“18 Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near Him, He asked them, ‘Who do the crowds say that I am?’ 19 They answered, ‘John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen. 20 Then Jesus said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered, ‘The Messiah of God’” Luke 9:18-20.
“22 And then in an acknowledgement of Peter’s response, 23 Jesus said to them all, ‘If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me’” Luke 9:22-23.
Jesus is looking for faith in Him from all of us. He is also looking for hope and love, especially love. Obviously faith, hope, and love are all tied in together, the greatest being love. The apostle Paul knew this to be true, as well when he wrote these words to the church in Corinth: “13 And now faith, hope, and love remain, these three, and the greatest of these is love” 1 Corinthians 13:13.
In the texts from Luke above Peter acknowledges exactly who Jesus is, the Savior of the world, the Messiah of God, the Christ! And Jesus, in response to this astounding revelation of Paul, tells us all what Jesus expects from all of us who know Jesus: that “if any wish to come after Me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me”
Luke 9:23 (see also Matthew 16:24 and Mark 8:34). We must live our live totally for the Lord, to the point of giving up all ambitions except to love Him and follow Him to our last breath. When Jesus picked up and carried His cross, He was following the will of His Father to the the Cross, a life that entailed giving up His personal wishes except for what God His Father in heaven was calling Him to do — for us!
So our knowledge of God matters to the extent that we pick up our own cross and deny ourselves and follow Christ each day. Notice the emphasis of doing this daily. Take time, then, today, and ask God to help you to deny yourself today, take up your cross today, and follow Him!
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
From the Bible:
“ I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” Galatians 2:20.
“And he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” 2 Corinthians 5:15.
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” 1 John 2:15.
“No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money”
Luke 16:13.
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