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Christian Living

Jesus Is the Way, Not the Destination

The Father Is the Destination and the Savior Provides the Path

Jesus tells Thomas, “I am the way.” The only way to get to the Father is through the Savior (John 14:5-6). He’s not a way. He’s the only way.

Though many people uphold the Christ as the primacy of the Trinity, we must remember that Jesus is the way. He is not the destination. The Father is the destination.

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

John preaches a message of repentance. He baptizes those who confess their sins. This is to prepare the way for the Lord (Matthew 3:1-12).

Though many people assume John is the one foretold by the prophets, he plainly confirms he is not. In fact, he is so insignificant in comparison that he is not even worthy to untie the Savior’s sandals (Acts 13:24-25).

John’s father pronounced this truth that John will prepare the way at John’s birth (Luke 1:76). And this is exactly what John does (John 1:23).

Jesus Is the Way

John prepares the way for Jesus. Jesus is the way. The Savior provides the way to the Father.

Our sin separates us from God, from being in the Father’s presence. But Jesus redeems us from the wrong things we have done and restores us into right relationship with his Father—with our Heavenly Father.

Not only is Jesus the way, but he is also truth and life (John 14:6). He shows us the way to the Father. He teaches us the truth about the Father. And he gives us life with the Father. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

This all comes through our Messiah, and he is the way to the Father.

The Church Shows the Way

The book of Acts refers to Jesus’s followers as the Way (Acts 9:1-2).

This doesn’t mean they replace Jesus as the way to the Father. Instead, they function more like John and show the way to the Father through Christ. He remains the only way to the Father.

As Jesus’s followers we should point the way to Jesus so that through him they can be brought into fellowship with the Father.

Jesus is the way, and the Father is the destination.

Our Role Today

The people we know may not know Jesus, but we can show them to him and he will provide the way to the Father. All they need to do is follow him.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Bible Insights

Lazarus, Come Out

Today’s passage: John 11:1–44

Focus verse: Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. (John 11:43–44)

The Bible tells us about three siblings: Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Yet Matthew and Mark don’t mention them at all.

Only Luke and John tell us about Martha and Mary, while Lazarus only shows up in John, chapters 11 and 12. (Though Luke records a parable about a man named Lazarus, he’s a different person.)

John says that Jesus loves Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Though our Savior loves everyone, Scripture seldom names them, but it does specify Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. This should get our attention as to how important they are to Jesus.

In today’s account, Lazarus is sick. Sick enough for the sisters to worry. They send word to Jesus. They don’t ask for him to come heal their brother, but merely state that he’s ill.

Knowing what will happen, Jesus says Lazarus’s illness will not end in death but in glory to Father God and his Son. But he does nothing for two days.

In a delightful exchange, Jesus tells his disciples that Lazarus is sleeping, and Jesus will go wake him. The disciples take this literally, but Jesus means it figuratively. In truth, Lazarus is dead.

Jesus uses the euphemism to wake him to mean resurrect him. The implication is that, to Jesus, raising someone from the dead is no harder than for us to wake someone from a deep sleep. So it will be with us when we die.

Jesus will wake us to live with him in paradise forever.

Jesus heads for Bethany, where the siblings live. He arrives to find that Lazarus is four-days dead and buried.

Both Martha and Mary have confidence that Jesus had the power to heal their brother and prevent his death. And Martha has faith that her brother will one day rise again. But neither sister expects Jesus to do anything for their dead brother now.

Jesus goes to Lazarus’s tomb. Martha, Mary, and the many Jews mourning with them follow.

When Jesus arrives, he instructs them to remove the large stone that blocks the entrance. He thanks Papa for hearing his prayer and commands Lazarus to come out of his tomb.

To everyone’s amazement, Lazarus hobbles forth, still wrapped in his burial cloths. It’s a miracle of miracles.

Though this isn’t the first time Jesus raises someone from the dead, this is the most spectacular one—and the most memorable.

Many people witness Lazarus’s resurrection, creating quite a stir, which we’ll cover in a few days.

In the end, Lazarus doesn’t die, and God and his Son receives glory.

Questions

  • How well do we do to accept that Jesus loves us?
  • What do we think about Jesus raising someone from the dead?

Prayer: Father God, may our lives—and death—give you glory.

Discover more about celebrating Jesus and his passion to save us in Peter’s new book, The Passion of Jesus. It is part of the Holiday Celebration Bible Study Series.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Christian Living

Consider Moses’s Triennial Tithe

Help Feed Those Who Are in Need

The Old Testament law of Moses commands multiple tithes, not just one. The one in today’s passage is a triennial tithe—every third year. The purpose of this one is to help feed the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless, and the widows.

