J.C. Ryle's Devotional Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke, section 55, The Test of Discipleship, Luke chapter 9, verses 23 through 27. And he said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it. But whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged if he gain the whole world and lose himself or be cast away? For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he shall come in his own glory and in his father's and of the holy angels. But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the kingdom of God. These words of our Lord Jesus Christ contain three great lessons for all Christians. They apply to all ranks and classes without exception. They are intended for every age and time and for every branch of the visible church. We learn for one thing, the absolute necessity of daily self-denial. Every day we ought to crucify the flesh to overcome the world and to resist the devil. We ought to keep our bodies under control and bring them into subjection. We ought to be on our guard like soldiers in an enemy's country. We ought to fight a daily battle and war a daily warfare. The command of a master is clear and plain. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Now, what do we know of all this? Surely this is a question which ought to be asked. A little formal church going and a decent attendance at a place of worship can never be the Christianity of which Christ speaks in this place. Where is our self-denial? Where is our daily carrying of the cross? Where is our following of Christ? Without a religion of this kind, we shall never be saved. A crucified savior will never be content to have a self-pleasing, self-indulging, worldly-minded people. No self-denial, no real grace. No cross, no crown. Those who are Christ's, says Paul, have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts. Galatians 5, verse 24. Whoever will save his life, says the Lord Jesus, shall lose it. But whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall save it. We learn, for another thing, from our Lord's words in this passage, the unspeakable value of the soul. A question is asked, which admits of only one answer. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? The possession of the whole world and all that it contains would never make a man happy. Its pleasures are false and deceptive. Its riches, rank and honours have no power to satisfy the heart. So long as we possess them, they glitter and sparkle and seem desirable. The moment we have them, we find that they are empty bubbles and cannot make us content. And worst of all, when we possess this world's good things to the utmost bound of our desire, we cannot keep them. Death comes in and separates us from all our property forever. Naked we came upon earth, and naked we go forth. Of all our possessions, we can carry nothing with us beyond the grave. Such is the world which occupies the whole attention of thousands. Such is the world for the sake of which millions every year are destroying their souls. The loss of the soul is the heaviest loss that can befall a man. The worst and most painful of diseases, the most distressing bankruptcy of fortune, the most disastrous shipwrecks, are a mere scratch of a pin compared to the loss of a soul. All other losses are bearable, all but for a short time. For the loss of the soul is for evermore. It is to lose God and Christ and heaven and glory and happiness to all eternity. It is to be cast away forever, helpless and hopeless in hell.

What are we doing ourselves? Are we losing our souls? Are we, by willful neglect or by open sin, by sheer carelessness and idleness, or deliberate breach of God's law, securing our own destruction? These questions demand an answer.

The plain account of many professing Christians is this, that they are daily sinning against the sixth commandment. They are murdering their own souls.

We learn in the last place, from our Lord's words, the guilt and danger of being ashamed of Christ and His words. We read that he says, whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the son of man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the father and of the holy angels.

There are many ways of being ashamed of Christ. We are guilty of it whenever we're afraid of letting men know that we love his doctrines, his precepts, and his people. We are guilty of it whenever we allow the fear of man to prevail over us and to keep us back from letting others see that we are decided Christians. Whenever we act in this way, we are denying our master and committing a great sin.

The wickedness of being ashamed of Christ is very great. It is a proof of unbelief. It shows that we care more for the praise of men whom we can see than that of God whom we cannot see. It is a proof of ingratitude. It shows that we fear confessing him before man who was not ashamed to die for us upon the cross.

Wretched indeed are those who give way to this sin. Here in this world, they are always miserable. A bad conscience robs them of peace. In the world to come they can look for no comfort. If they will not confess Christ for a few years upon earth, then in the day of judgment they must expect to be disowned by Christ to all eternity.

Let us resolve never to be ashamed of Christ. Of sin and worldliness we may well be ashamed. Of Christ and his cause we have no right to be ashamed at all. Boldness in Christ's service always brings its own reward. The boldest Christian is always the happiest man. you you