Luke 9:21-27
The suffering Messiah calls disciples to lose their lives for Him in order to truly save them.
21 But he warned them, 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, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.”
23 He said to all, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose 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 his own self?
26 For whoever will be 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 the truth: There are some of those who stand here who will in no way taste of death until they see God’s Kingdom.”
The suffering Messiah calls disciples to lose their lives for him in order to truly save them.
Luke records Jesus’ strict command of silence, first passion prediction, and cross-bearing summons to define Peter’s confession rightly: God’s Messiah must suffer, be rejected, be killed, and be raised, and those who follow him must deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and lose their lives for him.
Immediately after Peter confesses Jesus as God’s Messiah, Jesus warns the disciples not to tell anyone and begins to teach that the Son of Man must suffer many things, be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law, be killed, and be raised on the third day. He then speaks to all, not only the Twelve, declaring that anyone who wants to be his disciple must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow him.
The Christ Revealed, the Cross Announced, and the Jerusalem Road Begun
Jesus is the Christ of God, the glorious Son who must suffer, and the resolute Lord who calls His followers into kingdom mission, daily cross-bearing, humble service, and undivided allegiance on the road to Jerusalem.