Saturday, July 11, 2020

The writings of Luke the physician starting with his version of the gospel - Luke 9:18-27 comments: Peter declares the Jesus is the Messiah




Luke 9:18 ¶  And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am? 19  They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again. 20  He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God. 21  And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing; 22  Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day. 23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25  For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? 26  For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels. 27  But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.

Peter declares that Jesus is God’s Messiah. To prevent people from trying to make Him king, to delay His mission of bringing human history and God’s plan of reconciling mankind to Himself at the Cross and the empty tomb Jesus orders them not to declare that. It is something that will come from the grass roots level as people realize who has performed miracles among them and healed them. We are talking about Jews here, first-century Palestinian Jews. Jesus then declares what His end on earth must be for this plan to go into effect. God’s own blood must be shed to save a dying humanity, lost in its rebellion, its sins, against Him. Then, He must rise from the dead.

Verse 23 is one of the great verses of the Bible. The true follower of Christ must push his own demands, desires, and even needs behind and put Christ first. He then must take up his or her own suffering, their own cross, daily, and carry it, following Christ. We are all born in dying bodies that will eventually fail us and our suffering at the end of our lives will be horrific typically without drugs. Our eyes must be on eternity and on our Creator at all times. Otherwise we will overthink our suffering, dying, and death. We must, at all times, maintain an eternal perspective or we will wallow in our humanity and in our suffering. Even the most spiritual minded atheist tries to justify their own suffering by philosophizing and rationalizing to justify themselves. But, only one thing justifies us; Christ, God in the flesh, the Word by which we were all created, who shed His blood on the Cross for our sins and rose from the grave for our justification. We must keep our eyes on Him.

When we struggle carnally for our life trying to hold onto it, we lose it. When we willingly die for Christ….

1Corinthians 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

Galatians 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

…we have eternal life with Him. Eternity is a long, long time compared to this short biological existence.

There is nothing that this life has to offer that can compare to an eternity with our Creator.

At the end of this passage Christ again speaks of persecution for our faith and how important it is to stand fast in our faith in Him. It is absolutely essential and spoken of in several places.

Verse 27 is about to be fulfilled in the next passage.


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