Title: The Words of Jesus and the Christ
Text: Luke 9:18-27
When we say we respect someone, it also means we respect what that person says. Whether their words are right or wrong is a separate matter. First, we listen, think about it, and try to understand — this is an attitude of respect.
It is the same when we say we love Jesus. If we love Jesus, we will also respect what He says. We will treasure His words, think about them deeply, and take time to meditate on them. This is what it means to “consider.”
God also loves us so much that He cares for us in every detail — even the very hairs on our heads are numbered. Just as we treasure God’s words, He treasures each one of us.
This is like a kind of spiritual test. If we say we love Jesus but do not respect His words, what does that show? In today’s passage, Jesus says that one of two things will happen: either we will feel shame, or we will receive glory. The opposite of shame in this text is glory.
Whether we realize it or not, if we chase after the glory of this world, we will end up being ashamed of Jesus and His words. Even if we tell ourselves we are not doing that, Jesus says that on the last day, when He comes with the holy angels, He will be ashamed of us. This is because the values of this world are very different from the values of the Kingdom of God — in fact, they may even be the exact opposite.
Today’s passage begins in verse 18: “while He was praying in private.” Luke tells us that the disciples were with Him. So we can understand this as a private time when Jesus and the disciples were away from the crowds, having a personal conversation.
At that time, Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do the crowds say I am?” The answer to this question was not the main point. It was only a preparation for the next, more important question.
After the disciples answered, Jesus immediately asked, “But what about you? Who do you say I am?”
In close relationships, it is natural for us to want to know how the other person sees us. From time to time, it is good for us to ask ourselves these kinds of questions:
“What kind of person am I to you?”
“What kind of person are you to me?”
In the same way:
“Who do I say Jesus is?”
“Who does our church say Jesus is?”
Jesus asked this important question because it truly mattered. The disciples had left almost everything to follow Him. Jesus knew they needed to clearly understand this truth.
Peter answered, “You are God’s Messiah.” In the Gospel of Matthew, we see that Jesus was very joyful at Peter’s answer.
Jesus also said, “It was the Holy Spirit inside you who revealed this to you.”
This was not only the answer Jesus wanted to hear, but He was glad that Peter understood such an important truth.
Then Jesus privately explained to them who the Messiah really is, and what He had come to do (verse 22).
What Jesus would do was not by accident, but according to God’s plan. However, this plan was very different from what the disciples had expected. In other Gospels, we read that Peter even strongly tried to stop Jesus. Perhaps the disciples had followed Jesus hoping for worldly glory — and so they could not accept this teaching. In fact, they did not want to believe it. The other disciples also struggled to accept it.
Jesus told them not to speak of this to anyone. And then He said to the crowds that anyone who wants to follow Him must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him.
Verses 23 and 24 show us the cost of following Christ.
It is as precious as life itself. In fact, following Christ is even more valuable than physical life.
Not only is following Christ more precious than life, but Jesus teaches us that it is the path to salvation. Through these words of Jesus, we learn what true salvation is. It is not just agreeing with doctrines, or having emotional experiences. It is making a willful choice to follow Christ — no matter the cost.
If life is compared with the body, and self-denial is compared with the soul, then what is compared with the spirit? I believe the answer is glory. In verse 25, Jesus says: “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?”
If someone gains the whole world, who will recognize them? The people of the world. Then who receives the glory? According to the structure of this passage, it is our soul that is affected.
But if this is not the case, what happens? We will face shame.
Shame in this world and shame in the Kingdom of Heaven are two completely different things. In the same way, worldly glory and heavenly glory are also entirely different.
Our true self — our true identity — must be recognized by “the Son of Man” (Jesus), not by the people of the world. If the world recognizes us, that may in fact be a source of shame in the eyes of heaven.
We often pursue glory without realizing it. We think we are pursuing God’s glory.
Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, saying, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
At that time, Rome was like New York City today — an international city.
In that church, people from many different religious and cultural backgrounds had come to believe in Jesus and were building a church community.
But among them, some were starting to look down on others based on their own religious background or customs.
So Paul emphasized that all have sinned — no one can claim to be righteous on their own.
We think we are pursuing God’s glory, but in reality, many times we are chasing the glory of this world.
Even Christians can sometimes seek religious glory.
They may attend church faithfully, go to early morning prayer, do missions work, volunteer, and proudly carry titles like evangelist, pastor, or missionary — but in the end, they may be seeking the praise of people, not the glory of God.
This can happen. Even the disciples, though they had left everything to follow Jesus, could not accept it when Jesus spoke of taking up the cross.
Therefore, our salvation must also transform us — even in how we think about the patterns, values, and ways of this world.
We live in an age of capitalism. This has existed for a long time. People have even called it “the spirit of Mammon.” We taste its glory a little, and then desire it more and more, showing it off or envying it. In extreme cases, it leads to arrogance and cruelty, like a wolf showing its teeth.
Between money and people, which should we value more?
From the employer’s point of view, money may seem most valuable.
From the employee’s point of view, being treated with respect as a person is most important.
But if you were to ask both employer and employee this question privately, with no one else around — what would they say?
“Between money and God, which do you value more?”
Let me say it again. We must love God. With all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength.
The Bible also teaches us, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5).
If we do not, we will be swept away by this world. It will be like being caught in a tsunami — we must realize our helplessness. No matter how strong a swimmer you are, you cannot overcome a tsunami. To think that you can is foolish.
If we truly love Jesus Christ, then we will also respect His words.
Amen.
유엠아이 교회 