August 10, 2016
LOSING IT.
Luke 9:18–27
Lucina Thompson
Central Truth
Jesus, the Messiah, is calling us to identify with Him and give up our selfish will and way every day.
Key Verse | Luke 9:23–24
And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." (Luke 9:23-24)
Luke 9:18–27
Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ
18 Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” 20 Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”
Jesus Foretells His Death
21 And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”
Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”
Dive Deeper | Luke 9:18–27
I don't like pain. That's why it's hard to believe I've participated in a Tough Mudder. For those who don't know, Tough Mudder is a 12-mile endurance race that has 15 strength stations sprinkled in between the miles of running. It's dirty (obviously) and exhausting. So why would a 57-year-old woman do this? I did it because my daughter called and asked me to, and I'd do most anything for her.
Jesus is calling us to something too, only it's much bigger than a race. It involves a cross and following Him—both of which are hard for me to do! The cross of Christ involved physical as well as emotional and relational pain. Honestly, none of those sound like something I'd want to sign up for. But if I believe Jesus is the Messiah (and I do), then I'm automatically signed up already, cross and all.
So practically speaking, what does it look like to take up His cross? For me, it means getting my marching orders through reading His Word (shout out to The Journey) and listening to Him so I won't get stuck on ME and MY needs. It takes a conscious effort to STOP the "Me" cycle because I've come to realize I'm selfish! Yet, Jesus set the perfect example when He "did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. . . . [H]e humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross." (Philippians 2:6-8) Jesus set aside His equality, became empty, and in humble obedience, served to His death. That's quite a job description. He lost it all.
"Losing it" is typically not a good thing. We try to avoid losing our temper, our cool, or even our keys. But Jesus turns things in this world upside down. Here He shows us and calls us to lose our lives for His sake. Today, I pray—in whatever small way—I sacrifice my will and way and lose it all for Him.
Discussion Questions
1. Who do you say Jesus is? If you are not certain, read John 14:6 to see who He says He is. Then, turn to Romans 10:9 and make a confession so that you will be saved.
2. In what ways are you "taking up the cross" for Christ right now?
3. As you look back on your week, can you point to a time you denied yourself and humbly served someone else? Make those times a habit. If you can't recall an instance, then stop right now and ask the Lord to show you someone to serve today.