Self-Denial - Part 1 — Joshua Daniel

Now, dear friends, I want to briefly bring you to some of the basics. Now, the Lord Jesus Christ said, those that would be my disciples. What context did he say that also? We'll just look at the ninth chapter of Luke.

Jesus’ Call to Self-Denial and Discipleship

Here, he was foretelling his suffering. Ninth chapter of Luke and the 22nd verse. The son of man must suffer many things and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be slain and be raised the third day.

So here the Lord Jesus Christ foretold his approaching cross, his suffering and his death. And then he went on to say, under these circumstances, he said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself.

Taking Up the Cross in Daily Life

Take up his cross daily and follow me. What we are taught today is the religion of acquisition. You see, if there's something to grab, something to acquire, yes, I want it. Something to renounce, well, we find it very hard.

Old habits, old desires, old ambitions, you know, and family traits. Don't forget, some of our families hardly have a history or even a strain of missionary love or sacrifice. That should be a painful thing.

Well, tracing back our roots, how many of our fathers, great uncles, great great great granddads, and so on and so forth, how many of them ever went the way of true discipleship? You know, the missionary heart does not necessarily mean crossing an ocean.

Today, there are many oceans to cross. You see, even the very people who are around you appear to be so indifferent. What do we do under those circumstances? While we are praying, there will come a wide open opportunity when they will seek help.

Self-Denial Through Serving Those in Need

You know, I was concerned for one of my seniors in the major which I had taken, which was English, and in the department, as the exams were approaching, the pressure on students gets pretty heavy, and this poor fellow was on the brink of insanity.

He was slipping into insanity. He just couldn't take the pressure. And so, one evening they said, breakup party. You see, the seniors are leaving us, and they're leaving the department, and so we are going to have year-end breakup party.

Well, I said to myself, you know, every person had to pay some money to belong to the association of the department. I had paid up too, but I had no time at all for any of those parties. I had better things to do, and I hadn't been at a single party, but I decided, let me go to this last party to say goodbye to these fellows.

Whatever. But just at that time, I came to know that this senior of mine was sinking into insanity. I said, rather than go to that party, I will use that evening to lift the fellow, so that why should he become a madman?

I will go and pray with him. So, I went to his house, rather, and prayed with him, and he passed. He did pretty well at the university exam, and I was, of course, very happy that I had rescued that fellow.

However, it's not I that can do it. It's the good lord. Now, there was an element of self-denial there, don't you think? Here, I gave my money, and I was entitled to this party, and I was expected, as others were, but seeing need in one of those college mates, I said, no, I'll go where there is the need.

Small Sacrifices and Faithful Obedience

You see, my whole life has been based on this element of self-denial. I remember a time when I was fasting and praying in England, and I got very hungry, you know, around three o 'clock. I got very hungry.

I said, boy, I think I'll have a bite on the steamer crossing the English Channel to France. You know, you have about two and a half hours for the short crossing, or two and some hours. You know, I said, but when I went into the dining room of the boat, oh, there was plenty of food there, but it was expensive.

I said, boy, I won't spend so much money. I think the French cuisine, the French cooking is better. So, when we go to France and I get on board the train, I will have a fine dinner. So, when we got on the train and I looked at the menu, it was so expensive, exorbitantly expensive.

I said, oh no, I'm not going to spend God's money having such an expensive dinner. So, I got hungrier still, of course, and it was midnight before we reached Paris. We were going through Paris, and I said, let me get a sandwich, a wurst, or a sausage, as it's.

So, from one of those platform places, carts, I picked up a little sausage. I said, that's enough. I'm happy with this. It's quite inexpensive. Now, I had to, in some cases, be very economical, because there wasn't money, and sometimes I would have nothing.

But I thought nothing of that. I said, let me get my work done. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself. Take up his cross daily and follow me. You know, small things lead to great missionary enterprises.

Small things, small sacrifices, but that is discipleship. You know, if my father had said, oh, how am I going to resign this position? It's going to make me the principal of this big place. How am I going to resign this?

I've got three children and a fourth one is on the way. How can I do it with no assured salary? My dear friends, if my dad had turned his back upon that step of trust and obedience, this work of God, which is now reaching out to places and people whom I will never meet on earth.

You know, I know of at least three cases of people who had decided to commit suicide, when they just happened to turn to our telecast. They were all set upon committing suicide. Now, I know of three. I don't know how many others there are.

Self-Denial and the Expansion of Christian Ministry

You know, I take most of the time giving the word. So, when we come to the end of the telecast, we just quickly run over, if you need help, write to, and so on. And there are many people who are writing.

The variety of needs I cannot imagine. You cannot imagine. My husband died of AIDS and now I am an AIDS patient. My child also has got AIDS. Pray for us. Oh, my dear friends, when I see AIDS patients being healed, I rejoice greatly because I know that medically they can't be healed.

Their life can only be prolonged a little. But, when the Lord Jesus is doing that, you know, a little self-denial has gone into all this. When I was told, you know, how did our television ministry begin?

Through some total stranger in Australia, listening to one of our broadcasts near Canberra, the capital of Australia, and saying, this message should be heard by many people. And so he wrote to me, being a television expert, he said, now we want a broadcast, a telecast, which is no less in quality than the Voice of America, the television, or the BBC, or the big networks.

Why should the message be any less? So, what? The price of each camera, what is it? All six-figure stuff. And the bills, when these television folk in the headquarters, they send me, you know, this is required, that's required, this is required, this has to be updated, it's become obsolete, very old.

What is it? Touching millions, huge amounts. Who supplies? We don't ask anybody in our telecasts, and that alone impresses a lot of people. But mark you, my dear friends, that is because of disciples.

I don't ask, but God has promised to supply. But God does not want me to live luxuriously and waste money on myself. So my wife and I live pretty frugally, very carefully, and I do trust and believe that some of you do the same.

Resisting a Culture of Greed and Acquisitiveness

But Jesus said, he that would be my disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily. You know, there are many people who are wandering around, all they are looking for is some entertainment.

This is an entertainment world. This is a world of greed and acquisitiveness. Buy this, get this, eat this, pamper yourself, and so on. That's the philosophy that rules our society today. In the midst of that, when you and I become a disciple of Jesus, we have a cross to bear daily.

Is it a heavy cross? Is it a painful cross? My dear friends, I did not find this life of discipleship to be irksome, burdensome, hopelessly painful. Never! Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. You know, the burden of sin is heavy, the burden of self is heavy. You know, it can crush you, the burden of self.

But the cross which Jesus Christ gives us, he took the pain upon himself. He took the load and the weight upon himself. And he says, just bear this for me, my son. It is not heavy, but bear it daily. I give you a cross to carry.

Prayer for the Path of Discipleship

There is a purpose in your life. Let us pray. Tell God, Lord, teach me the path of discipleship. Teach me to be a disciple, not a butterfly, nor a person that gives to God used teabags. Precious Lord, thou knowest this poisoned atmosphere, where Jesus has become so cheap, so cheap, his name reduced to a swear word on the shop floor or in the marketplace.

Forgive us, Lord, if people saw us treasure Jesus, if people saw us living like Jesus, if people saw the fruit of true discipleship, how much blessing there would be. Thank you for your living word. Even in the times of famine and want, you will not forsake your children.

And seeing that today, many are passing through rough times, Lord Jesus, you said, my rod and my staff will comfort you. I will prepare a table for you in the presence of your enemies. And we shall say with the psalmist, my cup runneth over, and surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, as I walk this pilgrim path, this way of discipleship.

So bless and give real faith to all of us, in Jesus' name, amen.