Giving this tithe to the Levites suggest it may also include priests since they all descend from Levite.

The priests, however, are covered elsewhere, so we can understand the meaning of Levites in this passage to include all the rest of the Levites who are not priests.

Their job supports the work of the priests in worshiping God. They deserve to eat, and this tithe helps.

The other three groups of people covered by this triennial tithe are foreigners, orphans, and widows. They all face a disadvantage in life.

First, foreigners are outsiders and not included in God’s promises to his chosen people. Yet the Lord wants his children to provide for their daily nutrition.

The orphans and widows struggle to take care of themselves, which presents a challenge in the male-focused culture of their day. God wants his people to likewise help feed them.

In addition to this triennial tithe, God has other provisions to help care for the needy. He permits gleaning and commands that the harvesters facilitate the effort.

There’s also the year of jubilee, which occurs every fifty years. This provides for debt relief and property restoration. He also prohibits charging excessive interest. These provisions all serve to help the poor and needy.

Do we need to follow this example today and give a triennial tithe to help the staff at church, foreigners in our land, and orphans and widows? We can, but we don’t have to.

Remember that Jesus came to fulfill the Old Testament law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17).

Therefore, our Savior offers us a better way. Instead of a tithe, Jesus tells us to give generously to the poor (Luke 11:41).

We should do that. And generously may mean giving more than ten percent, that is, going beyond Moses’s triennial tithe.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Deuteronomy 25-27 and today’s post is on Deuteronomy 26:12.]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

​Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.

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Christian Living

It’s Ten Commandments Not Ten Suggestions

Let the Bible—Not Society—Guide Our Behavior

God gives Moses Ten Commandments, which he passes on to the people. We find these listed twice in the Old Testament (Exodus 20:3-23 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21).

They provide the foundation for the rest of the laws in the Old Testament, which Bible scholars tell us number 613 commands. That’s a lot to keep straight, so boiling it down to ten main ones is helpful.

The Ten Commandments

  1. Do not have any other gods.
  2. Do not worship idols (“other gods”).
  3. Do not use God’s name wrongly.
  4. Keep the Sabbath day holy.
  5. Honor your parents (which carries a blessing).
  6. Do not murder.
  7. Do not commit adultery.
  8. Do not steal.
  9. Do not lie (give false testimony).
  10. Do not covet.

The first four relate to our relationship with God, while the last six relate to our relationship with other people.

The fifth one, which is the only one with a blessing attached to it, serves as a transition between the four God-honoring commands and the six people-focused commands.

Though these were once affirmed by most people—including those who didn’t believe in God—this is no longer true.

The first four have slipped away from society’s consciousness, especially number four, which is something many Christians now disregard.

Of the remaining six commands, most are falling away from our culture’s moral perspective, with people having little concern about adultery, lying, and coveting.

The prohibitions against murder and stealing are now gray areas, and too many people fail to honor their parents.

Of these Ten Commandments, people tend to at best consider them as ten suggestions and at worse to disregard them completely.

Jesus Fulfills the Old Testament Law

Yet some people are quick to point out that these Old Testament laws, even the Ten Commandments, no longer apply. This is because Jesus says he came to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17).

Yet within the same verse he says he didn’t come to abolish them. And he says it twice. While he did fulfill—and thereby negate—the ceremonial commands in the Old Testament with his sacrificial death and resurrection, he built upon and clarified the rest.

Sometimes Jesus confirmed them, but most times he extended them.

Consider his expanded teachings about murder and adultery. He extended murder to include anger (Matthew 5:21-22). And he extended adultery to include merely thinking about it, that is, lust (Matthew 5:28).

Jesus’s Top Two Commands

Jesus’s chief teaching, however, comes when he summarizes the Ten Commandments, along with the expanded list of 613, down to just two.

He says we’re to love God and love others. It’s that simple.

Jesus teaches that the most important command is to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. And he says the second greatest command is to love other people as much as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39).

Realize, however, he doesn’t tell us to love them more than we love ourselves, but we shouldn’t love them any less.

And we shouldn’t treat Jesus’s commands as suggestions, either—even though the world does. We should take them quite seriously and do everything possible to obey them fully.

To do anything less is unacceptable.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

​Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.

