So many things we could talk about in this chapter. Well, that’s been true of all the chapters. One of those, which you likely already understand is how this is a pivotal moment in Jesus’ ministry. Peter recognizes Jesus as the Christ, the son of the living God. Matthew continues,
21 From that time on Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
Matthew 16:21
And poor Peter’s response puts him back in the “doghouse” so to speak. But this leads Jesus to tell the disciples (and us) what it takes to be Jesus-follower.
“If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it.
Matthew 16:24b,25
We each must reconcile ourselves with this teaching. Denying myself? What does that mean to me? What are the boundaries of that command? The disciples knew precisely what picking up a cross could mean. What does that mean in our day? To what extent am I really doing these things? What I can say for certain is that it’s not enough.
