Have you seen the show Undercover Boss? It’s a show where the CEO of a company, like a fast-food chain, goes undercover to work as a fry cook in one of their locations. They put on a wig and makeup and work an entry-level job, seeing how the work is done and identifying ways to improve the business. A lot of times, the CEO is this ultra-diligent employee, and the more seasoned staff around them scoff a bit at their bright-eyed eagerness. By the end of the episode, they make the big reveal, and the response from the other employees who worked alongside them is shock. There’s a humbling effect where they often say something like, “If only I knew.” If I only knew who they were, it would have changed how I saw them, what I did, and how their words landed. When the employees finally learn the undercover boss’s identity, the way they should have been working becomes clear to them.

In a similar way, when we learn who Jesus really is, it clarifies how we should live as his followers. When we see him rightly, it fundamentally changes how we see ourselves and our lives. That brings us to the big idea of our passage: Jesus is the suffering Christ, so follow him. We are going to take this big idea and unpack it in three parts: Jesus is the Christ (vv. 18–20), The Christ Must Suffer (vv. 21–22), and Follow the Suffering Christ (vv. 23–27).

JESUS IS THE CHRIST (VV. 18–20)

“Who is Jesus?” There is no greater question we must answer in this life than the question of Jesus’s identity. When I was a student at Penn State, the campus ministry I was involved in set up a table in our student union and offered free swag to passersby if they answered our survey question: “Who is Jesus?” Is he a good teacher? A wise sage? A moral example? The Son of God? Perhaps it’s no surprise, but the consensus from that poll was that, to those students, Jesus was merely a good teacher. Through the first eight chapters in Luke, we’ve seen this question asked over and over: Who is this man?

In chapter 9, we’re at an inflection point in Jesus’s ministry, and the question is asked again. This time, it’s Jesus asking. Look at verse 18:

Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” (Luke 9:18–19)

Even though, in the first several chapters of Luke, we’ve seen much about Jesus’s ministry, it’s clear that the people still weren’t entirely sure about this man. Is he John the Baptist raised from the dead? Is he the returned prophet Elijah prophesied in Malachi 4? Is he just another prophet in a long line of prophets? In Jesus’s day, not too dissimilar from our own, there were all sorts of definitions of who people believed Jesus to be.

Muslims believe that Jesus was merely a prophet but reject his divinity. Jews see Jesus as a good teacher but not the promised Messiah. Many Hindus see Jesus as a spiritual being and possibly one of many deities. The crowds had all these theories about who Jesus was. But then Jesus turns the question to his disciples in verse 20:

Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” (Luke 9:20)

The Christ of God. Jesus is the Christ of God. What does that mean?

Christ isn’t his last name; it’s his title. Maybe you’ve heard the word “Messiah” before. As it turns out, “Christ” and “Messiah” are the same word. Christ is the Greek word, and Messiah is the Hebrew word. But both words mean “anointed one.” Jesus, the Anointed One.

In that day, people were anointed with oil as a sign that God had chosen them for a special purpose. Typically, kings, priests, and prophets were anointed with oil. So for Peter to call Jesus “Christ” is to recognize his unique role. In fact, as we see elsewhere in Scripture, Jesus is so unique because he fulfills all three of those roles. He is the perfect prophet who fully reveals God’s truth, the great high priest who reconciles us to God, and the eternal King.

As the Heidelberg Catechism puts it:

“Q: Why is he called ‘Christ,’ meaning ‘anointed’?

A: Because he has been ordained by God the Father and has been anointed with the Holy Spirit to be our chief prophet and teacher who fully reveals to us the secret counsel and will of God concerning our deliverance; our only high priest who has delivered us by the one sacrifice of his body, and who continually pleads our cause with the Father; and our eternal king who governs us by his Word and Spirit, and who guards us and keeps us in the freedom he has won for us.”

Any other label is, at best, incomplete and, at worst, absolute heresy. Church, this is who Jesus is, and anything less than this is glory-robbing idolatry. So the question Jesus poses to you is, “Who do you say that I am?”

