The Confession – part 7

Jun 14, 2026 • Rory Mosley

047 The Confession – part 7

Mark 8:27-38 (35-38)

June 14, 2026

Tonight we come to THE CONCLUSION of this wonderful passage

Which teaches us the necessities of the Christian confession.

We’ve already seen the first 4 aspects of the genuine Christian confession.

#1 RESISTS CULTURE

Mark 8:27-28

#2 RECOGNIZES CHRIST

Mark 8:29

#3 REFORMS CONVICTIONS

Mark 8:30-33

#4 REQUIRES COMMITMENT

Mark 8:33-35

And tonight we want to come to

The final essential aspect of the genuine Christian confession.

#5 RECKONS THE COST

Mark 8:35-38

We are all familiar with that parable of the sower which Jesus gave.

And I would again draw your attention to that rocky soil.

Mark 4:16-17 “In a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away.”

We know that person to have been one who did not count the cost.

It could be that their confession was simply misinformed.

· They just were never told about the cost involved in following Christ.

Or it could be that they just weren’t paying attention

· And found themselves shocked by the cost.

Either way, they were quick to confess; quick to sign up; quick to take off

And then totally unprepared for the affliction

That accompanied their confession.

This morning we used the illustration of a soldier in battle.

This would be the soldier”

· Who was eager to join up and go to war seeking the glory

· But who was totally unprepared for the first battle and fled instead of fighting.

THAT IS A DANGER.

The genuine Christian confession doesn’t fall away in times of trial,

And part of the reason is because

They counted the cost BEFORE signing up.

Luke 14:25-35 “Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? “Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ “Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? “Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. “So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. “Therefore, salt is good; but if even salt has become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned? “It is useless either for the soil or for the manure pile; it is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

It’s one of the things that modern day evangelicalism has totally missed regarding the invitations of Jesus.

We live in a day when evangelists will say anything at all to solicit a response out of people.

· They spread guilt over sin…

· They warn of the suffering of hell…

· They promise life abundant and everlasting…

But rarely do you hear an invitation that invites people to come

But warns them of the afflictions that are waiting for them

When they do.

JESUS ALWAYS DID.

· He warned that eager follower that “the foxes have holes and the birds of the air of nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

· He warned that the dead would bury their own dead, but that we should follow Him anyway.

He wanted His followers to count the cost.

NOW, WE DO WANT TO CLEAR UP ANY CONFUSION ON THIS MATTER.

Often times when we talk about counting the cost of salvation

Someone will quickly respond that “Salvation is Free.”

And that is certainly true.

Isaiah 55:1 “Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost.”

Revelation 21:6 “Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.”

Revelation 22:17 “The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.”

Many times in Scripture salvation is referred to as a “gift”.

SALVATION IS FREE.

· Jesus paid it all.

· It is given to us solely by grace.

· You can’t earn it.

· You can’t work for it.

· It must be received by grace through faith.

THAT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.

SO WHY DO WE SPEAK OF THE COST OF SALVATION?

Well let me put it like this:

Tonight I would like to give each of you A FREE HORSE.

And yet you know better.

There is great cost involved in being a horse owner.

In the same way, if you go tomorrow and enlist in the military.

They won’t charge you a dime for enlisting.

Enlisting is free.

Serving in the military is not.

So you understand what we are talking about

When discuss the cost of salvation.

There is a cost to following Jesus

The genuine Christian confession considers that cost

Before they sign up.

Now THIS MORNING we looked at The Required Commitment.

We know what is being asked of us.

Mark 8:34 “And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”

THAT IS THE COMMITMENT.

If we are resolved to go after Jesus, the commitment will inclue:

1. Self Denial

2. Cross Bearing

3. Following

So now that we know the required commitment

We can consider the cost

And determine whether we are willing to pay it.

So let’s do a little SPIRITUAL AUDITING this evening.

Let’s consider the cost, and determine the value of the offer.

I want to break it down into 3 points.

1) THE COST OF SALVATION (35)

(35) “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.”

