Preparing the Way - Week 2: Following the Real Jesus

 

Luke 9:18–27 • Philippians 2:5–11

We’re continuing our summer series, Preparing the Way. Each passage gets two weeks—time to sit with it, let it breathe, and let it shape us. Last week’s theme was, “Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up?” We said that although many people talk about Jesus, the versions of Jesus out there don’t always match the Jesus of Scripture. And that’s not so different from the world Jesus stepped into—everyone had an opinion, everyone tried to fit him into their worldview.

In the middle of all that noise, Jesus asks Peter, “Who do you say I am?” (Luke 9:20). Peter answers, “You are the Messiah.” The promised one. Emmanuel. God with us.

We explored the great paradox: Jesus is the transcendent one—beyond time, imagination, and the universe—and yet he steps into creation so we can know him. The one who made all things comes with a name, a face, a story. And through the cross, he becomes the bridge across the vast divide of sin and shame between the Creator and us.

Last week we looked at the first part of Luke 9. Today we’re focusing on verses 23–26. If you can, open the passage—on your phone, in a Bible, or using one of the printed copies.

Take Up Your Cross Daily

Jesus says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). It’s an extraordinary image when you stop and think about it: taking up your cross, daily, and carrying it as you follow Jesus. We’ve become so familiar with the language that we barely feel its force anymore.

We’re used to the cross as jewellery, décor, even national symbolism. But the cross is not a nice symbol. It’s a symbol of horror, torture, and death. The closest modern picture would be someone being led from a courtroom, locked away, and finally strapped into an electric chair. Imagine wearing that around your neck. That’s the shock Jesus intends.

If Jesus really is who he claims to be—as Peter confessed—then following him isn’t an occasional weekend activity. It’s the decision to place him first. To live for him, with him, and like him. Every day. Every moment. And yes, there is a cost.

Think back to Good Friday: Jesus, falsely accused, beaten, humiliated, and forced to carry a heavy cross through a horrified city (John 19:17). That’s what it means to carry a cross—shame, surrender, obedience.

So pause. How are we doing with that? Is it Jesus plus everything else? Everything else plus Jesus? Or simply following him?

Losing Life to Save It

Jesus continues, “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it” (Luke 9:24). His message cuts against everything our culture celebrates. We’re taught to protect our comfort, chase our dreams, build our success. But Jesus calls us to surrender—to lay down the life centred on me and take up a life centred on him.

Then comes the piercing question: “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?” (Luke 9:25). He’s not condemning achievement; he’s confronting our priorities. What are we really living for? Power? Recognition? Security? The things we cling to are temporary, but the life Jesus offers is eternal.

Paul puts it plainly: “We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen… what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

The Pressure to Compromise

Jesus warns, “Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory” (Luke 9:26). The greatest challenge we face today isn’t persecution—it’s compromise. We live in a world that celebrates values at odds with Scripture, and it’s easy to blend in. We don’t face imprisonment or violence, yet the temptation to soften our witness is constant.

So reflect: in our thinking, speaking, behaving—are there moments when we stay silent simply to avoid standing out?

The Hardest Choice of All

Jesus’ call remains: “Deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). It sounds simple, yet it is the hardest choice of all. To come to the cross. To lay down the self—our ambitions, expectations, and the “me first” worldview—and choose to let “I” die.

But we must remember this: we do not do any of this in our own strength.

The same Lord who calls us to carry the cross also gives us the Helper—the Holy Spirit—who strengthens us, shapes us, and enables us to walk the path we could never walk alone. As Paul writes, “It is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfil his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13).

So yes, we deny ourselves. Yes, we take up the cross. But we do it with the Spirit’s power, not our own. He redirects our desires, strengthens our resolve, and helps us follow Jesus day by day.

The hardest choice becomes possible—because God himself makes it possible.

Discussion Questions

·     What does Jesus mean by “deny yourself” and “take up your cross daily”? How would his original listeners have understood that image?

·     In Luke 9:24–25, what contrast is Jesus drawing between saving life and losing life? How does this challenge our modern priorities?

·     Philippians 2:5–11 describes Jesus’ humility and obedience. What specific attitudes or behaviours in this passage stand out to you?

·     Where do you see the temptation to “gain the world” in your own life, and how does Jesus’ teaching reshape that desire?

·     What example of Christlike service (from the talk or your own experience) helps you picture what carrying your cross looks like in everyday life?

Living It Out

·         If we had to summarise the passage and explain it to someone who wasn’t here, what would we say?

·         Is there anything that challenges us to live or think differently? What is it, and why?

·         Is there something we can pray about or meditate on this week to help us grow deeper in our walk with the Lord?