Luke 9:18-27

Luke 9:18-27

For Christ and the disciples there is an unbreakable link between the confession and the cross. It is in the great confession that Jesus begins telling most directly about what will happen at Calvary. The conversation flows seamlessly from “the Christ of God” to “let him deny himself”. This is the hardest part of the Gospel. To deny oneself is not some special level of discipleship for a select few, it is the core of being a disciple.

Certainly the end of slavery in the western world has been a good thing, but with the loss of the institution we have lost an understanding of how completely one person could own another. The slave is completely the master’s, an extension of the master without rights, dreams, possessions and aspirations of his/her own. As disciples, we deny our rights, our dreams, our possessions, our aspirations and ourselves. We not only die to the world we die to ourselves. This complete self-denial is perhaps the most rare thing on earth. Paul describes it as being crucified with Christ, it is indeed rare.

How much of our lives revolve around the simple words, “I want”? We have tasted the innocent and sweet gifts of God, good things He gives for our benefit and blessing and having enjoyed them we have pursued them as our goal for life. No disciple can look at another to judge if the other disciple is denying self or living under the cross. However, we must all do that for ourselves everyday.

“Lord, help me take up my cross and die to myself. AMEN”