Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it.”
Luke 9:23-24
Into the Text
When Jesus began His ministry, it consisted of three areas: preaching, teaching, and healing.
His teaching centered around the kingdom of God and what it looks like to be one of his disciples. A disciple is a learner and one who walks with a teacher. For those who have trusted in Jesus, we are all disciples of Jesus.
Through Jesus’ teaching, we see that the kingdom of God is nothing like what we experience here on earth. It is characterized by love, service, and humility. While the world tells that everything is about our own wants and preferences, Jesus tells us that we are to daily die to our own desires because it’s about God’s will and ways.
The world tells us that pride and climbing the ladder of significance is where life is found; whereas Jesus calls all believers to meekness and humility.
As Jesus taught His disciples and the crowds, He presented everyone with a choice. Would they follow Him or not? There’s no way to be half-in with Jesus. But for those who do truly believe that He is the Son of the living God, there is abundant life and restoration.
The same choice is before us all today. Will we trust that Jesus is who He says He is? Will we take His teaching seriously and live counter-culturally to the world? It won’t be easy, but it is absolutely worth it.
Prayer
Jesus, thank you that you are true. I pray that you would help me to faithfully live as a disciple of you, being marked by love and humility in all that I do. Amen.