The digital landscape isn’t a boundary—it’s a frontier that God already inhabits. At East Valley International Church, we embrace screens and servers not as obstacles, but as new waters where the Spirit stirs. From WiFi signals to instant messages, there’s room for grace to travel further and deeper than ever before.

AI and digital platforms aren’t substitutes for ministry—they’re multipliers. They give us fresh ways to carry our story into homes, headphones, and hearts across the world. Tradition, in our view, is a launching pad, not an anchor. Whether connection happens through a video stream, an emoji-filled group thread, or whispered text prayers sent in the midnight quiet, we ask God to make every digital moment a threshold for transformation.

The gospel has never been contained by walls or customs. Jesus turned expectations upside down, welcoming outsiders and delighting in the unexpected. Today, that same Spirit is breaking through bandwidth as readily as burning bushes—meeting seekers, equipping leaders, and awakening hope in creative, digital spaces. While the channels evolve, the core remains: God continues to reach people precisely where they are, and we’re committed to joining Him in those new and surprising places.

This Sunday, Pastor Joey Sampaga led us through Luke 9:18-27, “The Cost & Confession of Following Christ.” The urgency of this passage hasn’t diminished with time—if anything, it speaks more powerfully into our current moment. Today’s cultural Christianity often promises comfort without commitment, blessings without sacrifice, and a Savior who asks little more than occasional acknowledgment. Yet Jesus presents us with something far more costly and infinitely more valuable. His call to discipleship isn’t an invitation to add religious activities to our already-full schedules or to adopt a new set of beliefs alongside our existing values. Rather, it’s a summons to complete transformation—a fundamental reimagining of our priorities, possessions, and purpose. When we truly grasp what it means to follow Christ, we discover that He doesn’t merely want a portion of our lives; He calls us to surrender the throne entirely. This isn’t burdensome legalism but liberating truth: only when we lose our lives for His sake do we truly find them. The question isn’t whether we can afford such a commitment, but whether we can afford to ignore it.

Approximate reading time: 20-30 minutes.

Download the PDF to print at home (18 pages): “The Cost & Confession of Following Christ.”

[Click here] to read the full transcript of this sermon [Click again to close]

(Due to variable audio quality—including background noise, unclear speech, or recording issues—this transcription may contain errors or omissions not present in the original recording. For complete accuracy, please refer to the audio itself or consult with participants about any uncertainties in the text.)

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Good morning. Good morning. How’s everyone doing? Doing all right? Yes, thank you, . Everyone else is just here. I just wanted to echo what Liberty said. We are supporting the disaster relief So if you’d like to give extra on top of what the church is giving, feel free to. You can just note it on your envelope if you’d like. But just keep in mind that that’s over and above, well, it should be over and above your tithe, okay? Also, we’re supposed to have food trucks here afterward, but we postponed it because we didn’t know if it was going to rain or not. no food trucks today, sorry. And I want to ask you to continue to invite people, okay? And I notice that there are some, and I’m just gonna, speaking to the deacons here, I notice that there are some regular attenders who are not coming anymore, so if you could just check on them, I would appreciate that. I don’t know what’s going on with Brother John. Can we check on the Caneda’s as well? Okay, good, good.

Yeah, so let’s just make sure we’re staying in touch with our brethren to make sure that they’re all okay, right? That’s not just the job of just deacons, but it’s also the job of all of us, right? So let’s make sure we do that. Okay, last Sunday we studied the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 in Luke chapter 9, verses 7 to 17, and we saw his deep compassion that they have for everyone And how he not only met their physical needs, but he also met their spiritual needs and their spiritual hunger. So the disciples, they saw a problem. They said, Lord, how are we going to feed these 5,000 fish? These 5,000 people with two fish and five loaves of bread. And remember, he asked Philip. So Philip, what do you suggest we do? And you remember why he asked Philip? Because Philip lived there. So he kind of knew the ins and outs. And what did Jesus do? He says, okay, you all need to have faith.

Bring those two fish and those five loaves of bread. And then God looked up to heaven and he prayed to God and he multiplied the very little that they had to feed all 5,000. And you’ve got to remember that the disciples, they kind of were thinking, how is this even going to happen? Lord, let’s just send them home. They can eat and then come back. Well, at the end of them eating, how many baskets were left? There were 12. And he gave each one to the disciples to say, hey, don’t, you know, again, Jesus has a sense of humor and says, here, here’s extra. The giver of bread is the bread of life. He alone satisfies the deepest hunger of the human heart. So now, in our message today, we’re going to be in Luke, starting with verse 18. Dr. Luke continues the story. So the crowds are buzzing about Jesus’ miracle. Jesus’ name is getting out there. And so people are wanting to know who this guy is.

And so there are some people who are starting to gossip or assume who he is. Some are calling him a prophet. Some believe that he was John the Baptist who came back to life because John the Baptist was killed by King Herod. Remember, he was beheaded. Some even thought that he was Elijah. And even King Herod was… against that story or that backdrop that Jesus now turns to his disciples and asks the most important question any person will ever answer. And that question is, who do you say that I am? Who do you say that I am? This passage doesn’t just reveal who Jesus is, it also shows what it truly means to follow him. Let’s open the prayer. Lord God, Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word. Thank you that you not only call us to believe in you, but to follow in you. Lord, as we open these churches today, Lord, reveal to us and teach us what it really means to confess you as Lord and Savior and to live as your disciples, to live as your followers.

Lord God, help us to keep and obey you with all joy. Father, please bless everyone here. Open your eyes, your ears, your minds, your souls, and your hearts to receive your word today. Father, as always, I am behind your cross. Allow your words to speak through me clearly. And Lord, give me the wisdom and use me. Allow the Holy Spirit to fill me and use me to share your word with my mind. Father, we thank you, we love you, we praise you in Jesus’ name. Okay, we’re going to start with verse 18, Luke chapter 9. It says, Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, Who do the crowd say that I am? And they answered, John the Baptist, but others say Elijah, and others that one of the prophets of old has visited. Then he said to them, but who did you say that I am? And Peter answered, the Christ of God.

Now before this defining conversation, Luke notes that Jesus was praying. So notice that, I don’t want us just to skip this part. Notice that Jesus was praying. This is not just a throwaway detail. Every major moment in Jesus’ ministry and the choosing of the 12, even the cross. What did he do before all of that? He prayed. He prayed. So as he prays, he turns to the disciples and he begins with a certain question. Who do the crowds say that I am? And so, of course, they’re hearing the crowds, what they’re saying, and they answer honestly here. They say, some say that you’re John the Baptist, and others say you’re Elijah, and some say that you’re a medium of that God has risen. But then Jesus, then, he gets personal. But who do you say that I am? So that question still comes to the heart today. It’s not enough to know what others say about Jesus. It’s not enough to repeat what you’ve heard in church.

You have to answer that personally. You can’t ask the person next to you or your wife or your husband. You need to answer that person. Who do you say Jesus is in your life? Not your neighbor’s life or life, not your husband’s life, not your wife’s life, not your children’s life, but who is Jesus to you? And of course, believers, speak up. You’re the Christ of God. Peter speaks up. Now Matthew, he expands on this. He says, Simon Peter replied, you are the Christ, the son of the living God in Jesus Christ. Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. Peter just didn’t say what everyone else was saying. He didn’t say it because he learned it. He said it because what? Father, God, told him that directly. He revealed it to him. Right? Sometimes we just repeat what we learned from school or from Bible school or from Bible studies or from a sermon. You have to personally know that.

