Mark 15:30–save yourself, and come down from the cross!”

There is something particular in movies, plays and books, with storylines of self-denial and suffering for the sake of a relationship, a cause, or nation that we universally admire.  Whether a person is “faith based” or not, denying oneself for the benefit of another will always be celebrated over self preservation… 
Our sinful nature insist on focusing on how we can preserve ourselves.  Whether that’s manipulating people to make much of us, or taking it upon ourselves to make sure we are the center of attention.  Self-preservation in all of us, causes suspicious to trust anyone has the heart to deny themselves, and live for us like the “movies” depict…(Genesis 3:7-13, Philippians 2:21)
The context of the passage comes from Jesus’ crucifixion.  While still alive upon the cross, He’s being mocked by those all around urging Him to save Himself.  Sinfully thinking in their unbelief that Jesus is like us, that when “push comes to shove” we will bail on everyone in order to save ourselves from humiliation! (Philippians 2:8)
Yet, it is His perfect selflessness for the sake of glorifying the Father, that Jesus didn’t come down from the cross!  Had Christ looked to preserve Himself, we are without eternal life and any hope of salvation for the world.  Unbelievers cannot not help but think in terms of their sinful nature, yet Jesus always thought in terms of righteousness and faith in pleasing the Father. (Romans 8:6-8)
So how does this apply to us as believers?  Jesus told us, “that if anyone would come after Me let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Him.”  So unlike the movies, where there is one dynamic moment of self-denial, God commands us daily to follow Him, which takes a practice of self-denial.  How humbled should we be to desperately seek God for His grace to do that? (Luke 9:23, 1 Corinthians 15:31) 
So if we are practicing to preserve ourselves now, when the time comes to need to deny ourselves for the benefit of others (even family) for God’s glory we won’t, because denying ourselves is a practice or lifestyle of faith, not a “movie moment”. (Hebrews 5:13-14)-In His Love, Ld