18 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?
19 They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.
20 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.
21 And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing;
22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Luke 9:23
In Luke 9:20 Peter received a revelation from God concerning who Jesus was. Peter soon learned, even though he and Jesus would walk many miles side by side, his road would be contrary to the road Jesus walked. The wisdom, the miracles, the teachings of Jesus were ever present before Peter. The love and power of God was made known to him through his Lord Jesus Christ.
Then comes Luke 9:22. The narrative changes. Peter was looking for an earthly kingdom where Israel would rule while Jesus reigned on the throne. Jesus death would have been unfathomable to him. Peter would fight to the end to keep Him alive. Yet he denied the Anointed One to a young teenage girl when the day of the cross was imminent.
Jesus had come to the road that led to Golgotha, the place of the skull. He bore His cross alone. It was the road less traveled.
The call for all Christians is the same today:
“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
Luke 9:23
Paul expounded on what Jesus said in Luke 9:23:
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20
I say this verse as part of my prayers each morning. I want to be ready when Jesus calls on me to take the road less traveled.
