Who is Jesus? How does who he is affect your actions?

Matthew 16:1-28 NIV take the time to read it all.  This blog will only address a few verses.

 ¹³ When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

 ¹⁴ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

   ¹⁵ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter goes on to answer this question and say that Jesus is the Messiah.  But I ask everyone reading this blog to put themselves in the disciples sandals and answer that question as if Christ himself were asking you today.

If you answer as Peter did, then it will change your life.

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. ²⁶ What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

It's popular within the Christian circles to say a recent trial is "my cross to bear."   My sister's cancer for instance.  She might say, "This is my cross to bear."  I believe that to be a misapplication of the teaching here.

A cross was used for execution.  The one to be killed had no rights.  He no longer had any appeals.  He was completely at the mercy of his executioners and they had no mercy planned for the condemned.  We know from the account of Christ's death he was forced to carry his cross.

The only application that makes sense here is follower's of Christ are to die to self.  We are to do it willingly  because we are choosing to follow our Savior.  In light of this application vs 25 and 26 make sense.

Vs 27 is not speaking of salvation.  It is speaking of reward.  When one of our children obey's and we take them for ice cream, does the child who disobeyed stop being our child?  No.  So it is with God.  He will reward his children that obey.

Even as I type this I am once again convicted of far I am from where I want to be in following Christ.  And once again I struggle with the flesh not wanting to let go.  I pray that each one reading this will allow the Holy Spirit to convict of what needs to be removed from their lives and more important they he will give us the strength to get rid of it.

God Bless.