE UP YOUR CROSS
Then Jesus said to his
disciples, “Whoever
wants to be my disciple
must deny themselves
and take up their cross
loveSACRIFICE
For God so loved the world
that he gave his one and
only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not
perish but have eternal life
Our capacity to
love God
correlates with
the extent to
which we receive
His love
Sacrifice is a
byproduct of love
Any sacrifice that
doesn’t start with
love is religion not
relationship
Matthew 16.24
John 3.16
For whoever wants to save
their life will lose it, but
whoever loses their life for
me will find it. Matthew 16.25

5. 5
…FOLLOW ME
Matthew 16.24-25
24 Then Jesus said to his
disciples, “Whoever wants to be
my disciple must deny
themselves and take up their
cross and follow me. 25 For
whoever wants to save their life
will lose it, but whoever loses
their life for me will find it.
And he said to them,
“Follow me, and I will
make you fishers of
men.” Matthew 4.19
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so
great a cloud of witnesses [who by faith
have testified to the truth of God’s
absolute faithfulness], stripping off every
unnecessary weight and the sin which so
easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run
with endurance and active persistence
the race that is set before us,Hebrews 12.1