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Bible Insights

Jesus Predicts His Death, Again

Today’s passage: Matthew 20:17–19, Mark 10:32–34, and Luke 18:31–34

Focus verse: “On the third day he will be raised to life!” (Matthew 20:19)

In a prior reading we covered Jesus predicting his death and resurrection. This isn’t the only time he says this. He does it again . . . and again.

The second time is much like the first. They’re in Galilee. Jesus tells his disciples three things.

First, he will be delivered over to the hands of men. This is cryptic, but we now know that this means Judas will betray him to the Jewish leaders who will arrest him.

Jesus’s other two statements are clear. They will kill him, and he will arise to life (Matthew 17:22–23, Mark 9:30–32, and Luke 9:43–45).

This time Peter keeps quiet. He may have learned from his prior impetuous outburst that saying nothing is the wise action. Even so, the disciples react strongly.

Matthew says they’re filled with grief. This suggests they rightly hear the dying part but miss the rising part. Though Jesus raised some people from the dead, the disciples are much more familiar with death than resurrection.

In contrast to Matthew’s account, Mark and Luke say the disciples don’t understand what he means but are afraid to ask for clarification.

Which is it? It’s both. Combining these, we see the disciples are concerned because they don’t understand.

This is the second time Jesus predicts his death.

The third time Jesus predicts his death is on their way to Jerusalem. This time he gives more details.

He says he’ll be handed over to the religious leaders. They’ll condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles—that is, non-Jews, implying the Romans. (This is because the Jews lack the authority to execute anyone, but the Romans can.)

The Romans will mock Jesus, flog him, and execute him by crucifixion.

But his death isn’t the end. Three days later, he will rise again to life. Though Matthew and Mark don’t record the disciples’ reaction, Luke does. He says they don’t understand any of what Jesus said.

Why do Matthew, Mark, and Luke all tell us that Jesus three times predicts his death?

It may be for emphasis, or it may be to make sure we don’t miss his prediction. But the repetition may harken back to the Old Testament law that requires two or three witnesses to condemn a man to death (Deuteronomy 17:6).

Though Jesus isn’t supplying three witnesses, he does state three times that he’ll be condemned to die.

It’s as if he’s telling his disciples that he knows he will die and accepts it.

Questions

  • When has grief filled us over something we didn’t understand?
  • When has God needed to repeat his message to us before we understood his instruction?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, may we understand what you say to us in Scripture and through your Holy Spirit.

Discover more about celebrating Jesus and his passion to save us in Peter’s new book, The Passion of Jesus. It is part of the Holiday Celebration Bible Study Series.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Bible Insights

Moses Gives Us Ten Commandments

Jesus Boils It Down to Two Commands

The Ten Commandments are listed in Deuteronomy 5:6-21 (and Exodus 20:3-23. Interestingly, neither of these passages calls this list the “Ten Commandments” (although the phrase is used elsewhere).

The Ten Commandments

1. Do not have any other gods.
2. Do not worship idols (“other gods”)
3. Do not use God’s name wrongly.
4. Keep the Sabbath day holy.
5. Honor your parents (there is a promise of blessing if we do)
6. Do not murder
7. Do not commit adultery
8. Do not steal
9. Do not lie (give false testimony)
10. Do not covet

Jesus’s Two Commands

When Jesus is asked which commandment is the greatest, he says that we should love God fully; the second greatest is to love others as much as we love ourselves.

He concludes by saying that all the laws and commands hinge on these two principles of loving God and loving others (Matthew 22:37-39).

So, we are to love God and love others. If we obey these two commands, everything else falls into place.

It’s that simple: Love.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Deuteronomy 4-6 and today’s post is on Deuteronomy 5:6-21.]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

​Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.

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Christian Living

Do You Worship the Cross?

We Must Guard Against Turning the Symbol of Jesus’s Death into a Modern-Day Idol

Do you worship the cross? The cross is the instrument of Jesus’s death when he died in our place for the wrong things we did—our sins. As such, it rises as a powerful symbol of our faith.

Yet some well-meaning people place too high of emphasis on this image. In effect, they worship the cross.

Don’t Point to the Cross

When people worship the cross, they end up making it a modern-day idol. They place crosses prominently in their homes and on their cars. They wear them on their body, be it in the form of jewelry, clothes, or tattoos.

Yes, this symbol of Jesus can serve as a means for us to talk to others about him. But how often do we do that? To make this work, we must live our life like Jesus.

Yet too often when we fall short and don’t exemplify him well, the cross we adorn—and adore—leads other people to confuse our failings with Jesus and who he is. And that’s exactly the kind of witness we want to avoid.

