A King and a Cross

Despite the crowd's misidentification of Jesus with Israel's other prophets, Peter makes a clear and profound declaration; Jesus is, in fact, the long-awaited Messiah sent from God Himself. While the assumption would be that shouts of joy and revelry would follow such a statement, what follows from Jesus is very different. The arrival of the Messiah had long been foretold and long been anticipated; surely all of Israel's hopes hang on this very moment! And yet, Jesus affirms Peter's confession by predicting his death. This becomes a recurring theme for Luke as Jesus nears his final entrance to Jerusalem - on more than one occasion and with greater and greater clarity asserting that he was indeed going to die.And here, at this first prediction of his death, Jesus adds a fascinating revelation. Not only will the Son of Man be delievered over to suffering and rejection to be killed and then raised - so too will all who follow him. Jesus informs his disciples that he is going to the cross and that the cross is for any disciples who would follow. Indeed, he is clear on the matter; the only way to save life is to first lose it.This has profound implications for us today. The invitation to follow Jesus is not a utilitarian path to better happiness and peace. Make no mistake, Jesus offers life! Abundant life! Life and happiness and peace and security and hope and flourishing and all of that! So much so that life apart from him isn't life at all but rather just death in disguise. But the invitation to follow Christ is one to take up his cross, to share in his sufferings, and to lay down our lives as we know them. The peace and life abundant is only on the other side of that. To those not following Christ, you need to know that's the deal! To those following Christ today in baptism, that's the reality that you are agreeing to put on display! And to those who belong to Christ, are you still taking up your cross daily? How? In what ways? Or are you growing tired of your cross? And is your gospel witness suffering because of it?