Okay? Peter, of course, he got it right. Jesus wasn’t just a prophet, he was the promised Messiah, the one that was prophesied in the Old Testament by the prophets. Yet even though Peter’s words were correct, his understanding, it still needed refining, right? And Jesus was about to clarify what the Messiah, what kind of Messiah he really was. Because Peter’s confession had set the stage for the major turning point in Jesus’ ministry. So up to now, the disciples had seen his miracles, they’d seen him casting out demons, and they’d heard his teachings. But they didn’t yet grasp the full cost of his mission. They didn’t know exactly why he was there to begin with. And that’s where Jesus takes them next. Look at verse 21. It says, And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and then be killed. And on the third day be raised.

After Peter’s confession, Jesus immediately warns them not to tell anyone. Why didn’t Jesus tell them? It’s because they still don’t understand the kind of Messiah he came to be. They expected a conquering king, someone who would overthrow Rome or any other factions or government that was ruling over them. But Jesus, he reveals himself. sin he reveals it to him even in Mark chapter 8 verse 31 he says and he began to teach him 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 so he’s teaching him and the word the key word here is must they must suffer that he must suffer right the son of man must die Now, this wasn’t a mistake. It wasn’t plan B, either. It was a divine necessity of redemption. It had to happen. God planned it from the very beginning. And when Peter hears this in Matthew’s account, he tries to correct Jesus.

Of course, you know Peter being the bold and the brave one. Matthew chapter 16, verse 22 to 23. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. Can you imagine Peter pulling aside the Savior, Jesus, and saying, Lord, far be it from you, Lord, this shall never happen to you. What did Jesus do then? He said this. But he turned and said to Peter, get behind me, Satan. You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man. Right now, Peter wasn’t doing anything malicious. He just told God, or told Jesus, he said, Jesus, come over here. As long as I’m around, they’re not going to touch you, is basically what he said. And then later on, we find out that he betrays them, or he denies them three times. Jesus even told them, Peter, come over here. I know you mean well, but guess what? You are going to deny me three times before the rooster crows.

What does he do? Jesus is taken, and someone by the fire, a serving girl says, weren’t you the one with Jesus? What does Peter say? Three times. No, that wasn’t me. Everybody has a beard around here. You must have got me confused. He says it three times, and And he realized that what Jesus predicted or said was going to happen, happened. So Peter, he couldn’t imagine a suffering service. But Jesus makes it clear the cross comes before the crown. The cross comes before the crown. The suffering has to come first. Those who will put their faith and trust in me will be saved. Those who are written in the book of life will be saved. Those who were chosen from the beginning of time will be saved. Those who will put their faith and make the decision to put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ will be saved. Without him dying on that cross and being raised on the third day, none of that would happen in the past, present, and future. It’s only because of what God did for us.

He sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins. Now, after revealing his mission, Jesus now explains what it means for those who follow him. He says that you need to follow him, you need to carry your own cross. Now, if he’s going to carry a cross, his disciples must be ready to carry one too. Are you a disciple of Christ? So not only was he talking to them, he was talking to us, his disciples. So look at verse 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. For whoever would save his life, he loses. For whoever loses his life, my Satan saves. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? today for whoever is ashamed of me of my words of him will the son of man be ashamed when he comes and gives glory and the glory of the father and of the holy names so Jesus he turns from the twelve he’s talking to his four apostles and then Matthew turns to the crowd

This isn’t a private message for just the elite few. It’s a public call to anyone who would follow Jesus, who would follow him. He lays it out in this passage. Three commands. First one is deny yourself. To deny yourself means to say no to the rule of self and yes to the rule of Christ. The world says follow your heart’s Do what the heart says. Do what, where, go where your heart tells you to go. Jesus says, surrender your heart. You know, one of the first sermons I did when I came back here was the heart was wicked. The heart was wicked. Do not follow your heart. You know, you see that a lot in Disney movies and cartoons because they’re trying to program your children. Program us from when we were children. Follow your heart. where your heart is wicked, your heart is deceit. We need to know in our mind and our brain what the correct thing is to do.

When our hearts tell us to do one thing, we need to look to God and say, what does God tell us to do? Because if we followed our hearts, none of us here would be as married as you are. Or we get married multiple, multiple, multiple times, but we decide to follow our hearts. Or we follow our heart, we follow homosexuality. Or killing our babies because we’re protecting the mother’s rights. Because we’re following our hearts. All of that is deceitful. We can’t follow our hearts. We have to deny ourselves. The second thing is take up your cross daily. Not just the first time that you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior, but daily. In the Roman world, crosses were not jewelry. It was an instrument of death. You know, there are a lot of people wearing crosses, wearing t-shirts with crosses, but they don’t really, not all of them understand what it truly means. Why are you wearing that? Oh, because it’s cool. Because, you know, I’m a Christian. but they truly understand what that means.

If it wasn’t for the cross, and Jesus dying on the cross, we would all be destined for death. So in the Roman world, the cross was an instrument of death. Jesus is saying, be willing to die to yourself every single day. It’s not a one-time decision. It’s a daily surrender. Every single day, we have to say no to our ambitions and our desires. The only desire that we ought to be following is the desires that have places in our hearts as they start to transform us. The things that I used to love, I no longer love, I hate. I used to love cursing all the time. Every other word would be an F word for me. But now just hearing the F word, it drives me crazy. Because God is transforming and changing me. Right? Bible studies and thinking of going to church and singing Christian songs, that was boring to me. I hated it. But now I love it. Because God changes me. So you have deny yourself, take up your cross daily, surrender daily. The next thing is follow me. Follow me.

This is the ongoing act of obedience. Step by step, trusting where he leads. Sometimes he’ll lead us in places that we don’t feel comfortable. Sometimes he’ll lead us to go out and join the evangelism team on Friday nights and go share the gospel. That’s uncomfortable. Sometimes he leads us to share… the gospel with a servant or a server in a restaurant. Sometimes they’ll lead us to change the channel of something that’s sexual or horrific or violence. Our desires are, oh, I want to watch that. So now Mark, he records it in this way, Mark 8, verse 34 to 35, I’m calling in crowds to you, come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake in the gospel will save it. And then Matthew adds this in chapter 16 in Matthew, verse 26. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

So Jesus is saying that discipleship isn’t about convenience. It’s about commitment. Following him means giving up control, surrendering your ambitions, and trusting that whatever you lose for his sake, that he will replace those ambitions with something far greater. And Jesus has a sober warning in verse 26 in our passage. He says, For whoever is ashamed of me, of my words, of him, will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes and gives glory. So that’s the heart of who’s, or let me ask you, what is the heart of who’s ashamed of whom? So if we are ashamed of Jesus now, we will be ashamed before him later. He is going to be ashamed of us because we were ashamed of him. We have to stand boldly for him today, and we will share in his glory tomorrow. We should not be ashamed of the gospel. We should not be ashamed of Jesus. That’s an ongoing battle. Don’t mention Jesus here. And that’s a tough one, isn’t it? If your job tells you, I’m sorry, but you can’t share Jesus with me, are you willing to lose your job?

That’s a hard one. And I’m not even going to answer that for you because I’m sure you know what the answer is. I’m not encouraging you to do one or the other. That’s going to be between you and Christ. I don’t even shame to someone calling you a Bible believer or calling you a religious freak. And then look at verse 27. And I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God. So this verse, it points forward to what we’re going to preach on next week, the transfiguration. So within a week, or next week, Peter, James, and John will see Jesus’ transfigured body in radiant glory. They’re going to see such a bright body, they’re going to see Jesus, and then they’re going to even hear God speaking, and they’re going to find out what happens in that time. So they’re going to witness this with their own eyes, that the suffering Savior is also the sovereign King.