This is a bit of an overlap from our study this morning…

I bring it up again because I want to be totally clear and transparent

Regarding the cost of confessing Christ.

IN THIS VERSE

1. Jesus reveals the currency by which the cost will be paid,

2. And He reveals how much of the currency will be used.

The currency is your “life”

The amount is all of it.

“For whoever wishes to save his life WILL LOSE IT”

“Whoever LOSES HIS LIFE for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.”

The cost we pay is our very lives.

Now, that does not always mean death, though death is possible.

Jesus told Peter that someone would bind him and take him where he did not wish to go and in this way his death would glorify God.

· Sometimes it is death.

· Martyrdom is a very possible reality in this world for those who confess Christ.

But, whether or not physical death is the price you will pay,

Everyone must give their life.

Romans 12:1 “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”

Certainly there is more than one way to give your life to Christ.

The favorite way the disciples spoke of this was with the word DOULOS

It was the “bond-servant” title

That the writers of the New Testament favored.

It was the man who chose to surrender his life

In perpetual service to his master.

It is in fact a life-sentence.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”

Maybe it’s easier to think of it in terms of a surrender of our PASSIONS.

It is the FOCUS of our life.

It is the USE of our life.

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

Philippians 1:21-22 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.”

That is a man who surrendered his passions, dreams, ambitions,

Even occupations to the usefulness of Christ for His kingdom.

· How many saints have left careers?

· How many saints have left families?

· How many saints have left their homeland?

· How many saints have left their fortunes?

They gave their life to Christ for His use

And He totally changed the course of their life.

So you again understand that in many ways this is LIKE THAT SOLDIER.

He gives his life to the service of country

Now the military has the right to do whatever they desire with his life.

That could mean service.

That could mean moving.

That could mean death.

You just don’t know, but anything is on the table.

So we understand the cost involved.

IT IS OUR LIFE.

Paul said:

Philippians 3:8 “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,”

Or we think of just those mentioned in the book of Mark.

· Peter and Andrew leaving their nets.

· James and John leaving their father.

· Matthew leaving his tax booth.

Those are substantial costs.

Paul wrote:

1 Corinthians 4:9-13 “For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor. To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.”

AND YES,

· We can talk all about how the cost is worth it.

· We can listen to testimonies of satisfied customers.

· We can note how good God’s will is and how good it has been for me.

That is all certainly true, but that is NOT what Jesus is discussing here.

HERE, Jesus merely wants to make sure

That those who are determined to follow Him

Know how much it will cost when they do.

IT WILL COST THEM THEIR LIFE.

And that is the cost for every single follower.

YOUR LIFE IS THE COST OF SALVATION.

And that is only fair since it was the same PRICE CHRIST PAID.

Philippians 2:5-8 “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Incidentally that word “attitude” there is the same word we looked at this morning.

(fro-NAY-o) – in verse 33 rendered “setting your mind”.

Jesus set His mind toward leaving the comforts and glories of heaven

That He might come and die on a cross.

Paul said that we should set our minds toward the same thing.

That is the cost of salvation.

· You need to consider that.

· You need to contemplate that.

· You need to know that.

2) THE VALUE OF THE SOUL (36-37)

(36-37) “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? “For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Now here is something I want you to NOTE as we keep going.

· After being confronted with the cost of salvation…

· After realize that it will cost you your life…

There is a 100% chance that your flesh will reject the offer.

· Your flesh wants no part of death.

· Your flesh wants no part of servitude and surrender.

Your flesh dwells in absolute self-preservation mode by default.

· Your flesh only wants to protect your flesh.

· And quite frankly your flesh doesn’t care about anything else.

When Jesus comes along and talks about

Self-denial and cross-bearing and giving up your life

You can absolutely expect your flesh to reject.

I would even tell you that that is natural.

It’s almost expected.

But we also know that we must crucify the flesh, deny the flesh, buffet the flesh, and put it into submission.

THE FLESH CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO MAKE THIS DECISION.

