Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
19 And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.”
20 Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” 21
And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”23
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?
26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”
There are so many Christians who are content to speak a confession of who Jesus is and what they believe about Him, but who never would be found living in such a way,
acting in such a way, that anyone would think their confession meant something. The confession that Jesus draws from us AND the life that we are called to live, due to that confession, are inseparable.
In our text there are different metaphors introduced. One must “come after…follow, deny oneself, take up the cross daily, lose one’s life and not be ashamed of Jesus
and His words.”
These are not to be seen as additional requirements, much less something that adds human merit to the equation. Nor are you to see them as a challenge urging Christians
to a deeper commitment that comes after you have matured as a Christian. Rather, Jesus’ words here are faith and repentance, amplified; faith and repentance explained. This is what faith and repentance necessarily looks like, from the beginning!
If someone’s faith and repentance does NOT look like this, then they are NOT following Jesus.
I realize those words are strong, but how can one conclude anything to the contrary when reading this passage? In the text we find that there were a variety of opinions
about Jesus. And when we look at who the disciples said the people were claiming Jesus to be, it is not a bad group of folks at all! The people of the day realized that Jesus was someone special and that he even must have a supernatural accounting for his
person. After all, they think that he is a dead prophet raised to life! So, Jesus asks them who THEY, the disciples, say He is, and we get the faith filled confession of Peter, “You are the Christ of God.”
Think about Jesus the man as he stood before the twelve. The disciples saw a poor man, who had no place to even lay his head. They saw no great following, no convincing
of authorities that they should support Jesus. They saw no army, no money, no crown and no earthly dominion. And after the feeding of the 5,000 what popularity He did have as far as people curiously coming out to see Him, began to diminish as Christ’s face
was now set to Jerusalem and to His crucifixion. All of that as the context for Peter’s confession. Despite what we see, this is what we know; You are the Christ of God.
Others would acknowledge that Jesus was unique, a prophet and a good man. But Peter and the disciples see Him as the Messiah, the only hope for mankind. When Jesus
asks the disciples, but who do YOU say I am, He is beginning to take them somewhere that I am not sure they realized they were about to go. Because he takes them to a radical departure from what man sees and from those whose hearts were bound to this
world.
A true believer is one who is willing, whenever necessary, to fly in the face of popular opinion and who will openly proclaim a conviction, by his word and by his
life, that stands utterly opposite to that of the status quo the world sets forth. Author William Hendrickson points out when the sons of God married the daughters of men, the result was the flood. When Israel worships a golden calf three thousand Israelites
lose their lives. When Israel with the purpose of being like the other nations demands a King, the final result is shameful defeat in a battle in which that king commits suicide. When the compromiser Jeroboam institutes calf worship at Bethel and Dan he is
leading the people into a path that finally results in shameful deportation into a pagan country. EVERYTIME the people of God reject our distinctive calling as the otherworldly people of heaven, there is disaster. So, while everyone else is saying that Jesus
is John the Baptist or one of the prophets; What do YOU say? Who is Jesus?
Jesus is going to press His disciples, and He presses us, past a propositional answer. Peter’s confession is beautiful, but only if what follows in verse 23 is the
life that is willingly embraced, for that is the reality, or the fruit of the confession. Without the life described, Peter’s profession is at best empty words, at worst it is hypocrisy.
This is where Christianity begins: “If anyone desires to come after me…” If anyone wants to be associated with Jesus, it is the end of living for yourself.
If anyone desires to attach themselves to Jesus, if anyone wants to make good his profession of who Jesus is, then this is to be your life….from the get-go. Sadly, what we find in this passage of scripture is NOT the spirituality that is being touted as Christian
in our day and time. But it is the spirituality of the Bible…this is the Christian’s life.
It is simply bizarre how we Christians will confess with Paul, “…in me dwells no good thing…” but then continue to live for ourselves, seeking what we want,
and making sure others are found to be seeking it as well. Walter Chantry reminds us: “The Lord’s death was not designed to provide selfish men with eternal life while they remained abandoned to self-serving. A vital part of Christ’s intention was to redirect
the motivation of all whom his blood shedding would make alive. As he struggled up Calvary’s hill and bled upon it, his aim was to eradicate self-love and implant the love of God in the hearts of men. One can only increase as the other decreases.”
For these disciples and those who would come after them, they will take up their cross and be ostracized from Jewish culture, and the majority of the people. Some
of them would lose family, be rejected by those who before, they worked diligently to be accepted by. All of this because their identity is found in the cross. They are dead to the world that opposes the Lord Jesus’ purpose and calling, they are dead to everything
and anything that this world offers and calls them to, it has been crucified.
This is what the metaphors are speaking to. Denying self, dying to self, taking up your cross, losing your life, the Lord is speaking to us about finding our identity
in Him. We are to identify with Jesus and so much so, that the radical nature of HIS life, is one with how we view ourselves. Your identity is NOT found in being a business owner, or in being an athlete. It is not found in achievements that this world applauds,
and as much as I would want you to be successful, your identity is not found in your success. Your identity, who you are, what you stand for, what makes you tick, all of this is wrapped up in who Jesus is. And so much so, that your life and purpose on this
earth, mirrors His.
The cross is something you must choose to pick up. It is not automatic because you pray a prayer or have some kind of emotional feeling. This phrase has grown too
familiar by constant use. It is a mistake to call all our suffering a cross. The wicked have many sorrows, but that does not mean they carry their cross. It is not an illness, or a bereavement, these things are common to all men. The cross is that suffering
alone which results from our faithful connection with Jesus. It is a life that we choose to be ours, that we willingly take up, bearing its shame, and all for the joy that is set before us.
The picture painted is quite breathtaking: Jesus with his cross leads all his disciples, you and me, each of us loaded with our cross, which we have willingly and
voluntarily picked up, and we follow in one immense procession like, men who are led away to be crucified. The original meaning of the term is related to the word, shame. So, picking up your cross is to voluntarily suffer shame for the Lord’s sake, to march
distinctly antithetical to everything in this world and to do so bearing the reproach, hatred, scorn and ridicule that accompanies a cross. But will you be ashamed to be so closely associated to the Lord Jesus Christ? If you are, then you will, some- day,
find Him ashamed of you.
But if that cross, that shame, is in fact your delight and your joy, then you will hear the Lord confess to all heaven and earth that you are HIS delight and
joy. You want to hear the odd thing? You want to hear something that you will want explained but that I will not be able to satisfy your questions? This life, this identity with Jesus, these things that sound so daunting; losing your life, denying yourself,
of taking up the cross DAILY, all of this produces unexplainable joy, unmitigated peace and a life of laughter, rejoicing and celebrations galore…IN THIS WORLD.
And that is not even to speak to the wonders of the world to come!
How? You want me to try and explain that? Well, I am not so sure I can…but I think you know it is true. You know what you are reading is right, because you have experienced
this, you have already in your Christian life, tasted of this joy, this peace and have participated in the celebrations of the covenant people of God. This is the way of faith. Jesus says, lose your life, and you will find it. Only faith sees this, only faith
can rejoice in dying, because faith knows what real living is!
Prayer: Father, forgive me for shrinking back, for laying down my cross at times because the cost seems too high. May the image of Him who carried His cross for
my sake be etched in my mind that I might, out of love and thankfulness, boldly and unashamedly, live my life for Him. Help me to make a bold confession of the Savior, and help me to live faithfully so that my confession is both heard in my words and seen
in my life, through Jesus my Lord, Amen.
Hymn: Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken
