Rev. A. J. Ogden

Five thousand men, plus women and children, had just been feed by Jesus from five loaves and two fish. Afterwards, Jesus and His disciples take some time to go aside for prayer.

Jesus inquired of the disciples, “Whom say the people that I am?” (Lk 9:18)

The question was not for information because Jesus well knew the answer. But, in order to continue His disciplining them in the way of God, Jesus was leading to the big question. “Whom say ye that I am?” (Luke 9:20)

The group’s spokesman, Peter, answered Jesus, “The Christ of God.” You are “God’s Messiah.” The Christ or Christos, which means “the anointed one.” The Old Testament scriptures foretold the coming of the Messiah and the Jewish people anticipated the day of its fulfillment. Included in that anticipation was the hope of freedom from the cruel hand of the Roman government.

So, it was only natural for Jesus’ disciples to believe His Messiahship was leading them down the road to a victorious ending. They would be tempted to share their future expectations with the crowds. That in turn could create an uprising where the people would seek to, by force, ascend Jesus to the throne.

But that isn’t how things were going to end. Instead of a victor’s march, there would be a bloody ending on a crude, rugged cross. There would be confusion, tears, fear, dread, and hopelessness as the followers of Jesus would later retrace their footprints away from Mount Calvary.

Jesus told the disciples that He “must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes,and be slain, and be raised the third day” (vs. 22). Mark 8:34 then records Jesus as summoning the crowd along with His disciples and saying to them, “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” He was basically throwing out to them and to us the big question: “Are you ready to follow Jesus?”

Before answering the question,we must consider His demands. Count the cost of true discipleship before seeking entrance through the doorway to salvation.

Jesus said, first “Deny himself” (v. 23). Theologians tell us that deny is an aorist imperative which means a command for doing something in the future that is a simple action. Thus, anyone desiring to follow Jesus must up front understand that being His a disciple means self denial. That means that Jesus is first place in one’s entire life. To deny means just that, to disown, to deny utterly.

We brag in America about being a self-made people. Hard work, wise choices, and good planning are the key ingredients to success. Yes, these are important but only in the believer’s life to the degree that Jesus calls the shots.

Jesus also said that one seeking to follow Him must “take up his cross daily.”

Jesus knew where He was heading. He knew that physical death for the souls of lost humanity was in His pathway. Were they willing to do the same?

Jesus has finished the work at Calvary. He has been raised from the grave on the third day as He said He would. So what about the cross today? Is it a terrible sickness, or tragedy, or some other heartache? Not unless it comes as a direct consequence of serving Jesus. I believe it means for us that we will put self on the cross every day to die afresh to our desires and wishes.

Finally, Jesus said “Follow Me”. This, they tell us, is a present imperative, meaning a command to do something in the future and involves continuous or repeated actions. No turn coats needed in the army of the Lord.