Key verse: 34
IF SOMEONE WANTS TO FOLLOW ME
After Peter's confession, Jesus tought the disciples what is the way of the disciples.
1. It's necessary to (31-33)
After having received Peter's confession, Jesus began to teach the way of Jesus' cross. The way to become the Christ wasn't splendid as Peter thought. It was necessary to the Son of God to suffer a lot, be arrested and killed by human hands. Jesus hasn't forgotten to say that he will be resurrected from the dead. But the way of Jesus' cross was very shocking, so the disciples couldn't listen to this glorious declaration. Peter violently opposed Jesus' idea saying "it wasn't necessary". But according to God, the only way to restore the lost paradise to the fallen mankind was this way of Jesus' cross. All other ways comes from human ideas. It's Satan's work to prevent salvation's work by Jesus. Jesus sensed deeply the problem, so he severely reproached Peter, considering him like Satan. When we want to prevent the way of the cross and suffering to our own ease, that comes from Satan.
2. If someone wants to come... (34-38)
Then Jesus called the crowd with the disciples to show them what must be the way of the disciples. The way of the disciples is to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus. It's imitate the way of the cross which our Lord Jesus had run. So, after Jesus' work, we all will be successor of his work in this world. The fight against Satan is hard and no one nor anything can resist his power. Only God's army which follows Jesus' way can win the fight. To mankind, life is the most important. But there is here a mystery. If we abandon our life, finally we recover it. But if we want to safeguard our life in this world, we finally will lose it. Therefore, all that we gain on the earth we also will lose it. So, what shall it profit us ? We must seriously ponder this reality and choose what way we must run. Only the way of Jesus' cross is worthywhole and gives us a sense of eternity.
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