Peter’s declaration that Jesus is the Christ plays a pivotal role in the Gospel of Luke. Here all the miracles and moments with Jesus culminate in an extraordinary realisation: Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus, however, immediately orders the disciples present to say nothing of this epiphany and begins to tell of his coming suffering, death, and resurrection. Our Messiah is one who gives of himself for others - he this is still not obvious to these followers. It is anything but what these early followers expected of the Christ. It is also a process for us as we learn that the God we worship came to serve rather than to be served. This cross-teaching that Jesus engages in here is another opportunity for Jesus to call his disciples to ‘follow him’. This cross-path is not only Jesus’ path - it is also the path Jesus calls us to take. We too are a people who ‘take up their cross’ in acts of ‘costly faith’. This may take many forms as we move through life learning from the one who gave himself for all.
Luke 9:21-27