I think for many of us, we probably wouldn’t openly embrace the heresy that Jesus is one of many deities or that he’s just a good teacher, but functionally we sometimes live like it. Yes, he’s the Christ, but what I really need from him is good vibes, a happy life, comfort when stuff gets hard. While some of these are good things that come from following Christ, Jesus is not primarily the means by which we get stuff. He’s what we get, and if we don’t know him as he defines himself, then we don’t know him at all.

Pastor Kevin DeYoung puts it well on the question, “Who do you say that I am?”

“How many people know the real Jesus? … There’s Therapist Jesus who helps us cope with life’s problems, heals our past, tells us how valuable we are, and reminds us not to be so hard on ourselves. … There’s Revolutionary Jesus who teaches us to rebel against the status quo, stick it to the man, and dream up impossible utopian schemes. … There’s Good Example Jesus who shows you how to help people, change the planet, and become a better you. … And then there’s Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. Not just another prophet. Not just another rabbi. Not just another wonder-worker. He was the one they had been waiting for: the Son of David and Abraham’s chosen seed, the one to deliver us from captivity, the goal of the Mosaic law, Yahweh in the flesh, the one to establish God’s reign and rule, the one to heal the sick, give sight to the blind, freedom to the prisoners, and proclaim good news to the poor, the Lamb of God come to take away the sins of the world. … This Christ is not a reflection of the current mood or the projection of our own desires … Savior of the world, and substitute for our sins—more loving, more holy, and more wonderfully terrifying than we ever thought possible.”

So the question I want you to consider is, “Who do you say that Jesus is?” Is he the Christ, or just around for good vibes and affirmations? Is he the Christ, or merely a revolutionary for your cause?

If we’re to follow him, we must first see him rightly. Who is Jesus? He is the Christ of God. But, as we’ll see, Jesus’s path is a little different than the disciples might expect, which leads to our next point.

THE CHRIST MUST SUFFER (VV. 21–22)

So, well done, Peter, for rightly confessing Jesus as the Christ of God. But just as soon as Peter makes this confession, Jesus tells them not to tell anyone.

And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” (Luke 9:21–22)

Jesus essentially says, “Hold on. Before you start running off, I need you to understand the kind of Messiah I will be.” This Messiah must suffer many things, be rejected, be killed, and then be raised. Imagine the disciples’ surprise at Jesus’s words. You’re the Messiah, but you also will suffer and die? How does that work?

The Jewish people had long been awaiting a Messiah. Their expectation was that this coming Messiah would be a celebrated military leader who would restore Israel and defeat earthly enemies like Rome. Jesus’s words land heavily and, I imagine, somewhat confusingly as they hear him explain the suffering he must endure. Jesus tells them not to spread the news because he needs them to realize that his messianic work would be different. They were looking for that “revolutionary Jesus,” but he first needed to be the suffering Savior. Before Jesus sits on the throne, he must first hang on the cross.

They expected Israel to be restored, the scattered tribes regathered, and peace finally established. But Ephesians 2 tells us: ”For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility…”

Jesus came not merely for an ethnic or political nation, but to gather a new covenant people from among Jews and Gentiles.

They expected a Messiah who would defeat their earthly enemies, but they overlooked the fact that he would first confront a far greater enemy through his death and resurrection. Book of Isaiah says:

“But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

Jesus would conquer their enemies, but contrary to expectation, his glory would come through suffering. He would first conquer humanity’s ultimate enemies—sin and death—through his self-sacrifice.

WHY HE HAD TO SUFFER

Before Jesus could be the conqueror they imagined, he had to conquer their greatest enemy. Look back at verse 22:

“The Son of Man must be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed …”

I’ve heard the word “must” in verse 22 referred to as the “divine must.” It’s not just that Jesus might be rejected and suffer, but that he had to. It was necessary for Jesus, the Christ of God, to be rejected by the leaders of the day. You see, our problem is more than oppressive circumstances; it’s that we are dead in our sin and need resurrection life. A people free from hardship but still spiritually dead is still a tragedy. So Jesus came to rescue us from our ultimate enemies—sin, death, and separation from God. That rescue is something only a suffering, crucified, and risen Savior could accomplish.