I’ve also heard people who refuse to attend a church that doesn’t prominently display the cross of Jesus on the building and have it on the inside. But they’re missing the point.

Point to Jesus

Jesus is what matters. The cross is secondary. It’s a symbol of the savior, not the savior.

Have you ever seen people bow down before a cross? I have. When they do this, they appear to worship the cross. Though we can’t know their motives, and they may be worshipping Jesus in their minds, this isn’t how it appears.

You may wonder if a crucifix (a cross with the suffering savior upon it) solves this problem. Though it visually lessens the disconnect between the savior and the instrument of his death, it can also become an image of worship.

A crucifix can serve as an idol just as much as a cross.

It would be an overreaction, however, to remove these iconic symbols from our lives. They serve as important representations of our faith, pointing to the savior we worship.

But we must be careful to not worship the cross.

Instead, we should worship Jesus who died on the cross and then rose from the dead to save us.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

​Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.

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The Voice of God Affirms Jesus

Today’s passage: Matthew 17:1–9, Mark 9:1–9, Luke 9:28–36, and John 12:27–30

Focus verse: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5)

Yesterday’s passage ended with the puzzling statement that “some of you present won’t experience death before you see me coming in my kingdom” (Matthew 16:28).

What follows this is an event we call the transfiguration, implicitly fulfilling Jesus’s cryptic prediction. Peter, James, and John are there to see his supernatural transformation.

The three disciples ascend a mountain with Jesus. Suddenly his face shines—his countenance transfigures. This means his appearance changes; it’s glorified. Moses and Elijah appear. They talk with Jesus.

Peter wants to commemorate this unprecedented event—Jesus’s transfiguration and two dead patriarchs appearing before them. He offers to build them each a shrine or tabernacle in their honor. Before Jesus can respond, a bright cloud forms.

The voice of Father God comes from the cloud. “This is my Son,” he says. “I love him and am pleased with him. Listen to what he says.”

In one succinct declaration, God confirms Jesus as the Son of God, affirms Jesus’s ministry, and commands the disciples to listen to him.

Does hearing God’s audible voice about Jesus sound familiar?

Three years earlier, before Jesus begins his public ministry, he asks John the Baptizer to baptize him—even though the sinless Jesus has no sins to repent from. When Jesus comes out of the water, three astonishing things happen.

First, heaven opens, revealing a glimpse into the spiritual realm. What do the people see? What awe-inspiring sights confront them?

Next, the Spirit of God descends from heaven, looking like a dove. Imagine the time it takes for the form to travel the distance from heaven to earth. It isn’t instantaneous.

It gets their attention. The people have never seen anything like it. They’re astounded by this unique event. The dove lands on Jesus, showing his connection with heaven, his divine bond with the godhead.

A voice from heaven calls out. “This is my Son,” God says. “I love him and am pleased with him” (Matthew 3:13–17).

This is almost identical to what God says at the transfiguration. This time the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all present. We see the triune God at work.

Two times God speaks audibly about Jesus. The first time is to prepare for him to begin his earthly ministry.

The second time is in preparation for him to conclude it. He’ll do this by dying for our sins, rising from the dead, and returning to heaven.

Both times Father God confirms his Son and supports Jesus and his ministry. The voice of God affirms Jesus.

Questions

  • How does God speak to us today?
  • How well do we do at listening to the words of Jesus, as the Father instructed?

Prayer: Father God, may we always hear your voice and obey your words.

Discover more about celebrating Jesus and his passion to save us in Peter’s new book, The Passion of Jesus. It is part of the Holiday Celebration Bible Study Series.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Christian Living

How to Deal with Poverty

We Should Continue to Remember the Poor

The Bible talks about the poor and teaches how to deal with poverty. Poverty shows up 21 times in the Bible, most in the practical advice-giving book of Proverbs. The word poor appears much more often at 176 times.

Combined, these passages give us much insight in how to deal with poverty and those who are poor.

Here are some key verses to consider:

Jesus tells us to be generous to those who are poor (Luke 11:41). This is the only verse we need. Jesus says it. We should do it. And don’t just give a little, be generous about it.

In addition, Peter, James, and John encourage Paul to continue to remember the poor, which he had been eagerly doing all along (Galatians 2:9-11).

We should follow their advice and example in how to deal with poverty, both that which is around us and throughout the world.

Jesus, however, says that we will always have the poor among us (Mark 14:7). This means we’ll never eliminate poverty—as some people hope to do. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.