So they see this, Jesus told them, I’m going to die and I’m going to suffer, and then three days later I’m going to be raised from the grave. And I’m going to be in heaven with my heavenly father. And I’m going to come again to tell the living and the dead. But they truly didn’t understand that because they didn’t know what was coming up. See, we have the luxury of knowing what happened in the past. We get to look back at it. And we get to say, well, why was Peter acting like this? Why did he deny him three times? Why did Thomas doubt him and didn’t think that he came back? See, it’s easy for us to say that now. But if we were there back then, do you think we’d be like Peter or Thomas or anyone who doubted Jesus? It’s easy for us to say, oh, those guys are dumb. You know, look at the Old Testament. Oh, look at the Jews. They saw all these miracles. They saw the pillar of fire. They saw the ten plagues.

They saw the sea, the Red Sea split in half when you walked through it. But then they still had doubts, didn’t they? Again, it’s easy for us to say, those guys are dumb. But how do you think you would actually do that? Right? Who was it? Elijah, who called fire down from heaven? Actually, well, of course, he prayed. He prayed, and he asked God to send fire down to prove that he was the only God. And he said, oh, water all over the place. And he called it down, and it still burned, right? And then after that, just a few days later, he started to run and cry and be so scared of Jezebel chasing after him. After he saw what God did to those people, And then now he’s running like a chicken? I’m just wondering how he failed. If Muslims took over the United States, or if we were visiting, let’s say Israel, and the Muslim or Islam or whoever came, or ISIS, Would you use your faith to save the lion? What would you say? Jesus is king. Jesus is Lord. I wonder, I wonder for myself as well, I’d like to think that I would say, just kill me now.

It’s easy for us to say, okay, kill me now. How about if they had your family? your child or your wife or husband, and said, you denounce it or I’m going to kill them right now. I know, I’m sorry for being very violent today. But I’m just trying to prove a point. Not prove a point, but just throw it out. Would you deny your faith? You’re going to kill your faith. In front of you. Something to think about. So, this whole passage here does connect to the gospel. And like all passages do. This passage, it actually captures the heart of Christianity. Whenever I’m preaching, you need to see the gospel in every single verse and every single passage. The verse asks, who is Jesus? Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God. You know that. What did he come here to do? What did Jesus say he had to do? He had to suffer. He had to die. He had to rise again. That’s the heart of the gospel right there. What does he call us to do? To deny ourselves, to take up our cross and follow him, to be obedient to what he’s asking us to do.

The gospel isn’t about some self-improvement. It’s about self-surrender. It’s not about loving ourselves more or living our best lives now. It’s about loving Christ above all and giving him our whole lives. Jesus didn’t call us to admire him you know, or self-esteem. The gospel is not about becoming a better version of ourselves. It’s about becoming a new creation in Christ. The gospel doesn’t promise that following Jesus will make life easier. But he will be worth it in the end. It doesn’t promise earthly crowns, but it promises a heavenly one. It doesn’t promise that we will be applauded, but that Christ will never abandon us. It doesn’t promise that we will be filled or lifted up in this world, but that we will be lifted up in glory. Scripture never tells us to believe in ourselves, chase our dreams, or speak our destiny. It doesn’t teach that. Instead, it calls us to deny ourselves and to trust in God’s will and pick up that cross, pick up our cross.

And this is where the true gospel stands in sharp contrast with many messages preached today in these false churches and these pulpits that are built so that they can share heresy. Just because they call themselves a church and a Christian pastor, depending on what’s coming out of their mouth is what’s going to prove whether they’re a true Christian or not. And this is where the true gospel stands on its own. Where our culture, and sadly even parts of the modern churches today, often offer a different Jesus, a different gospel, and a different path. A Jesus who exists to make us successful. A gospel that promises health, wealth, and prosperity and status. A discipleship that requires no repentance, no holiness, and no self-denial. That’s what these false churches teach. But unfortunately, those false churches are the ones that are filled to the brim. Those are the churches with thousands of people Those are the churches that have money to open up other churches. Our church remains this size. I know the Lord may grow it if he decides to, but the message that I preach that comes from the Bible is not popular.

It’s not popular. To say you’re going to hell if you don’t put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, that’s not popular. Jesus, in Scripture, he says the opposite of what these false churches are teaching. If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. So the true gospel calls us not to comfort, but to commitment. Not to indulgence, but to obedience. Not to self-exaltation, but to Christ’s exaltation. The false gospel makes man the center. The true gospel makes Christ the center. The false gospel puts God at our service. The true gospel calls us to serve God. Oh, I’m gonna serve, I’m gonna start a ministry so I can help God. We can’t help God. God doesn’t need our help. We’re called to serve him by serving others. Right? So the false gospel says, have more of the world now. Enjoy your life. But the true gospel says, set your mind on things of above.

And here is the beautiful truth that remains. What Christ calls us to give up is nothing compared to what he gives in return. We surrender temporary pleasures to gain eternal joy. We lay down an earthly life to receive a heavenly one. We lose what we cannot keep to gain what we can never lose. He gave his life for all of us. Not 10%, 50%, or 90% of himself, but 100%. He didn’t just, he gave his life, not for a Sunday morning, not a handful of religious activities. His very life, his blood, his suffering, his righteousness, he gave up everything for us. He died for us. He shed his blood for us. He suffered for us. And he gave his righteousness to us. Therefore, He lovingly calls us to give our all for Him. Our hearts, our loyalty, our priorities, our obedience, our identity, and our future. So the question that remains today is not simply Only there. So, I’d like to close with this benediction. May the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the true Christ, the Son of the living God, strengthen your heart to follow him wherever he leads.

May the Holy Spirit empower you to deny yourself, take up your cross daily, May your confidence be rooted not in your own strength, but in his finished work on the cross. May your life boldly declare that Jesus is worth more than the world and greater than anything it offers. And may the grace of Christ, the love of the Father, and the fellowship of the Spirit keep you unashamed, unshaken. Go in the power of the risen King. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Whenever I say that, I feel like doing this. Because of my cat boy. But we don’t need to do that anymore. Right? Thank you for revealing who you truly are, the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior, the Son of the Living God. Help us not only to believe in you, but to follow you with our entire hearts, our whole hearts. Teach us to deny ourselves, take up our prostitutes and walk in the Lord with us, in the beings together. Lord God, give us courage to stand unashamed of you and strength to trust you until the day we see your glory face to face.

Father, give us that boldness. Give us the tenacity to be the ambassadors for you. And Lord, if there’s someone here today who still has not truly put their faith and trust in you, Lord, I pray that Draw them to yourself. Soften their hearts. So that when they hear the gospel, they respond in faith and repentance. Lord, thank you for your love, your grace, and your mercy. I ask that you bless each person here. That you save those who are not saved. to you, through your power in Christ. Father, we love you, we praise you, and in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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The Cost & Confession of Following Christ: A Bible Study and Sermon on Luke 9:18-27

Introduction: A Pivotal Moment

There are certain moments in life when everything changes—when a question is asked that forces us to make a decision, to declare where we stand, to count the cost of what we claim to believe. Luke 9:18-27 records one such moment in the lives of Jesus’ disciples. It is a hinge point in Luke’s Gospel, a watershed moment when Jesus turns the disciples’ attention from the miracles they’ve witnessed to the mission they must embrace, from the power they’ve seen demonstrated to the price they must pay.

This passage comes at the midpoint of Jesus’ ministry. The crowds have been following Him, pressing in to see miracles, to hear His teaching, to experience His power. The disciples have been with Him, watching in wonder as He calms storms, heals the sick, casts out demons, and even raises the dead. They’ve seen Him feed five thousand people with a boy’s lunch. They’ve been eyewitnesses to the undeniable reality that this man is no ordinary rabbi.

