Deny and Carry Your Cross

What a pivotal passage this has been. We have been in chapter 16 for 3 weeks now. This is a chapter where we see the transition from Galilee to heading to the cross

Matthew 16:21–28 LEB

21 From that time on Jesus began to show 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 on the third day. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, God forbid, Lord! This will never happen to you!” 23 But he turned around and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a cause for stumbling to me, because you are not intent on the things of God, but the things of people!” 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life on account of me will find it. 26 For what will a person be benefited if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? Or what will a person give in exchange for his life? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and at that time he will reward each one according to what he has done. 28 Truly I say to you, that there are some of those standing here who will never experience death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Pray

Jesus has now shown to his Disciples that He is the Son of God and that the church will be built upon that declaration. But it is time for Him to start going to Jerusalem and suffer

This is not some inescapable hand of fate that had control of Jesus. Jesus could of said no at anytime. He prays for the cup to be passed. He could have escaped when Peter picks up the sword and cuts the roman solder ear off. But know this is something that Jesus was driven by the will of the Father

Jerusalem is the center of the Jewish world. As the city where He must offer Himself to his nation. He must offer the nation to make a decision. To receive or reject Him.

Peter refuses he hear this. Speaking for the group. The Messiah is not supposed to suffer and die. The Messiah is supposed to defeat the enemies and rid the enemy from amongst them. This is how it has always worked before and how it should work now.

It is interesting, and you will see this in the world, when God limits Himself we often see Him as weak or unable. But that isn’t true. Example Original sin entered the world for all. Jesus offers salvation some would say that Original Adam is more powerful, just because Jesus gives you the choice.

Look at the history of Jerusalem and the messiahs in the past: David, Cyrus, the judges, Maccabeus. Messiahs that lead the people to victory over the oppressors. But God is doing something different this time. With Jesus the ultimate Messiah, THE Christ.

Peter and the Disciples don’t understand that.

Jesus rebukes Peter harshly

Why because he was chasing man’s desires instead of the will of the Father, that Jesus Die, even though Peter didn’t understand.

Peter was presenting a stumbling block for Jesus

We don’t often think about Jesus having this kind of Temptation. Where He almost stumbles. But Jesus follows the will of the Father Then he turns to His disciples and says that anyone will wish to follow me he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Just like Jesus was doing right now.

Self-denial

When Jesus speaks of Self-denial it is way more radical than denying one self of something, like food or doing without alcohol. This kind of self-denial can be Good, deny your-self the whole bag of chips, deny your-self the CSI marathon.

But this kind of Denial is really about you. And only doing enough to get on “God’s good side” or defeat the next guy or feel better. Or possibly Going on a fast to grow closer to God. Still about you, not bad but about you.

Jesus is talking about that self denial that isn’t about you at all. It is about saying Yes to God

Adam said yes to his desires and no to the will of God. John calls this the Lust of eyes, lust of flesh and pride of Life

It is the God of Me

Yes to God is harder than just saying no to something. And we all know how hard that can be don’t we

Saying yes to God Starts by ABC

But it doesn’t end there as may wish it would

It’s about saying yes to God as our Lord Your will. Not mine but thine be done.

We live in a day and age where there are lots of things demanding your attention, Work, From your phone that gives you notification nonstop about all the things going on in your world. The TV that calls to us to Turn on The Phone that doesn’t stop, FB that allures us, in Information overload

We are never more connect to the rest of the world then we ever have been. And all of it fights for our attention

God isn’t like that Sometimes He does things to get your attention. But most of the time He just waits for us to decide to come to Him

What does saying yes to God look like, In this modern world?

It looks like going to God first instead of when we have time

Maybe in this time it looks like remembering our fear of God and prioritizing him first instead of all the things that Get in the way

From the time our alarm goes off to the time we fall asleep again Are we actively pursuing God and His guidance and his will

Billy Graham on taking up your Cross, “Is Christ the master of your Life? Have you put to death your own plans and committed yourself to His will four your life? Don’t be satisfied with anything less, for there is no greater joy in life than following Christ every day”.

Heard it described as music, All notes are good But following God is what will make the best music

Next Steps

Are you following Christ