27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 30 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.
31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
Jesus asked His disciples who people thought He was. They told Him that some thought He was John the Baptist, others that He was Elijah, and others just a prophet. Jesus then asked them who they thought He was and Peter said, “You are the Christ.” Again Jesus tells them not to tell anyone. Even today people have different ideas about who Jesus is, but the only one that matters is the truth—Jesus is the Messiah, God as Man sent to save the world from their sins.
From this point on Jesus focussed on teaching the disciples and preparing them for His death and resurrection and their subsequent ministry. Peter didn’t want to hear the truth. Peter wasn’t interested in hearing about Jesus suffering and dying. Peter still thought they were going to rise up against Rome. He was following Jesus but still for His own purpose, not fully submitted to God’s way of doing things. Jesus points out that to follow Him is to deny yourself. To follow Jesus is to be prepared to die a death of humiliation (take up your cross). What does it help to preserve your way of life on earth only to lose it in eternity? What does it help to gain everything the world offers by living according to the world system only to lose out on the rewards eternity has to offer? Following Jesus has a significant cost in this life but comes with tremendous rewards in eternity. Are you thinking and acting with an eternal perspective or just the narrow perspective of your life on earth? (Psalm 90:12)