Jesus Predicts His Death - Matthew 16:21-28
21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. 28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
Reflection: Now that the disciples knew Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, he begins to reveal to them the full extent and purpose of His mission. His death and resurrection, which we remember and celebrate this week, will finalize what he has come to earth to do. The disciples would not have been ready for this information earlier, but now they were. Peter, thinking he is speaking on behalf of the other disciples, vehemently tries to dissuade him. But Jesus quickly rebukes him, using words similar to what he said to Satan himself in the garden. Whereas Peter has just confessed Jesus as the Messiah, a minute later he has become a stumbling block. A good reminder that when we are closest to Jesus, we are also vulnerable to temptation.
Then, Jesus offers a huge challenge to his disciples, and by application to anyone who would call themselves a follower of Christ. He says that anyone who would come after him must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow him. Notice the order: deny ourselves, take up our cross, and then follow him. Peter wanted Jesus to have an easier way, and Jesus knew there was only one way to the cross. And Jesus says there is quite a bit riding on this decision. For to take the easy way is to win the world but lose our soul.
And what can we give in exchange for our soul? Nothing. Our soul is everything we possess that is not body or material. It is our personality, our thoughts our experiences. It is everything that makes us unique and made in the image of God. Our soul is what Jesus died for on the cross. This is not to say the body is not important. As the scripture teaches us the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. And just as Jesus was resurrected in a body, so we will too one day.
I don't know about you but this is a huge challenge for me. Why? Because it is so easy for me to take the easy way. It is much easier to give in to myself than to deny myself. But I must remember it is not denial for denial sake, but denial so that I might take up my cross and follow Jesus. It would seem from the language here that each of us have unique ways in which we take up and bear our own cross. My cross is not your cross. But if we are going to be a Christ follower cross bearing is not optional. Where is Jesus calling you to lay down your life and pick up your cross and follow him? While we remembered Jesus' death yesterday and will celebrate His resurrection tomorrow, the passage reminds us that one day He will return. And to those who have followed him, he promises great reward.
Jesus we hear your challenge today of picking up our cross and following you. Thank you that you set an example do us to follow when you willingly laid down your life for us that we might might have eternal life. Amen.
Reflection: Now that the disciples knew Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, he begins to reveal to them the full extent and purpose of His mission. His death and resurrection, which we remember and celebrate this week, will finalize what he has come to earth to do. The disciples would not have been ready for this information earlier, but now they were. Peter, thinking he is speaking on behalf of the other disciples, vehemently tries to dissuade him. But Jesus quickly rebukes him, using words similar to what he said to Satan himself in the garden. Whereas Peter has just confessed Jesus as the Messiah, a minute later he has become a stumbling block. A good reminder that when we are closest to Jesus, we are also vulnerable to temptation.
Then, Jesus offers a huge challenge to his disciples, and by application to anyone who would call themselves a follower of Christ. He says that anyone who would come after him must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow him. Notice the order: deny ourselves, take up our cross, and then follow him. Peter wanted Jesus to have an easier way, and Jesus knew there was only one way to the cross. And Jesus says there is quite a bit riding on this decision. For to take the easy way is to win the world but lose our soul.
And what can we give in exchange for our soul? Nothing. Our soul is everything we possess that is not body or material. It is our personality, our thoughts our experiences. It is everything that makes us unique and made in the image of God. Our soul is what Jesus died for on the cross. This is not to say the body is not important. As the scripture teaches us the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. And just as Jesus was resurrected in a body, so we will too one day.
I don't know about you but this is a huge challenge for me. Why? Because it is so easy for me to take the easy way. It is much easier to give in to myself than to deny myself. But I must remember it is not denial for denial sake, but denial so that I might take up my cross and follow Jesus. It would seem from the language here that each of us have unique ways in which we take up and bear our own cross. My cross is not your cross. But if we are going to be a Christ follower cross bearing is not optional. Where is Jesus calling you to lay down your life and pick up your cross and follow him? While we remembered Jesus' death yesterday and will celebrate His resurrection tomorrow, the passage reminds us that one day He will return. And to those who have followed him, he promises great reward.
Jesus we hear your challenge today of picking up our cross and following you. Thank you that you set an example do us to follow when you willingly laid down your life for us that we might might have eternal life. Amen.
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