As if to emphasize the conversation we had last night at men’s Bible study, my reading in Matthew 16 this morning is the parallel passage to what we looked at last night in Mark 8. It’s the turning point in Jesus’ ministry. “Who do you say that I am?” Jesus asks His disciples . . . “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” replies Simon Peter. They are getting it . . . actually, Jesus says, the gracious God of revelation is leading them into the marvelous light of knowing more clearly His Son (Matt. 16:16-17). And, from the mountain top of The Anointed One revealed, they are then plunged into the confusion of the suffering Messiah . . . that Jesus would “suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised” (16:21).

Not what they expected . . . and Peter takes Jesus aside and tells Him so (16:22). Peter rebukes Jesus, “No way, Lord!” That it is such a Peter thing to do . . . put “no way” and “Lord” together in the same sentence (cp. Acts 10:14a). But you can’t blame Peter. One, he loved Jesus . . . and the thought of harm coming to his Master was unbearable. Two, Peter had a certain understanding of the Messiah . . . and suffering and death weren’t part of that picture. And three, I wonder if Peter was struck by the implications of following a leader who had rejection, suffering, and death in His future . . . if that’s what was in store for the Master, then what was in store for the Master’s disciples?

And so last night we talked at length about the meaning and implications of Jesus’ instruction to those who would desire to be disciples of Jesus:

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34)

Talk about your “three simple steps” to discipleship . . . “Deny yourself . . . Take up your cross . . . Follow Me.” Simple? Maybe in terms of eight easily understood words . . . but the implications are huge . . .

Say good-bye to yourself . . . don’t even acknowledge you knew you . . . separate yourself from the old man . . . it’s no longer about your agenda . . . “this town ain’t big enough for the two of us” and you gotta go! It’s not Jesus and me . . . or me and Jesus . . . it’s “so long self” and “all for Jesus”.

And then, say good-bye to the world . . . take up your cross . . . follow in the steps of the Lamb of God . . . prepare to be dead to the world, and the world dead to you . . . believe that by losing your life for Jesus’ sake you’ll find it . . . concede that gaining the whole world yet losing your soul is a bad deal . . . start a death march . . . and follow Jesus.

Follow Jesus . . . having said good-bye to self and to the world, submit to the lordship of Christ. It’s not just going through the motions, but about walking how He wants me to walk . . . walking where He wants me to walk . . . walking just as He walked (1John 2:6).

Whew! Simple? Maybe to say! . . . not so much to do. But I guess, it’s not up to me “to do” . . . but rather to be willing . . . to, with a sincere heart and, as much as lies in me, say, “Yes, Lord” . . . rather than “No way, Lord.” To say yes and then trust . . . to say yes and then go do life under the direction of the Spirit and through the power of the Spirit . . . to say yes knowing I am more than a conqueror through Him who loved me (Rom. 8:37) . . . to say yes believing that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Php 4:13) . . . to say yes giving thanks to God who gives me victory, even over death, through my Lord Jesus Christ (1Cor. 15:55) . . . to simply say, “Yes!”