Discovery: In vv.18-22, Jesus asks two questions of His disciples, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" and "What about you? Who do you say I am?" Jesus is not interested in doing some market research here. He is wanting to know if His disciples truly understand the meaning of following after Him. Even after Peter responds, "You are the Christ of God," Jesus goes on to tell them what that statement truly means.
He says that road to the cross is marked by three things: denying self, taking up the cross daily, and following Him. In vv.24-27, Jesus acknowledges that there are real temptations that would prevent us from following in His footsteps. The temptation to save one's life and to attempt to profit the world are real and tempting alternatives to the three-fold call to follow Him. Jesus warns however that there are real consequences to these choices and He ends our section by pointing to the promise of eternal life.
The simple answer to the question, "who is called to serve?" is this: anyone who chooses to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. The road to the cross is not easy and there are real temptations and challenges but the heart of serving is found in following His example.
Application: The question for us today is what is your faith marked by? Are you someone who is saving your life or are you someone who is losing it for Jesus and the gospel?
Is you life marked by vanity and success? These are just two ways in which we are holding on to our physical lives and striving to accumulate the "toys" of this world.
Is your life marked by immaturity and irresponsibility? These are two others ways in which we are trying to hold to a mirage of our lives being free from responsibility and duty and seeking to fill ourselves with the pleasures of this world.
Is your life marked by control and rigidity? We want to be in the driver's seat of our lives and thus it is difficult to allow Jesus to lead us and direct us in directions that we are unfamiliar with.
Ultimately we need to evaluate our lives through the three-fold call to follow after Him.
Is your life marked by the ways that you deny yourself and elevate Jesus and others?
Is your life marked by the ways that you take up the cross daily and strive to live your life in service to Jesus and to be His ambassador of grace to the world around you?
Is your life marked by the ways that you are following after Him? Does your day start by asking that God's will be done in your life rather than your own will?
Prayer: Lord, help me take a long look in the mirror so that I can truly see if I am following in your footsteps everyday. Help me get back to the basics of discipleship of starting each day asking that Your will would be done in me and through me.
