The Cross Is A One Way Ticket! Matthew 16:21-28

 Jesus Predicts His Death

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.

From this point on the level of persecution by the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders of Jesus is going to grow quickly.  He brings the disciples into "the know" by telling them his destination is in Jerusalem. What will await him there is his suffering and death, but also he will be raised to life on the the third day.  One can only imagine what the disciples are thinking at this point.  

"The disciples were probably so shocked that Jesus said He would be killed in Jerusalem that these words didn’t sink in. Later, an angel reminded them of these words." (Luke 24:6-8). (Guzik)

Notice "he began to explain".  He didn't expect them to "get it" right away.  The "elders, chief priests and the teachers of the law" represented the tripod of the Jewish authority structure. These are the three groups that make up the Sanhedrin, the highest ruling court in Judaism.

22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

Go figure, its Peter who thinks Jesus has it all wrong.  In reality in some ways it took remarkable boldness for Peter to rebuke Jesus, especially after all Jesus had done.  Right after Peter confesses Jesus as the Messiah, he confesses that he doesn't understand the Messiah's purpose in being there.(See Isaiah 53).  

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.”

One might have thought Jesus would have considered Peter's comments as a nice gesture, showing how much he loved Jesus, but Jesus has none of it. 

Jesus calls out Satan in his rebuke.  Not that Peter is Satan, but Satan is using him to try and tempt Jesus to circumvent the cross.  The word Satan literally means "blocker".  He tries to get in the way of God's will.  

"We can be sure that Peter was not aware that he spoke for Satan, just as a moment before he was not aware that he spoke for God. It is often much easier to be a tool of God or of the devil than we want to believe." Guzik

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 

Peter's gaffe becomes a teachable moment for the disciples.  Jesus uses the moment to teach the disciples the true meaning of what it will mean for them to be his followers.  Notice he says "whoever wants to be his disciple'.  Jesus doesn't make anybody become his disciple, he invites them to follow him.  And in this case he lets them know what following him entails. 

"Everybody knew what Jesus meant when He said this. Everyone knew that the cross was an unrelenting instrument of death. The cross had no other purpose. The cross wasn’t about religious ceremonies; it wasn’t about traditions and spiritual feelings. The cross was a way to execute people. In these twenty centuries after Jesus, we have done a pretty good job in sanitizing and ritualizing the cross. Yet Jesus said something much like this: “Walk down death row daily and follow Me.” Taking up your cross wasn’t a journey; it was a one-way trip. There was no return ticketing; it was never a round trip." (Guzik)

25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

Here is the great paradox of the Christian life.  If we try to save our life, we will lose it.  But as we give our life to Christ, we will find it.  Jesus' mission for our lives is to be used by him for incredible purposes. But unless we are willing to give up our lives, we can't experience it.  

"You can’t gain resurrection life without dying first.You don’t lose a seed when you plant it, though it seems dead and buried. Instead, you set the seed free to be what it was always intended to be." (Guzik)

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? 

We can spend our time here on earth investing in temporal and material things that bring only temporary pleasure and are gone. Or, we can give our lives to something of eternal significance.  Material things provide only a very short term satisfaction.  Just talk to the person who buys the latest new car and within a few years there is a new version with more bells and whistles on it.  Soon their satisfaction with what they have is outweighed but what they don't have.  So it is with most things of this world that people set their hearts on.  

The things we do for Christ in this life are the only things that will last.  It also brings peace to our soul, our inner being, to know we are doing what we were created to do. 

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.

Jesus further makes his point when he says that after he is resurrected from the dead, he will come again in great and promised glory.  At that time our works done for him will be revealed.  To the extent we used the gifts he gave us for his purposes, we will be rewarded.  

This reward is not to be confused with the gift of salvation, which can never be earned.  But once we are saved by grace through faith, we will live our lives looking forward to the day when we will receive the commendation, "Well done my good and faithful servant, enter your rest and receive your inheritance in Christ." 

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.”

There are different interpretations of what this verse means.  Some think it refers to the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple in AD 70.  Yet, I think a better explanation is it refers to the resurrection and the great power bestowed the disciples by Jesus at Pentecost. 

"But the most generally received opinion, and which seemeth to be best, is, that the coming of the Son of man here meant is, his resurrection from the dead. His ascension into heaven, and sending the Holy Spirit, after which the kingdom of grace came with a mighty power, subduing all nations to the Lord Jesus Christ. He was declared, (or determined), to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Romans 1:4. And when, after his resurrection from the dead, they asked him, Acts 1:6, whether he would at that time restore the kingdom to Israel, he puts them off, and tells them for an answer, Acts 1:8, But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. And then, Acts 1:9, he in their sight ascended up into heaven. Then did the kingdom of the Son of man come with power." (Poole)

What do you think it means for you to lose your life for the sake of the gospel?  Are you investing more in the things of this world, or things that will last for eternity?  Note this could be relating to your time, talents or treasures.  God call us to love Him with all we have.  

Do you think the church has gotten soft on what it means to follow Jesus?  I.e. the Prosperity Gospel often promises that only good things will happen to those who follow Jesus.  Where did Jesus ever promise a life of comfort and material wealth?  Take tine to pray about where God might be asking you to take up your cross and follow him in your relationship with him and your involvement in the church's ministry.