But now, in a quiet moment away from the crowds, Jesus asks a question that will pierce to the very heart of discipleship. He asks not about His miracles, not about His teaching, but about His identity. And then, having secured Peter’s magnificent confession, Jesus does something that must have shocked His followers: He begins to speak of suffering, rejection, and death. He speaks not only of His own cross but of theirs. The cost of following Christ is laid bare, and the terms of discipleship are made unmistakably clear.

This passage is as relevant today as it was two thousand years ago. In our age of easy-believism, prosperity gospel, and Christianity-lite, we desperately need to hear Jesus’ words about counting the cost. We need to reckon honestly with what it means to confess Christ as Lord. We need to understand that authentic Christianity is not a minor addition to our lives but a radical reorientation of everything we are and everything we have.

The Setting: Prayer and Solitude (Luke 9:18a)

Luke tells us, “Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them…” This detail is not incidental. Luke, more than any other Gospel writer, emphasizes Jesus’ prayer life. Throughout his Gospel, Luke shows us Jesus praying at critical moments: at His baptism, before choosing the twelve apostles, in Gethsemane, and on the cross.

Here, Jesus is praying in private—literally, “praying alone”—yet His disciples are with Him. There’s a beautiful intimacy captured in this scene. Jesus isn’t performing for the crowds or teaching the masses. He’s in that sacred space of communion with the Father, and the disciples are near enough to witness it, to share in that holy moment.

Prayer precedes the pivotal question Jesus is about to ask. Before He inquires about His identity in the disciples’ minds, He communes with the Father about His identity and mission. This teaches us something profound: the most important conversations, the most significant decisions, the moments when we must declare our allegiance—these should be bathed in prayer. Jesus models for us that clarity about His identity comes first through communion with God, then through confession by His followers.

We also notice that this moment occurs away from the crowds. The multitudes have been pressing in, seeking miracles and marvels. But this conversation requires distance from the crowd’s influence. Sometimes the most important spiritual questions cannot be answered in the noise and pressure of popular opinion. They require solitude, reflection, and honest examination of our hearts.

The Question About Public Opinion (Luke 9:18b-19)

Jesus asks His disciples, “Who do the crowds say I am?” This is not a question born of insecurity or a need for affirmation. Jesus knows exactly who He is. Rather, this is a teaching moment, a diagnostic question to help the disciples understand the spiritual landscape around them.

The disciples respond with the current theories circulating among the people: “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”

These answers are fascinating because they’re all complimentary yet all wrong. Each theory recognizes that Jesus is extraordinary, that He operates with prophetic authority and power. John the Baptist had been recently executed, and some wondered if his spirit had returned in Jesus. Elijah was expected to return before the Messiah came (Malachi 4:5). The idea that one of the ancient prophets had been resurrected honored Jesus with historical greatness.

But all these theories miss the mark. They acknowledge Jesus as significant but not as supreme. They place Him in the category of prophet, however great, but not as the Son of God. They see Him as a messenger but not as the Message itself, as a pointer to God but not as God in flesh.

This is crucially important for us to grasp: it’s possible to hold a high view of Jesus while still holding a wrong view of Jesus. Our culture is filled with people who admire Jesus as a great teacher, a moral exemplar, a revolutionary figure, or an enlightened spiritual guide—but who stop short of worshiping Him as Lord and God. C.S. Lewis famously argued that such a position is untenable: Jesus claimed to be God, so He’s either telling the truth (making Him Lord), lying (making Him a deceiver), or deluded (making Him a lunatic). The one thing we cannot rationally do is patronize Him as merely a great moral teacher while denying His divine claims.

The crowd’s opinions about Jesus were diverse, well-meaning, and completely inadequate. Public opinion, even when favorable, is an unreliable guide to truth. Crowds are fickle. These same multitudes who called Jesus a prophet would soon cry “Crucify Him!” The voice of popular culture, the consensus of the masses, the trending opinion of the moment—none of these can answer the question Jesus is about to ask.

The Question About Personal Conviction (Luke 9:20)

Then Jesus asks the question that matters: “But what about you? Who do you say I am?”

Notice the shift. The first question was about “the crowds”—those out there, the masses, public opinion. This question is about “you”—personal, direct, unavoidable. It’s the difference between discussing theology in abstract terms and making a personal declaration of faith. It’s the difference between knowing what Christianity teaches and personally confessing Christ as your Lord.

The Greek emphasizes the contrast: “But you—who do you say that I am?” Jesus isn’t interested in secondhand reports or borrowed opinions. He wants personal conviction, individual commitment, direct confession.

This question echoes across the centuries and lands on each of us today. Jesus asks every person, in every generation, in every culture: “Who do you say I am?” Not who does your church say I am, not who does your family tradition say I am, not who does your pastor or your favorite author say I am—who do you say I am?

This is the most important question you will ever answer. Your eternal destiny hangs on your response. Your daily decisions flow from your answer. Your priorities, your values, your use of time and money and energy—all are determined by who you believe Jesus to be.

Peter, always quick to speak, answers for the group: “God’s Messiah.”

In three words—two in Greek (ton Christon tou Theou)—Peter captures the truth that prophets longed to see, that angels desired to understand, that all of Scripture pointed toward. Jesus is the Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah) of God (sent by God, empowered by God, the very revelation of God).

Matthew’s account of this moment (Matthew 16:16) records Peter’s confession more fully: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Mark’s account (Mark 8:29) has Peter saying simply, “You are the Messiah.” Luke’s version, “God’s Messiah,” combines the authority of the title (Messiah/Christ) with the divine origin (of God).

This is the correct answer. This is the confession that separates true disciples from curious crowds. This is the declaration that the church is built upon—not on Peter himself, but on the truth of Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

But notice what happens next. Jesus doesn’t congratulate Peter and move on. He doesn’t end the conversation with this glorious confession. Instead, He immediately begins to redefine what it means for Him to be the Messiah, and what it will cost to follow Him.

The Command to Silence (Luke 9:21)

“Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone.”

This seems strange, doesn’t it? Peter has just made the confession of all confessions, declared the truth that the church will be built upon—and Jesus tells them to keep quiet about it? This is what scholars call the “messianic secret” in the Gospels, particularly prominent in Mark but present in all the synoptics.

Why would Jesus command silence? Several reasons converge here:

First, the people’s understanding of “Messiah” was deeply flawed. They expected a military deliverer who would overthrow Rome, restore Israel’s political independence, and establish an earthly kingdom of power and glory. If Jesus was proclaimed as Messiah with this popular misunderstanding, the crowds would try to force Him into a role He had not come to fulfill. John 6:15 tells us that after the feeding of the five thousand, the crowd wanted to make Jesus king by force. Their concept of messiahship was political and nationalist, not spiritual and sacrificial.

Second, the time was not yet right. Jesus had a divinely appointed schedule—”My hour has not yet come” is a recurring theme in John’s Gospel. Premature proclamation of His messiahship would trigger premature confrontation with the religious authorities, potentially disrupting the divine timetable.

Third, and most importantly, Jesus needed to redefine messiahship for His disciples before they proclaimed it to others. They had to understand that the path to glory led through suffering, that the crown came after the cross, that the Messiah must be rejected before He could be exalted. Without this crucial understanding, their proclamation would be as misguided as the crowd’s expectations.

You cannot properly confess Christ as Messiah until you understand what kind of Messiah He is. You cannot call Him Lord until you’re willing to follow where He leads. The confession must be informed by the cost, or it becomes merely empty words.

The Prediction of Suffering (Luke 9:22)

Now comes the shocking revelation: “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

This is the first of three passion predictions in Luke’s Gospel (see also Luke 9:44 and 18:31-33). Each time Jesus speaks of His coming suffering, the disciples struggle to understand or accept it. Here, immediately after Peter’s glorious confession, Jesus speaks of suffering, rejection, death—and resurrection.

