by Pastor John Kim

In the past several years since I first presented the proverb of “Life is not about you!”, it has been brought to my attention by a number of people how many companies are really unashamedly using the slogan of “It’s all about you!” as a way to appeal to people’s base desires and how to fulfill them. I appreciate the flyers and brochures that people have brought and the collection continues to grow.

Sadly, it is no different in the Christian world as churches and Christian organizations and schools peddle the same line in hopes of drawing attention to their cause. But the heart of this methodological approach for advertising is nothing different from the beginning. The appeal to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life has the inherent message of “Life is all about you” and has been the slogan of the world system since the fall.

For the month of September, I will be preaching on the doctrine of self-denial as the characterization of the Christian way life and I would like to challenge you all to really examine your hearts and see if you are truly following Jesus. Was it not Christ Himself who said in Matthew 16:24, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” As I have been searching the Scriptures, I can’t help but notice that the Christian life is truly a repudiation of the “It’s all about me” worldview and that we must really dedicate our lives in light of the grace and mercy of God to offer them as living and holy sacrifices to God that are acceptable to God first and foremost. If the whole of our lives is to be offered up to God as worship, there really can be no other gods before Him and that includes ourselves.

So prepare for the next four Sundays to really examine your life and see if the path that Christ calls us to follow is the one that you are walking. The way of the cross is not an easy path. It definitely is not the most comfortable path. But it is the path that has Jesus on it and don’t you want to be with Him every step of the way?

Like my girls when they were little and would hold my hand as we would walk around, they would have easily been lost if they had not followed daddy. Even a moment’s glance away led to them walking down another path and it really was the most frightening moment for me as a parent when I couldn’t see my child. It was also frightening for them when they realized that they were totally lost and couldn’t see their parents. But there was great comfort and relief when we would be reunited and there would be a clinging to one another as we would continue to walk forward.

To live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). We must keep our eyes fixed on Christ as we follow Him daily and while there is the suffering and pain of self-denial and the way of the cross, it is outweighed by the joy and the glory that comes in being in intimate and loving communion with our Lord and Savior as we walk with Him. Don’t trade the glory of following Christ for the cheap junk of the world. While self-denial at first seems a negative thing, when we see where it places us on the path of following Christ, we actually receive more than we could ever hope for, that is, Christ Himself!!

See you Sunday!!