In Mark 8:34-9:1 we see Jesus explain to any prospective follower that they must be prepared to suffer for the sake of the gospel. Jesus' call to suffering for the believer is not a call for the believer to "earn" any status before God through various forms of self-denial; instead, it is a call to prize the gospel above all else in life. In this message we learn that suffering does not make you a follower of Christ, but it is what happens to those who are followers of Christ because of our identity with Him.

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