Notice the word “must”—it’s the Greek word dei, indicating divine necessity. This isn’t Plan B, not a tragic turn of events, not a contingency if things go wrong. This is the plan. The Son of Man must suffer. It’s necessary, required, predetermined by divine purpose.

Jesus uses His favorite self-designation here: “the Son of Man.” This title comes from Daniel 7:13-14, where one “like a son of man” comes with the clouds of heaven and is given eternal dominion and kingdom. It’s a title of both humility (emphasizing Jesus’ identification with humanity) and glory (pointing to His divine authority). But Jesus fills this title with unexpected content—the glorious Son of Man must suffer.

Look at the progression Jesus describes:

Suffer many things – Not just death, but sustained suffering. The Greek suggests being rejected as worthless, treated with contempt, experiencing pain and humiliation.

Be rejected – The word means to be examined and found wanting, to be disqualified after scrutiny. Jesus would be put on trial and declared unworthy by the very religious leaders who should have recognized Him.

By the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law – Jesus specifically names the groups that composed the Sanhedrin, the ruling religious council. The establishment, the religious elite, those most steeped in Scripture and tradition—they would reject Him. It wasn’t the ignorant masses but the educated leadership that would condemn the Messiah.

Be killed – Not die naturally, not simply depart—be killed, murdered, executed. Jesus is predicting His crucifixion, though He doesn’t yet specify the method.

On the third day be raised to life – Death is not the end. Suffering is not the final word. Jesus speaks of resurrection, of vindication, of triumph over death. But notice: the resurrection comes after the suffering, not instead of it. The path to resurrection runs through death.

This would have been incomprehensible to the disciples. Messiah and suffering were contradictory concepts in their minds. How could God’s Anointed One be rejected by God’s appointed leaders? How could the kingdom be established through death rather than military victory? This made no sense in their theological framework.

But Jesus is revealing the heart of the gospel: salvation comes through substitutionary sacrifice. The Messiah must die not as a martyr to a cause but as a substitute for sinners. Isaiah 53 had predicted this—the suffering servant who would be pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, whose punishment would bring us peace. But these prophecies had been overlooked or spiritualized away because they didn’t fit the triumphalist expectations.

The Cost of Discipleship (Luke 9:23)

Having spoken of His own coming suffering, Jesus now turns to the implications for His followers: “Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.'”

Notice that Jesus addresses “them all”—not just the inner circle of Peter, James, and John, not just the twelve apostles, but all who would follow Him. These are the universal terms of discipleship, the non-negotiable requirements for anyone who claims to be His follower.

Jesus presents three requirements for discipleship:

1. Deny Themselves

The Greek word for “deny” (arneomai) is strong—it means to disown, to say no to, to refuse to acknowledge. Peter would later use this same word when he denied Christ three times: “I don’t know the man!” Here, Jesus calls us to deny not Christ but ourselves—to disown our own agendas, to refuse to acknowledge self as the center of our universe, to say no to self-rule and self-worship.

Self-denial is not the same as self-improvement or self-discipline. It’s not about becoming a better version of yourself. It’s about dethroning self altogether. It’s recognizing that “I” am not the point, my comfort is not the goal, my preferences are not the priority. As John the Baptist said of Jesus, “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30).

Our culture screams the opposite message: Assert yourself! Express yourself! Be true to yourself! Find yourself! Follow your heart! Jesus says: Deny yourself. Die to yourself. Lose yourself in Me.

This is radical, countercultural, and absolutely essential. You cannot follow Christ while making yourself the functional god of your life. You cannot confess Him as Lord while insisting on your own lordship. Self-denial is the first step of discipleship because it clears the throne for the rightful King.

2. Take Up Their Cross Daily

In Jesus’ day, there was only one thing a cross meant: execution. The cross was Rome’s instrument of capital punishment, reserved for slaves, rebels, and the worst criminals. It was designed not just to kill but to humiliate, to torture, to make a public spectacle of the condemned.

When someone was condemned to crucifixion, they were forced to carry their own cross—or at least the crossbeam—through the streets to the place of execution. It was a death march, a parade of shame. Everyone who saw someone carrying a cross knew: this person is finished. They’re walking to their death. Their old life is over.

This is the vivid, visceral image Jesus uses for discipleship. Take up your cross—not someone else’s, but yours. Not occasionally, but daily. Walk the path of death to self. Embrace the shame, the suffering, the sacrifice that comes with following Me.

Notice Jesus says “daily.” This isn’t a one-time decision but a daily dying. Every morning we wake up, self reasserts its claims. Every day we must choose afresh to take up the cross, to embrace the way of death that leads to life.

Luke’s Gospel is unique in including “daily” here (Matthew and Mark record this teaching without “daily” in their versions of this conversation, though they include similar teachings elsewhere). Luke emphasizes that cross-bearing is not a dramatic one-time event but a daily discipline, a lifestyle, a continual choice.

What does this look like practically? It means daily choosing God’s will over our preferences. It means embracing suffering for Christ’s sake rather than avoiding all discomfort. It means being willing to lose reputation, opportunity, comfort, or even life itself for the sake of the gospel. It means living as those who have already died—we’re walking to our execution, so what do we have to lose?

3. Follow Me

After self-denial and cross-bearing comes the positive action: follow Me. The Greek word (akoloutheo) means to accompany, to go along with, to be a disciple of. It implies continuous action—keep following, stay on the path, don’t turn back.

Following Jesus is not a spectator sport. It’s not admiring Him from a distance, not studying Him academically, not appreciating His teachings theoretically. It’s following where He goes, doing what He does, embracing what He embraces, suffering what He suffers.

Jesus had already told His disciples, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21). His mission becomes our mission. His path becomes our path. Where He leads, we follow—even when the path leads through suffering, rejection, and death.

But notice: we follow Him, not a set of rules or principles. Christianity is not primarily about a code of conduct but about a personal relationship with Christ. We follow a Person, walk with a Savior, submit to a Lord. This makes all the difference. Rules can be burdensome and cold; relationship with Christ, even when costly, is joy.

The Paradox of Life and Death (Luke 9:24-25)

Jesus now explains why these costly demands are actually the path to true life: “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?”

This is one of the great paradoxes of the gospel, repeated in all four Gospels—Jesus clearly considered it crucial. It’s the upside-down logic of the kingdom: the way to save your life is to lose it; the way to lose your life is to try to save it.

The word “life” here is psyche in Greek, which can mean physical life, but also soul, self, the inner person. Jesus is speaking about more than just physical survival—He’s talking about the entirety of who we are, our true self, our eternal soul.

The First Principle: Saving Life Leads to Losing It

“Whoever wants to save their life will lose it.” What does it mean to try to save your life? It means:

• Living for self-preservation, self-protection, self-promotion
• Avoiding risk, discomfort, or sacrifice
• Hoarding resources, time, and energy for yourself
• Making security, comfort, and pleasure your primary goals
• Refusing to surrender control of your life to Christ
• Building your kingdom rather than seeking God’s kingdom

This seems like wisdom by worldly standards. Protect yourself. Look out for number one. Don’t take unnecessary risks. Guard what you have. This is the natural, self-preserving instinct built into every human being.

But Jesus says this path leads to loss. You’ll lose what you’re trying so desperately to save. You’ll gain the whole world—perhaps—but forfeit your very self. You’ll win temporal success but lose eternal life. You’ll preserve your physical existence but lose your soul.

History is littered with people who gained everything the world offers—wealth, power, fame, pleasure—yet lost themselves in the process. They climbed the ladder of success only to discover it was leaning against the wrong wall. They won the world but forfeited their souls.

