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Luke:9:27-36

Choosing to suffer

Most of the time, my thinking is geared to avoiding suffering. I work hard at making my life comfortable and, if I can, enjoyable. Recreational activities are good while working is bad. Spending time with people I like is better than engaging with people who are difficult to get along with.

I find it easy to forget that Jesus didn’t have to come into the world; he didn’t have to suffer and die. When he prayed his appearance changed; his clothes shone like lightning and we find him speaking with Moses and Elijah. We catch a glimpse of the Jesus in his heavenly form and realise that rejection, suffering and death are what Christ willingly chose for himself. It was no accident of history or politics that nailed Christ to the cross.

As his disciple Christ commands me to work at changing what I want so that I’m willing to suffer for his sake. I must actively change my worldly values into Christ’s heavenly agenda. Comfort, ease, pleasure, success and popularity are not kingdom priorities. Instead we are taught to give, to serve and to live with the same mind as Christ; having a humility even to the point of being willing to die on the cross.

My goal is to love my wife more than she loves me. My goal is to owe everyone a debt of love. This will change the way I talk to people, the way I treat people, the way I relate to people. Now I’m going to look for opportunities to pray for and to practically help people I meet everyday. Christ assures me that as I lose my life I will in fact save it.

When I’m tempted to shrink back from giving and serving I remind myself that my Master is Jesus Christ whose face and clothes shine like lightning. It is him that I follow when like him I choose to suffer. the Rev   

Luke 9:27-36 Who is Jesus? Part 2

Exercises

• Discuss what’s surprising about Christ praying, his transfiguration and discussion with Moses & Elijah v27-31. When have you chosen to suffer when it was avoidable?

• Discuss in what way you relate to the disciple’s response to Christ’s glory in v32-33. 
In what way might you respond more wisely to Christ’s glory?

• Discuss why the disciples were so afraid v34-36. Share what will help you submit to Christ’s glory?

Prayer: Lord Jesus I praise you for revealing to me that you always intended to suffer, be rejected, die and be raised on the third day. All of this because of your glory not despite it. You chose the path of suffering willingly, exchanging my death with your life. Fill my heart with the same love so that I will also deny myself, pick up my cross and follow you. Amen