And one of the ways we OVERCOME THE INFLUENCE OF THE FLESH

Is by EVALUATING THE VALUE OF THE SOUL.

From that soldier analogy, we don’t look at the cost of the coming battle,

We look to the ramifications of NOT paying the price.

You know the old “Braveheart” motivational speech.

“Yes, fight and you may die, run and you will leave…for a while. But I wonder if many years from now lying in your bed if you would sacrifice it all to come back here and have just one chance at freedom.”

It is the consideration of the cost if you do not follow.

IT IS VALUABLE TO LOOK TO THE OUTCOME OF THE BATTLE.

Colossians 3:2 “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”

Philippians 1:20-22 “according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.”

2 Timothy 4:6-8 “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

So when the flesh balks at paying the price of confession

We ignore the flesh in favor of looking to

The NECESSITY and BENEFIT of the battle.

THAT IS WHAT JESUS IS DOING HERE.

Jesus would have you consider the value of your soul.

· Your flesh does not care about your soul.

· Your flesh will trade the destruction of your soul for it’s own comfort.

· Your flesh will actually trade it’s own eventual destruction for momentary

comfort.

· Your flesh is very selfish and very short-sighted.

But Jesus wants you to consider the value of your soul.

And of course the chief difference is that

While your flesh is temporary, your soul lives forever.

It seems kind of strange to let the temporary thing

Make all the decisions…but we often do.

HERE JESUS ASKS TWO QUESTIONS.

A: WHAT YOU TAKE FOR YOUR SOUL?

(36) “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?”

B: WHAT WOULD YOU GIVE FOR YOUR SOUL?

(37) “For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Those are two really good questions.

When I was a kid they used to run this commercial which asked,

“What would you do for a Klondike bar?”

· And you were forced to weigh the joy that came from eating a Klondike bar with all other potential costs.

Twice when I was a kid my parents were in a business partnership,

Both times they decided to split the business.

· The plan was the same both times.

· One side would write down a monetary number.

· That number represented either what that side would take for their share of the business or what they would pay for the other half of the business.

It was a process that forced you to consider the cost vs the value.

THAT’S WHAT WE’RE DOING:

QUESTION #1 WHAT WOULD YOU TAKE FOR YOUR SOUL?

THAT IS TO SAY: If someone came and offered to buy your soul, how much would it be worth?

They get your soul with the implication that you go to hell,

But you get immediate payment.

How much would you take?

And to up the stakes Jesus put the ultimate offer on the table.

“to gain the whole world”

Now there is a sense in which Jesus is speaking in hyperbole.

Obviously no one here is going to offered the entire world.

But you should recognize that

This is exactly the price that Satan offered Jesus for His soul.

Matthew 4:8-9 “Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.”

And what if Satan offered that to you?

You get it all.

“the whole world”

But you go to hell in the end.

MOST IMMEDIATELY TURN DOWN THAT OFFER,

But they do so on somewhat of a faulty premise.

Most people assume that their soul is already headed to heaven

And they wouldn’t jeopardize that for all the money in the world.

But that is a faulty assumption.

Paul made it clear that “there is none righteous, not even one.”

THE POINT BEING:

We are not answering this question from a vantage point of strength.

If you think your soul is already saved

So long as you don’t mess up and sell it to someone you are mistaken.

And that is what makes the SECOND QUESTION even more relevant.

WHAT WOULD YOU GIVE FOR YOUR SOUL?

(37) “For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

When we find out that our soul is already headed for hell and it requires a high cost to change that?

WHAT WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO PAY?

(The Catholic Church has thrived on this sort of thought)

BUT WHAT WOULD YOU GIVE?

WHAT WOULD YOU GIVE to obtain the One who can save the soul?

· At that point Rich Young Ruler would you sell all your possessions and give it to the poor?

· How about you Zaccheaus would you give half of you possessions to the poor and refund all that you have defrauded?

· What about you “Rich man in hades”, how much would you give to have Lazarus dip his finger in water and touch it to your tongue?