Jesus asks the piercing question: “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?” What’s the exchange rate between your soul and the world? If you could have everything—every pleasure, every possession, every achievement—but lose your eternal soul, would it be worth it? The implied answer is obvious: nothing is worth losing your soul over.

The Second Principle: Losing Life Leads to Saving It

“But whoever loses their life for me will save it.” This is the path of discipleship Jesus has just outlined—deny self, take up the cross, follow Him. It’s losing your life, surrendering control, dying to self. And Jesus promises this is actually the path to saving your life, to finding your true self, to gaining eternal life.

What does it mean to lose your life for Jesus? It means:

• Making Him Lord rather than making yourself lord
• Prioritizing His kingdom over your comfort
• Spending yourself in service rather than hoarding for yourself
• Embracing sacrifice for the sake of the gospel
• Being willing to suffer loss, rejection, even death for Christ’s sake
• Finding your identity in Him rather than in your achievements, possessions, or reputation

This seems like foolishness by worldly standards. Why would you throw away your life? Why embrace suffering? Why surrender control? But Jesus promises this is actually the path to life—real life, abundant life, eternal life.

The paradox is that in losing ourselves in Christ, we find our true selves. In dying to our own agendas, we discover God’s better purpose for us. In surrendering control, we find freedom. In serving rather than being served, we find fulfillment. In giving ourselves away, we receive immeasurably more than we sacrificed.

Jesus Himself is the supreme example of this principle. He laid down His life and received it back in resurrection glory. He humbled Himself to death on a cross and was therefore exalted to the highest place (Philippians 2:8-9). He saved others by not saving Himself. His apparent defeat was actually victory; His death was the means to life for millions.

The Warning About Shame (Luke 9:26)

Jesus continues with a sobering warning: “Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”

The word “ashamed” (epaischynomai) means to be embarrassed by, to be unwilling to acknowledge, to deny association with. Jesus is describing those who are secret disciples, closet Christians, people who believe privately but won’t confess publicly because they’re embarrassed by Christ or His teachings.

This happens in countless ways:

• The teenager who prays at home but won’t bow her head in the school cafeteria because she doesn’t want to look weird
• The businessman who attends church on Sunday but laughs along with crude jokes on Monday and never mentions his faith to colleagues
• The college student who believes the Bible but keeps quiet in class when the professor mocks Christianity because he doesn’t want to seem intolerant or uneducated
• The person who mentally agrees with Christian doctrine but won’t publicly identify as a Christian because of social cost
• The believer who edits their social media to hide their faith, who waters down their convictions to fit in, who chooses cultural acceptance over Christian confession

Jesus says that if we’re ashamed of Him now, He will be ashamed of us then. The “then” refers to His second coming—”when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” This is the scene of final judgment, when Christ returns not in humiliation but in glory, not to die but to judge, not accompanied by a ragtag band of disciples but by the angelic hosts of heaven.

At that moment, the opinions of your coworkers won’t matter. The approval of your peers will be irrelevant. The cultural consensus will be meaningless. The only opinion that will matter is Christ’s. And Jesus says that if you were ashamed to acknowledge Him before others, He will be ashamed to acknowledge you before the Father.

This is not a minor issue. Paul writes in Romans 10:9-10, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Public confession is not an optional extra for super-committed Christians; it’s part of what it means to be saved.

Why does Jesus tie confession to salvation so tightly? Because genuine faith cannot remain hidden. If you truly believe Jesus is Lord, if you’ve genuinely experienced His saving grace, if the Holy Spirit truly dwells in you—this will come out. It will affect how you speak, what you value, how you spend your time and money. A faith that can be kept completely private and hidden is not biblical faith; it’s intellectual assent without life transformation.

But there’s also a positive implication here. Jesus speaks of coming “in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” If He will be ashamed of those who were ashamed of Him, the reverse is also true: He will acknowledge and honor those who acknowledged and honored Him. Those who confessed Christ despite the cost will be confessed by Christ before the Father. Those who bore shame for His name will share in His glory.

The momentary shame we might experience for confessing Christ—the awkwardness, the social cost, the ridicule—will seem like nothing compared to the eternal glory we’ll share when He returns. Paul writes, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

The Assurance About the Kingdom (Luke 9:27)

Jesus concludes with an intriguing promise: “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

The phrase “truly I tell you” (or “verily, verily” in the KJV) translates the Greek amen legō hymin, Jesus’ characteristic way of introducing statements of particular importance. He’s about to say something significant, something His listeners should pay careful attention to.

But what does this promise mean? Jesus says some of His listeners will see the kingdom of God before they die. Since all of the people present at this conversation have now been dead for nearly two thousand years, and Jesus hasn’t yet returned in final glory to establish His kingdom in its fullness, what was He referring to?

Scholars have proposed several interpretations:

The Transfiguration – Just six days after this conversation (according to Matthew and Mark; “about eight days” according to Luke 9:28), Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a mountain where He is transfigured before them. His face shines like the sun, His clothes become dazzling white, Moses and Elijah appear, and a cloud envelops them while the Father’s voice declares, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5). This was certainly a vision of kingdom glory, a preview of Christ’s majesty. Peter later refers to this event as witnessing Christ’s majesty firsthand (2 Peter 1:16-18).

The Resurrection – Jesus’ resurrection from the dead demonstrated His victory over death and inaugurated the kingdom of God in its “already but not yet” form. The resurrection was the pivot point of history, the beginning of the new creation, the proof that Jesus is indeed Lord and Messiah. Those who witnessed the risen Christ certainly saw the kingdom of God breaking into history.

Pentecost – When the Holy Spirit descended on the believers in Acts 2, the church was born and the kingdom of God began spreading with power. Jesus had said the kingdom was like a mustard seed that starts tiny but grows into a great tree (Luke 13:18-19). Pentecost was the planting of that seed, the beginning of the kingdom’s powerful expansion throughout the world.

The Destruction of Jerusalem – In AD 70, roughly forty years after Jesus spoke these words, Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed by the Romans. This was the definitive end of the old covenant order and vindication of Jesus’ warnings about judgment. Some see this as the “coming of the Son of Man” Jesus predicted (Luke 21:27-32), a coming in judgment that some of His listeners lived to see.

Likely, Jesus’ words encompass all these events in different degrees. The transfiguration gave three disciples a glimpse of glory. The resurrection revealed Jesus’ kingdom authority. Pentecost launched the kingdom’s advance through the church. The destruction of Jerusalem demonstrated God’s judgment and the end of the old order.

But the deeper point Jesus is making is this: the kingdom of God is not merely a distant future reality. It’s breaking into the present. His listeners would not have to wait until the end of history to see evidences of God’s kingdom coming in power. They would witness kingdom realities in their own lifetimes.

This is crucial for us to grasp. Yes, there’s a “not yet” dimension to the kingdom—Jesus will return to establish it fully. But there’s also an “already” dimension—the kingdom is here now, advancing through the church, transforming lives, reconciling people to God, demonstrating God’s power and presence.

When we confess Christ, we’re not just preparing for a distant future; we’re entering a present reality. When we take up our cross daily, we’re not just enduring until heaven comes; we’re participating in the kingdom that’s already breaking in. The kingdom of God is both present and future, inaugurated but not yet consummated, here now but not yet here in fullness.

Application: Living in Light of the Cost and Confession

So what does all this mean for us, two thousand years after Jesus spoke these words to His disciples? How do we apply this passage to our lives today?

1. We Must Make Our Own Confession

The question Jesus asked Peter, He asks each of us: “Who do you say I am?” Not who do others say, not what does the culture say, not what’s the popular opinion—who do you say?

Have you personally confessed Jesus as God’s Messiah, the Son of the living God, your Lord and Savior? Not in theory, not as theological information, but as personal commitment? Have you bowed the knee to His lordship? Have you trusted in His death and resurrection for your salvation?

