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(Clip) A Disciple of Jesus Will Put Self To Death
Zac Poonen
0:00
0:00 3:48
Zac Poonen

(Clip) A Disciple of Jesus Will Put Self To Death

Zac Poonen · 3:48

Zac Poonen emphasizes that true discipleship requires putting self to death and loving God above all, warning that many who claim Christianity still live as lovers of self.
This sermon emphasizes the importance of being a lover of God rather than a lover of self, money, or pleasure. It highlights how true Christians should not be easily offended, as offense often stems from self-love. The speaker warns about the lack of preaching on the cross and dying to self in churches today, leading many Christians to prioritize self over following Jesus. The message challenges believers to examine their hearts and prioritize honoring God above themselves.

Full Transcript

Four types of lovers mentioned here. Lovers of self, lovers of money, and verse four, lovers of pleasure, and lovers of God. Four types of lovers, and only one of them is right. A true Christian must be a lover of God, but instead of being a lover of God, he's going to be a lover of himself, his own rights, his reputation, his honor. One of the proofs of that is we get so easily offended. Only one who loves himself gets offended. One who doesn't love himself but loves God never gets offended with anything that another person says or doesn't say, with anything that another person does or doesn't do. We get offended because we get hurt. Our self-life gets hurt by the way somebody treated us, by what we heard somebody said about us behind our back. We love ourselves so much, and who are we talking about now? Unbelievers? No. So-called believers who have never understood what it is to take up the cross and put self to death. See, because in the last days there's going to be very little preaching about the cross and death to self-life. It's almost unheard of in most churches today, and never heard of in Christian television. And so, when there's no preaching against death on death to self, self is going to flourish in the lives of many Christians. They won't even know that you cannot follow Jesus if you love yourself. They'll think you can love yourself and follow Jesus. And look at the multitudes of Christians who get offended and hurt, and don't even feel that that's a terrible sin. They say, well, somebody did that to me. I have a right to be hurt. Exactly. Because you're an unbeliever. You're not a disciple of Jesus. That's why you've got a right to be hurt. If you're a disciple of Jesus, you have no right to be hurt. Jesus was never hurt. And they called him Prince of Devils. They spat on his face. They did all types of things. What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? There are very, very few Christians who are going to take up the cross in the last days and follow him. And so, it's going to be very difficult to be a true Christian, because we are surrounded by people who claim to be Christians, who claim to be filled with the Spirit, who claim to speak in tongues, and who get hurt, and get offended, or are disturbed because their name was dragged in the dust. And Jesus taught us to pray, our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Forget about your own name. But the last days, Christians are going to be more concerned about their name. For example, I'll tell you, do you know how much the name of Jesus is dishonored in India today? But that doesn't disturb most people who call themselves Christians. But if their name was dragged in the mud by somebody once, boy, that would really disturb them. Or if their little pretty daughter's name was dragged in the dust, boy, that would disturb them. But let the name of Jesus be dishonored throughout the country. It doesn't bother them. You think such people are disciples of Jesus? No. Far from it. But they sit in churches. They claim to be born again. They claim to love the Lord. That is the amazing thing that devil has done, deceiving them, that they love themselves from top to bottom, head to foot, and they think they are disciples of Jesus. So, we can only warn you. Nobody can change you from being a lover of self if you don't want to be free from it yourself.

Sermon Outline

  1. I. Four Types of Lovers
    • Lovers of self, money, pleasure, and God
    • Only lovers of God are true Christians
    • Self-love leads to offense and hurt
  2. II. The Call to Put Self to Death
    • True discipleship requires denying self
    • Lack of preaching on the cross leads to self-flourishing
    • Offense is a sign of self-love, not discipleship
  3. III. Characteristics of a True Disciple
    • Never offended or hurt by others
    • Endures insults as Jesus did
    • Prioritizes God's name over personal reputation
  4. IV. The Danger of Self-Love in the Church
    • Many claim to be Christians but love themselves
    • Self-love deceives believers into false discipleship
    • Warning to those who want true freedom

Key Quotes

“Only one who loves himself gets offended.” — Zac Poonen
“You cannot follow Jesus if you love yourself.” — Zac Poonen
“If you're a disciple of Jesus, you have no right to be hurt.” — Zac Poonen

Application Points

  • Examine your heart to identify if you love yourself more than God.
  • Practice putting aside personal offense and hurt to follow Jesus faithfully.
  • Seek teachings on the cross and self-denial to grow as a true disciple.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to put self to death?
It means denying one’s own rights, reputation, and feelings to fully follow Jesus without offense or hurt.
Why do many Christians get easily offended?
Because they love themselves and their own honor more than God, leading to hurt feelings when others wrong them.
Is it possible to love yourself and still follow Jesus?
According to Zac Poonen, no; true discipleship requires loving God above self and dying to self-life.
How does Jesus model putting self to death?
Jesus endured insults, slander, and suffering without being offended or retaliating.
What is the danger of not preaching about the cross today?
Without teaching on self-denial, many Christians will continue to live self-centered lives, mistaking it for true faith.

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