BUT THERE IS A PROBLEM

Psalms 49:7-9 “No man can by any means redeem his brother Or give to God a ransom for him— For the redemption of his soul is costly, And he should cease trying forever— That he should live on eternally, That he should not undergo decay.”

The Psalmist said “the redemption of his soul is costly”

THE COST IS GOING TO BE REALLY HIGH

IN FACT, ONLY JESUS CAN RANSOM IT.

THAT IS WHAT JESUS IS OFFERING.

That’s what He said wasn’t it?

(35) “but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.”

He is offering the salvation of your soul.

So when He asks you to pay the cost of your life

In order to follow Him, and your flesh thinks that too high a price, Jesus asks if your soul is worth it?

HOW MUCH IS YOUR SOUL WORTH?

1. What would you take for its salvation?

2. What would you give for its salvation?

Is it worth losing this vapor of a life to protect a soul that will live forever?

Jim Elliot said, “He is not fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

So as you consider the cost of the confessing Christ,

· Certainly be aware of the cost of salvation,

· But as you ponder that, think also of the value of your soul.

Today salvation may seems costly.

But how much will that cost seem in 100 million years?

You get the point.

And then there is one more thing you need to consider.

The cost of salvation

The value of your soul

3) THE WORTH OF THE SAVIOR (38)

(38) “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

Now you may be thinking about

The worth of the Savior as in the parable of the treasure or the parable of the great pearl.

And that is certainly a value to consider.

Matthew 13:44-46 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

That parable answers one of those questions Jesus asked:

“What will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

· Well, everything!

· Salvation is worth it!

· The kingdom of heaven is worth it!

BUT HERE CHRIST IS TALKING ABOUT HIS WORTH

IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

FIRST: Consider Christ’s value to the Father

We all know about God’s confession.

“This is My beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased.”

· Christ is extremely valuable.

· Christ is extremely valuable to the Father.

We could even point out that Christ’s value to the Father is 100% exclusive.

· No one ever pleased the Father like Christ pleased the Father.

THEN: Consider the worth of the Savior’s recommendation to the Father.

WHAT IS THE SAVIOR’S CONFESSION OF YOU WORTH?

We love that great sermon clip from Alistair Begg.

“The Man on the middle cross said I can come.”

· We love the thought of Christ vouching for us at the judgment.

· We love the thought of Christ interceding for us when Satan accuses.

· We love the thought of being wrapped in His righteous robe.

And that is really the question here.

How much is worth to you that on the day of judgment

Christ speak up for you and claim you as His own?

Is that a confession you put much value in?

Is that a confession you see as worthy?

You should because the Bible tells us that

Jesus is the only One who can introduce you to the Father.

Matthew 11:27 “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”

The recommendation of Jesus is the only recommendation God accepts.

We remember Him telling the disciples:

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

We remember:

John 3:36 “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

Think about John’s epistle:

1 John 5:6-12 “This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.”

John there reminded us that the Father accepted the Son.

John reminded that the Father testified of the Son.

God did it 3 ways:

· God testified of His Son verbally at His baptism - “the water”

· God testified of His Son emphatically at the cross – “the blood”

· God testified of His Son continually through His works – “the Spirit”

God made it clear that, to the Father, Jesus is it.

And that is why John said:

“He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.”

THE CONFESSION OF JESUS MEANS EVERYTHING.

How valuable is that to you?

How much worth does that confession hold?

Because Jesus said:

“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

What He is asking you to do today – confess Him.

Is the thing you’ll be wanting Him to do tomorrow.

From that soldier standpoint, this is the award ceremony.

This is where Christ stands and applauds

And recognizes you as a good soldier.

IS THAT IMPORTANT TO YOU?

· Do you want Christ to confess you?

· Do you want your soul to be protected in eternity?

· Do you want to be saved?

Well the cost of the confession then is your life now.

That we “must deny yourself and take up your cross and follow Jesus.”

· We must quit focusing on the things of this life