Luke 9:18-27
18 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.”
Reflection
Jesus calls us to let go of our lives and embrace his cross-bearing path, despite our natural inclination to do the opposite (Luke 9:24–25). Naturally, we do seek to gain the things of this world even at the expense of our souls. Naturally, we do seek the praise of men and are ashamed of the suffering and teachings of Jesus. Yet the promise of the gospel is that if we will exchange our natural values for God’s heavenly values, and embrace the satisfying life he offers, then we will receive glory and security that will last eternally. Jesus appeals to the wisdom of God’s way, promising that his path of death to self actually leads to eternal life.
Philippians 1:27-30
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
Reflection
Paul’s devotion to Christ in the midst of suffering (Phil. 1:12–26) serves as an example to the Philippians, who are also called to live in a way that honors the gospel of Jesus Christ (vv. 27–30). They too must stand firm through suffering (v. 29), united in the gospel and unafraid of their opponents (v. 28).
Like Paul and the Philippians, Christians today are called to live in a way that honors the grace and servanthood of Jesus. Since we are united to Christ and our citizenship is in heaven (see 3:20), we are to face persecution with joyful steadfastness. Amazingly, we can face even the most difficult situations with joy —a joy that defies any explanation by the world’s categories.
Psalm 68:1-3
68: God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered; and those who hate him shall flee before him! 2 As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God! 3 But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy!
What Christ offers his people is simply better. Pray that God would help you and your church community to see that anything we sacrifice in order to follow Jesus is worth it in the end. Whoever loses their life for Christ’s sake will save it (Luke 9:24).