It seems strange that Jesus should have to tell his disciples that they must deny themselves and follow him. Hadn’t they already done this? Well, not really. The disciples, at least at first, assumed that Jesus was a political Messiah come to establish a political kingdom. They dreamed of being part of this revolution and getting the good positions in the end. This is why, when Jesus started talking of his sacrificial death, Peter responded so negatively. As Jesus said, he did not have the things of God in mind, but the things of men. Peter was willing to sacrifice anything for his dream, but Jesus was calling him to sacrifice his dream. Jesus wanted to liberate the disciples from their human dreams because he had something much better in store. Imagine a prisoner who has lived in a cell for a long time. One day he is acquitted and given a large amount of money to start a new life as a free man. So, he goes out and buys ornaments, rugs and furniture and brings them back and refurbishes his cell. No doubt his acquitters will say to him, “We are not giving you this money to refurbish your old life but to begin a new life. Invest these resources in starting a new life.” Jesus wanted to draw his disciples into a higher reality. He gave them a glimpse of this higher reality when he was transfigured before them (17:1-13). Jesus wanted them to think outside their box because he wanted to free them from their box. Their box was too small for what God wanted to give them.
Ask God to give you a bigger view of life.
Read Matthew 16:21-17:13