If you’ve never made this confession, today is the day. The gospel is not complicated: we are sinners separated from God, deserving judgment. Jesus, the sinless Son of God, died on the cross as our substitute, bearing the penalty we deserved. He rose from the dead, proving His victory over sin and death. Everyone who confesses Him as Lord and believes in His resurrection will be saved (Romans 10:9).

But confession must be genuine. It’s not merely reciting words or praying a formula. It’s a heartfelt acknowledgment that Jesus is who He claimed to be and a wholehearted commitment to follow Him as Lord.

2. We Must Count the Cost

Jesus doesn’t hide the cost of discipleship. He doesn’t offer cheap grace or easy believism. He says clearly: following Me will cost you everything. Deny yourself. Take up your cross daily. Lose your life.

Before you confess Christ, count the cost. Jesus Himself told parables about counting the cost (Luke 14:25-33). A builder doesn’t start construction without calculating whether he has resources to finish. A king doesn’t go to war without assessing whether he can win. Likewise, don’t claim to be Christ’s disciple without understanding what you’re committing to.

This doesn’t mean earning salvation—salvation is by grace through faith, not by works. But it does mean genuine salvation transforms everything. If Jesus is truly Lord, then He’s Lord of all—your schedule, your money, your relationships, your career, your ambitions, your entertainment, everything.

Are you willing to:

• Surrender control of your life to Christ?
• Obey Him even when it’s costly or uncomfortable?
• Deny yourself rather than indulging every desire?
• Take up your cross daily, embracing suffering for His sake?
• Follow Him wherever He leads, even if it costs you reputation, comfort, or opportunity?
• Confess Him publicly even when there’s social cost?

If you’re not willing, you’re not ready to be His disciple. Jesus doesn’t offer a halfway option where you get heaven when you die but live for yourself until then. It’s all or nothing.

3. We Must Embrace the Paradox

Remember Jesus’ paradox: to save your life, lose it; to lose your life for His sake, save it. This is not intuitive. It goes against every self-preserving instinct. But it’s the path Jesus walked, and it’s the path He calls us to.

Practically, this means:

Stop living for self-preservation and start living for God’s glory. What would change in your life if the goal was not your comfort, security, and success, but God’s fame and the spread of His gospel?

Stop hoarding and start giving. Your time, your money, your energy, your gifts—these are not to be accumulated and protected but invested in kingdom purposes.

Stop avoiding sacrifice and start embracing it. The Christian life is not about avoiding suffering but about suffering well, suffering with purpose, suffering for Christ’s sake.

Stop seeking the world’s approval and start seeking God’s. It doesn’t matter if the culture applauds you if Christ is ashamed of you. It doesn’t matter if the world rejects you if Christ acknowledges you before the Father.

4. We Must Live in Light of His Return

Jesus spoke of coming “in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” He’s coming back. The judge is standing at the door. History is moving toward a climax when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11).

This future reality should radically affect our present priorities. If Jesus is returning, if we will stand before Him to give an account, if eternity is infinitely longer than this brief life, then we should:

Live with eternal perspective. What will matter in a hundred years? In a thousand? In eternity? Let eternal values trump temporal concerns.

Invest in what lasts. Only two things are eternal: God’s Word and human souls. Everything else will burn. Where are you investing your life?

Confess Christ boldly. The momentary shame of confessing Christ is nothing compared to the eternal shame of being denied by Him. And the momentary cost of following Christ is nothing compared to the eternal weight of glory awaiting those who do.

Long for His appearing. Do you eagerly await Christ’s return, or do you dread it? Your answer reveals the state of your soul. Those who love Him long to see Him. Those who’ve forsaken all to follow Him eagerly anticipate His return.

5. We Must Make the Confession Public

Jesus warns against being ashamed of Him. True faith confesses. Genuine disciples don’t hide their allegiance.

This doesn’t mean being obnoxious, self-righteous, or constantly forcing conversations toward spiritual topics. But it does mean:

Being openly identified with Christ. Don’t hide your faith. Let people know you follow Jesus—not arrogantly, but humbly and clearly.

Speaking up when Christ is dishonored. When Jesus or Christianity is mocked in conversation, don’t laugh along or stay silent to avoid awkwardness. You don’t have to be argumentative, but you can graciously say, “Actually, I’m a Christian, and I see it differently.”

Sharing the gospel when opportunities arise. God brings people into your life who need to hear about Jesus. Are you ready and willing to tell them? Do you pray for opportunities and courage?

Living distinctively. Your life should look different because Jesus is your Lord. Your speech, your integrity, your generosity, your love, your priorities—these should mark you as Christ’s follower even before words are spoken.

Bearing witness through baptism. Baptism is the public declaration of faith in Christ. If you’ve believed but never been baptized, you’re withholding the confession Jesus calls for. Baptism doesn’t save you, but it publicly identifies you with Christ’s death and resurrection.

6. We Must Take Up the Cross Daily

In our age of comfort Christianity, Jesus’ command to “take up your cross daily” has been sanitized into little more than enduring minor inconveniences—a difficult coworker, a traffic jam, a tight budget. But when Jesus spoke these words, everyone knew exactly what a cross meant: execution, public humiliation, the end of your own agenda.

The cross wasn’t jewelry; it was a death sentence.

“Daily” means this isn’t a one-time decision made at an altar call. It’s a morning-by-morning choice to die to self before you check your phone, before you plan your day, before you pursue your dreams. It’s deciding that Christ’s will trumps your comfort, His glory matters more than your reputation, and His kingdom takes priority over your career advancement.

What does this look like practically? It’s the single person saying no to a relationship that would compromise their faith, even though they’re lonely. It’s the executive turning down the promotion that would require ethical compromises or sacrificing family on the altar of ambition. It’s the parent disciplining when it would be easier to give in. It’s the college student publicly identifying with Christ when silence would be socially safer. It’s the believer forgiving when resentment feels justified, giving generously when hoarding feels prudent, speaking truth when lies would be convenient.

The cross isn’t about making yourself miserable—it’s about making yourself available. Available to God’s purposes even when they conflict with your plans. Available to serve even when you’d rather be served. Available to suffer loss for Christ’s sake, trusting that what you gain in Him surpasses anything you surrender.

This is costly. But it’s also the only path to the abundant life Jesus promises—because you cannot truly live until you’ve truly died.

The Example of Christ: The Pattern for Disciples

Everything Jesus calls His disciples to do, He first did Himself. He is not asking anything of us that He didn’t embrace first.

He denied Himself. Though He was God, He didn’t grasp at divine prerogatives but “made himself nothing” (Philippians 2:7). He came not to be served but to serve (Mark 10:45). He consistently subordinated His own will to the Father’s: “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).

He took up His cross. Literally. The cross we’re called to carry metaphorically, Jesus carried literally. The death to self we’re called to daily, Jesus experienced actually. He went to the cross willingly, obediently, deliberately—”For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame” (Hebrews 12:2).

He called others to follow. Throughout His ministry, Jesus invited people: “Follow me.” He didn’t command from a distance; He led from the front. He went before His disciples on the path He called them to walk. Even now, He goes before us, our Pioneer and Perfecter (Hebrews 12:2), our forerunner (Hebrews 6:20).

He was not ashamed. Jesus never wavered in His mission, never compromised to gain acceptance, never soft-pedaled His claims to avoid offense. He spoke truth boldly, even when it cost Him followers (John 6:66). He publicly claimed to be one with the Father, knowing it would lead to crucifixion (John 10:30-33).

