LUKE 9:18-27 TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW ME
Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.'” Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said in reply, “The Messiah of God.”
He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone. He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised…
If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself? Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
MEDITATION
Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do the crowds say that I am?….of course Jesus already knew…He wanted to ask his closest friends, who do they say He is….Who do I say Jesus is?….when Peter answered correctly Jesus rebuked them not to tell anyone now because He must suffer much for our sake…most would not understand…maybe we don’t understand our God suffering for us…
Jesus teaches His disciples… ….For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it… the path to glory and to life is the way of the cross… am I striving to be a disciple of Jesus… following Jesus means dying…dying to myself…offering myself up for others…if I give myself up for others in Jesus’ name…I will be raised up in glory too…if I refuse to follow Jesus…then what… What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?…
SILENT PRAYER
COMMENTARY
We have walked along the path with Jesus in towns such as Cana, Capernaum, Bethany, and Jerusalem, along the Sea of Tiberius, and Mount of Olives. He has preached in synagogues, on mountains, and in the plain He has fed the hungry, quenched the thirsty, healed the blind and those afflicted, forgiven sins and admonished sinners. He has touched and healed. Those who seek have found peace and wholeness. He is meek and humble of heart. A bruised reed, he does not stir. Before his ignominious execution at the hands of this world, He is glorified on Mount Tabor. He shares this glimpse of glory of what is to come with a few of his disciples that they might believe the Son of God will vanquish sin and death and reside at the right hand of the Father for all eternity. We are invited to join him.
JOHN 15:13-20 THIS I COMMAND YOU; LOVE ONE ANOTHER
No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.
“If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.
Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
MEDITATION
Jesus tells me that the more I imitate him…the more the world will treat me like they treated Him…if I am part of this world, the world would love me…I am in this world but I am not of it… I can expect to be rebuffed as Jesus was rejected by the world… I have thrown in my lot with Jesus…Jesus has chosen me to bring love into a world that hates and destroys life… on the cross Jesus was raised to glory by the Father… As I have loved you so you also should love one another…how do I love like Jesus…how does Jesus love…is it possible for me to deny Jesus like Peter…through selfishness…through cowardice…through indifference…let it not be so…if I truly am a disciple of Jesus I will love others….others will come to know Jesus by the love I show them….
SILENT PRAYER
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