21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”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.28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”REFLECTIONSWritten by William HuynhAs Jesus got closer to the cross, he wanted to prepare his disciples for the sufferings he would face. For Peter, the idea of his Messiah suffering was just not possible. How could the Messiah suffer when He was meant to come and save the Jews? Peter the great Apostle just could not process this radical truth – because he could not see the bigger picture. He only had human concerns.Jesus, on the other hand, was focused on what His Father wanted and had always planned – not merely rescuing the Jews from their Roman overlords, but saving humanity from our greatest enemy: sin. When Peter tempted him to abandon the sufferings of the cross, Jesus’ response was firm: “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”How thankful we should be that Jesus was able to look at the big picture of eternity, so that he turned his back on the temptation of earthly comforts! Our salvation depended on that.But as Jesus’ next words show, the cross doesn’t only bring us comfort and hope. It should also profoundly affect the way we live. Jesus turned to his disciples and said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." It’s not just the ministers, the missionaries, and the Bible study leaders who are called to deny their self-centred ambitions and live for Jesus. Anyone who wants to be his disciple or follower is called to this radical living.This seems like an impossible and heavy calling. But v. 26 gives us the secret and joy of how it is possible: "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?" To deny yourself and live for Jesus isn't a bad deal – it’s thebestthing, because all the luxuries of the world are worthless when compared with salvation and being able to live for eternity with God. Don't be tricked into living a comfortable life (and eventually losing everything). Live in light of the bigger picture of eternity!ABOUT THE AUTHORWilliam is a member of our of our Fairfield Evening congregation.