He lost His life and found it again. Jesus demonstrated the very paradox He taught. He laid down His life on the cross—really lost it, fully died. And the Father raised Him on the third day, vindicating Him, exalting Him, giving Him the name above every name. What looked like ultimate defeat was actually ultimate victory. What seemed like losing everything was actually gaining everything.

He promises to acknowledge those who acknowledge Him. Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him. That joy included bringing many sons and daughters to glory (Hebrews 2:10), having a people for His own possession (Titus 2:14), presenting the church to Himself as a spotless bride (Ephesians 5:27). He suffered for us; now He intercedes for us (Hebrews 7:25) and will welcome us into glory.

We don’t follow Jesus into something He hasn’t already walked through. We don’t suffer anything He didn’t suffer first and worse. We don’t lose anything He didn’t lose first. And we won’t receive any glory except what flows from His glory. He is both the pattern and the power for discipleship.

The Community of Cross-Bearers: The Church

Notice that Jesus spoke these words not to Peter alone but to “them all” (verse 23). Discipleship is both individual and corporate. We each must personally confess Christ and take up our cross, but we do so as part of a community of cross-bearers—the church.

The church is meant to be a fellowship of people who have confessed Jesus as God’s Messiah, counted the cost, taken up their crosses, and committed to follow Him. We walk this path together, not alone.

We confess together. When we gather for worship, we publicly declare our allegiance to Christ. We sing His praises, pray in His name, sit under His Word, partake of His table. Every church service is a corporate confession that Jesus is Lord.

We encourage one another. The Christian life is hard. Carrying the cross is wearisome. We need fellow believers to strengthen us, remind us why we’re doing this, help us persevere. Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us not to give up meeting together but to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds,” especially as we see the Day approaching.

We bear one another’s burdens. Paul writes, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). When one member suffers, we all suffer together (1 Corinthians 12:26). The church is not a collection of isolated individuals but a body, interconnected and interdependent.

We hold one another accountable. Sometimes we need fellow believers to speak truth when we’re drifting, to call us back when we’re wandering, to confront us when we’re compromising. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” The church provides the loving accountability that keeps us on the narrow path.

We model cross-bearing for one another. We need to see what it looks like to deny self, take up the cross, and follow Jesus. We learn discipleship not just from sermons but from watching mature believers live it out. Paul could say, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). We should be able to say the same to newer believers.

We serve together. The mission Jesus has given us—making disciples of all nations—is too big for any individual. We need the whole church, each member using their gifts, to fulfill the Great Commission. Together we go into the world, confess Christ, bear witness, and make disciples.

If you’re trying to be a Christian apart from the church, you’re attempting something the New Testament never envisions. You need the church, and the church needs you. Find a Bible-believing, Christ-exalting church, commit to it, serve in it, and let it be the community that supports your discipleship.

The Hope That Sustains: Glory Beyond the Cross

We must not end this meditation on Luke 9:18-27 without emphasizing the hope that makes the cost bearable. Yes, Jesus calls us to sacrifice, suffering, and self-denial. But He also promises that this path leads to glory.

The resurrection follows the crucifixion. Jesus predicted His death but didn’t end there—”on the third day be raised to life” (verse 22). Death is not the final word. Suffering is not the end of the story. Resurrection, vindication, triumph—these await on the other side of the cross.

Losing life leads to saving it. The paradox promises that what seems like losing everything is actually the path to gaining everything. We sacrifice what we cannot keep to gain what we cannot lose. We surrender temporal comforts for eternal joy. It’s the best trade in history.

Shame now means glory then. If we confess Christ now despite the cost, He will confess us before the Father. The momentary shame we bear for His name is nothing compared to the eternal glory we’ll share when He returns. Paul writes, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

The kingdom is coming. Jesus promised some would see the kingdom of God, and they did—in the transfiguration, the resurrection, Pentecost, the spread of the church. And that kingdom continues to advance. Every person who comes to faith, every life transformed by the gospel, every church planted, every act of sacrificial love in Jesus’ name—these are evidences that the kingdom is breaking in. And one day, Jesus will return to establish it fully and finally.

We’re on the winning side. The outcome is not in doubt. Philippians 2:9-11 assures us that God has exalted Jesus “to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Everyone will eventually confess what we confess now. The question is whether we’ll confess Him willingly now and share His glory, or be forced to confess Him at judgment and face His wrath.

Heaven is real and worth it. Whatever we sacrifice for Christ’s sake, heaven will more than compensate. Jesus promised, “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life” (Matthew 19:29). The reward infinitely outweighs the cost.

This hope doesn’t minimize the cost—Jesus is honest about suffering. But it puts the cost in perspective. We’re not masochists who love suffering for its own sake. We’re not mindlessly denying ourselves without purpose. We’re investing in eternity. We’re trading up. We’re choosing the path that leads to life because we’ve seen that the world’s path leads only to death.

Conclusion: Who Do You Say He Is?

We return to where we started: Jesus’ question to His disciples. “But what about you? Who do you say I am?”

This question has echoed through two millennia, landing on every generation, confronting every individual who hears about Jesus. It lands on you today. Not theoretically, not academically, but personally and urgently: Who do you say Jesus is?

Is He God’s Messiah, the Son of the living God, the Lord of all—or is He something less? Is He worthy of your full allegiance, your complete surrender, your entire life—or is He just one influence among many?

Your answer to this question determines everything. If Jesus is who He claimed to be—God incarnate, the only way to the Father, the Lord who will return to judge the living and the dead—then the only reasonable response is total commitment. Anything less is irrational and eternally dangerous.

But if you confess Him as Lord, understand what you’re signing up for. You’re committing to deny yourself—to dethrone self and enthrone Christ. You’re committing to take up your cross daily—to embrace suffering, sacrifice, and the way of death that leads to life. You’re committing to follow Him—wherever He leads, whatever it costs, however long it takes.

This is not easy. Jesus never said it would be. This is not comfortable. The cross never is. This is not what our culture encourages. The world says save yourself; Jesus says lose yourself.

But this is the path to life—real life, abundant life, eternal life. This is the narrow road that leads to life, while the broad road leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14). This is trading up—giving up what you cannot keep to gain what you cannot lose.

Some who heard Jesus that day counted the cost and walked away (John 6:66). Others, like Peter, though they didn’t fully understand, chose to stay: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:68-69).

Which will you be? Will you confess Christ as Lord and embrace the cost, or will you turn away because the price seems too high?

Let me urge you: don’t let the cost keep you from the Christ. Yes, it will cost you everything—but you gain infinitely more. Yes, you must lose your life—but in losing it for His sake, you save it. Yes, you must take up your cross—but beyond the cross lies resurrection, beyond suffering lies glory, beyond death lies eternal life.

Jesus stands before you today with the same question He asked Peter: “Who do you say I am?”

Will you confess Him as God’s Messiah, the Son of the living God, your Lord and Savior?

Will you count the cost and still say, “Yes, Lord, I will deny myself, take up my cross daily, and follow You”?

Will you lose your life for His sake, trusting His promise that this is the path to saving it?

The choice is yours. But know this: Jesus is Lord whether you confess Him or not. He will return in glory whether you acknowledge Him or not. The question is not whether He is Lord, but whether you will submit to His lordship while there’s still time.

Peter confessed, “You are God’s Messiah.” That confession changed his life, shaped his destiny, and ultimately led him to die as a martyr for the Christ he confessed. But Peter never regretted it. None who truly follow Christ ever do. The cost is real, but the reward is infinitely greater.

Who do you say He is?

Your answer to that question will determine where you spend eternity and how you live today. Choose wisely. Choose Christ. Confess Him boldly. Take up your cross. Follow Him faithfully.

And discover that in losing your life for His sake, you find life indeed—abundant, joyful, purposeful, eternal life in communion with the God who made you, loves you, and gave Himself for you.

To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen.