"Follow Me"
Pic credit
Our story picks up where Jesus is beginning to prepare His disciples for His impending suffering and death.
Matthew 16:13-28 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" (14) So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." (15) He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" (16) Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (17) Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. (18) And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. (19) And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (20) Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ. (21) From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. (22) Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" (23) But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." (24) Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. (25) For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. (26) For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (27) For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. (28) Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."
Here is my short synopsis of this passage:
Jesus polled His disciples and asked them, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” After they answered, he asked them, “But who do you say that I am.” Simon answered, “You are the Christ (Messiah, Anointed One), the Son of the Living God.”
Jesus blessed Simon Bar-Jonah (which means “son of Jonah”) and said that His Father in Heaven revealed this to him. Jesus called Simon by the name Peter.
Then Jesus commanded the disciples not to tell anybody that He was Jesus the Christ. He began to explain that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and scribes and that he would be killed and raised on the third day.
Peter rebuked Jesus and said these things would/should not happen to Him. Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”
Jesus then tells His disciples that they must take up their crosses and follow Him if they desire to come after Him.
There... He told them exactly how He was going to die, but they didn’t hear it. They were so horrified that He was about to get into serious trouble that all they could think of was survival.
I’ve always wondered at the fact that Peter could have so much faith that Jesus was/is the Messiah, yet he contradicted Jesus when He spoke of his suffering and death.
Isn’t that the natural human response? The disciples were undoubtedly distraught by what Jesus showed them about the near future. I’m sure they all thought of their lives as they tried to imagine life without their Master. Confusion in their hearts certainly kept them from really hearing what He was telling them. Later, after Jesus died, was buried, and was resurrected, they remembered His words.
Here we are 2,000 years (give or take) later, knowing that God’s Word is true and that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and truly forever. His instructions have been preserved for us:
I wonder if it is easier for us now—to understand that Jesus conquered Death, Hell, and the Grave, and that He rose again and ascended into Heaven, and that His blood has purchased US!
As it turns out, His terms are still the same. There is a work we must do here on the earth, as we abide until He returns (Matthew 16: 24-28)
He said, “If you desire to come after me,”
1. Deny yourself
2. Take up your cross
3. Follow me
“Whoever desires to save his life will lose it. Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? What will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Then He gave us instructions and reassurance:
1. The Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father and with His angels
2. He will reward each according to his works.
3. There were/are some standing here (listening to Him) who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.
Have you, Christ-follower, ever pondered those words?
Have you asked the Holy Spirit to reveal what they mean to you?
His Word fits within our human spirits, fills our hearts with wonder, and instructs us on conducting ourselves.
We can trust the One who has seen both sides—earthly and heavenly—and He has promised us that it will be worth it if we follow Him.
What does it mean to you, to deny yourself, to take up your cross, and to follow Jesus?