We should do whatever we can to help those who go without. And as we do so, we should do so in love (1 Corinthians 13:3).

These all address the problem of poverty. It reacts to what already exists. But what if we could be proactive and help people avoid poverty in the first place?

Consider this excerpt from my book Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide:

Many have cited the following three steps to avoid poverty. The source is unclear but may have originated with Ron Haskins of the Brookings Institution.

Young people can avoid poverty if they follow three essential rules for success:

1. Complete at least a high school education

2. Work full-time

3. Wait until age twenty-one to marry, and get married before having a baby

People who follow all three rules have a 98 percent chance of not living in poverty. Furthermore, they have a 72 percent chance of joining the middle class.

Many people criticize this claim, some citing all manner of hate-filled motivations or ignorance. Yet if we look at this list, we know in our hearts that it’s correct. It’s common sense.

We can also logically see how someone who ignores these three essentials places themselves on a path that will likely lead them to needing government assistance and living a life of poverty.

What can we do to encourage teenagers to embrace these three essential rules?

Beyond that, what can we do to help those who didn’t or couldn’t follow them and find themselves in need? I’m thinking especially of the teenage mom left to care for her children on her own.

These are big questions without clear answers, but a good place to start is to find an organization already addressing one of these areas and working with them to make a difference.

Peter DeHaan from Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide

Quite simply, one response in how to deal with poverty is to encourage young people to make wise decisions and not rush into adulthood.

To do this, we can encourage them to complete high school, find the full-time job, and wait until their 21 to get married and have children.

For each person we encourage to do this, we help them avoid poverty. This may be the best way in how we can deal with poverty.

And for those who find themselves impoverished, we should do what Jesus says and give generously.

Do you like this post? Want to read more? Check out Peter’s book, Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide: Discovering the Spirituality of Every Day Life, available wherever books are sold.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Bible Insights

Ash Wednesday: Jesus Predicts His Death

Today’s passage: Matthew 16:21–28, Mark 8:31–38, Luke 9:21–26, and John 12:23–26

Focus verse: Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem . . . be killed and on the third day be raised to life. (Matthew 16:21)

We open our Lenten devotional with Jesus predicting his death. This is key. It confirms that Jesus knows what will happen. His Father has a plan. Jesus agrees with the plan and moves toward it.

This means his death is intentional and he is willing to die. It’s not unexpected. Jesus’s purpose in coming to earth is to save us by dying for our sins—the sins of all humanity throughout all time.

He will soon offer himself as the ultimate sin sacrifice to end all sin sacrifices. He knows this and tells his disciples what will soon happen.

This highlights the essential part of the passage. Jesus knows he will die.

Yet two perplexing items follow his declaration.

First, Peter objects. He pulls Jesus away from the other disciples and offers correction. He wants Jesus to live and doesn’t understand that the Messiah must die. Jesus’s response shocks us.

He says, “Get behind me, Satan.”

Is he calling Peter Satan? Is Satan controlling Peter? Possibly. But an alternate understanding is that Peter speaks from his human perspective.

Satan tries to use the disciple’s words to attack Jesus. The enemy desires to cast doubt into Jesus’s mind, cause him to question his mission, and consider a non-lethal alternative.

So, when Jesus says, “Get behind me, Satan,” he addresses the accuser. We can do the same.

The other confusing statement happens next. Jesus says that anyone who wants to be his disciple should pick up his cross and follow him. What does he mean to pick up our cross to follow him?

Jesus has said he will die and then overcome death. We know that in doing so, he dies so that we will live.

Yet, if we follow him, we need to be likewise ready to die for our faith, to die for him. Figuratively, we are to pick up our cross—the Roman tool for death.

Most of us won’t need to die for Jesus, but we must be willing to do so if the situation calls for it.

This means we must adopt a spiritual point of view to replace our human perspective. We need to exchange our worldly outlook with an eternal expectation.

Our life here on earth means nothing compared to our life eternal with Jesus. We prove we understand this when we pick up our cross to follow him.

We don’t need to be willing to die for Jesus before he will save us. Instead, our willingness to die is in response to him saving us.

Questions

  • What do we do when we face temptation?
  • What must we change to best pick up our cross and follow Jesus?

Prayer: Jesus, may we live a life worthy of you and your call to follow you.

Discover more about celebrating Jesus and his passion to save us in Peter’s new book, The Passion of Jesus. It is part of the Holiday Celebration Bible Study Series.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.