Luke 9

“This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” (v35).  God’s announcement on the mountaintop declared that Jesus was greater than Moses and Elijah; his Lordship was total, He was God the Son in the flesh.  The disciples struggled to understand how the Messiah-King could suffer (v45) and why they, his followers, should become like “the least” (v48).  Yet Jesus said the only way to gain His kingdom was to follow His path. “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (v23).

“Whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (v24).  If we want to share Jesus’ victory, we must embrace His path of sacrifice.