Who Do You Say I Am

OPENING PRAYER:

There is no greater love than yours, dear Jesus. Thank you for going to the cross for my sin.

READ: LUKE 9:18-27

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah

18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”

19 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”

20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”

Jesus Predicts His Death

21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. 22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

27 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

LUKE 9:18-27

REFLECT:

Imagine standing among the disciples as you read these verses. What would you say?

Perhaps you sometimes struggle with anticipating a big event. Maybe you get overly excited about a holiday or overwhelmed with worry before seeing the dentist? Here in this story, is a critical moment. Lots of people had different ideas about Jesus. But his focus was on his closest disciples. Who did they say he was? Peter gave the perfect answer: ‘God’s Messiah’ (v 20).

As soon as the disciples recognized that Jesus is, in fact, God’s chosen and anointed deliverer, he takes their training to another level. They had seen him teach, drive out demons, and heal diseases. But they needed to know that the Messiah did not come just to do miracles. We cannot have Christ without the cross. So, Jesus explained what would happen to him (v 22). Then he laid out the implications for them as his followers (vs 23-26). To follow Jesus meant to take up a cross and walk in his footsteps. They would want to protect themselves, but he wanted them to live for eternity. Eternity was breaking into their world, and some would soon get a glorious glimpse of this (v 27).

We can understand the disciples’ struggling. We also struggle with what Jesus was saying. But notice—Jesus knew what was going to happen to him, and he didn’t try to protect himself at all.

APPLY:

Where is God asking you to trust him, to keep your eyes on him as you live today?

I WILL STATEMENT:

I will have a political conversation this week where I demonstrate Jesus' love over my political positions.

CLOSING PRAYER:

Thank you, Jesus, for the privilege that is mine to tell others about you, about who you are, and what you have done.

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