This is the gospel—the good news. Jesus did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but humbled himself by taking the form of a man. He lived the life we could never live. He took upon himself the wrath of God for our sins. He died the death we deserved to die. And on the third day, he rose from the dead. In doing so, he conquered sin and death and secured salvation for all who trust in him.

If you’re a Christian, may this never grow old. This is what has been done for you in Christ. If you’re not a Christian, this offer is open to you too. There is no cleaning yourself up or trying harder that can earn you this salvation. All that is required is that you truly trust and believe. Please do not let another day go by without responding to him.

So why does Jesus tell them he must suffer, die, and rise again? In part, to correct any misguided notions about the kind of Messiah he would be, but also to help them—and us—understand that to follow him means we too will experience suffering and death before we rise. Which leads us to our third point.

FOLLOW THE SUFFERING CHRIST (VV. 23–27)

After revealing what his messiahship would entail, Jesus goes on to tell his disciples what they should expect if they want to follow him, which brings us to point three: follow the suffering Christ.

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)

Jesus is making it clear to his disciples that they will need to walk a path similar to his own. First he says, “If anyone would come after me …” Anyone. This path of discipleship is not restricted to “super Christians”—and, as an aside, there is no such thing as a super Christian. There are only ordinary Christians following a super Christ. This path of discipleship is one every true disciple must follow.

So if anyone would follow Jesus, they must (1) deny themselves and (2) take up their cross daily. Let’s take those one at a time.

Deny Yourself

Jesus is not saying we deny our personhood or suppress every desire. Rather, we deny the self as the ruling authority over our lives. At the center of every one of our lives there is a throne. Following Jesus requires that I dethrone myself and no longer treat my definition of the good life as ultimate or unquestionable.

On one level, this means saying no to sinful desires. Even if I want something, even if culture celebrates it, even if it feels right or brings temporary happiness, followers of Jesus resolve that if Jesus says “no” to it, then so do we.

But this denial also includes denying those lesser goods that have gained unchecked authority in our lives. These are gifts we are tempted to elevate into gods and organize our lives around. For example, a life centered on money may equate financial success with security. We uproot our lives for more lucrative opportunities. We neglect relationships or rest because money and the security it promises take priority.

For others, it may be a life centered on family. Kids’ activities or family time—both good things—become ultimate things. The calendar revolves entirely around games, vacations, and preserving the ideal family experience. Church involvement, hospitality, and generosity get squeezed out. Even these good things must be denied as ruling authorities because, while they are good, they are not God, and therefore should not sit at the center of our lives.

Take Up Your Cross Daily

Jesus goes on to describe that true followers are those who take up their cross daily. We’ve lost much of the significance of the cross today. It appears on jewelry, artwork, and tattoos, or gets reduced to a metaphor for everyday annoyances: “Yeah, well, that annoying coworker is my cross to bear.” As we just saw, everyday trials and hardships are certainly things we endure in pursuing Christ, but when Jesus first spoke these words, no one would have interpreted them as mere inconveniences.

In the Roman world, the cross was an instrument of public humiliation, rejection, and death. In that day, “carrying your cross” meant carrying the horizontal beam of the cross through jeering crowds on the way to your execution. You were actively on your way to crucifying the life you once lived.

Jesus is not saying that everyone who follows him must literally die as a martyr for his sake. That may happen in extreme circumstances, but for most of us it means there will be moments when obedience costs us socially, faithfulness costs us professionally, and conviction costs us culturally. We will experience seasons where we are misunderstood, marginalized, or mocked because Jesus reigns at the center of our lives.

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.” (John 15:18–20)

This doesn’t mean we should go looking for rejection or respond to hostility with hostility. It means we need to be aware of the times in which we live. Increasingly, being a Bible-believing Christian is no longer considered acceptable or good in our culture. We will experience persecution for Christ’s sake, and when it comes, we can respond as people who are not caught off guard. We are prepared because our Savior promised this would happen to those who follow his path.

And notice Jesus says we take up the cross daily. Discipleship isn’t one grand moment of surrender; it’s a daily denial of self. It’s waking up every day and choosing: I will not give in to cynicism and grumbling at work. I will not believe the lie that I need “rest” more than I need to gather with God’s people on Sundays and in community groups. I will not live with my boyfriend or girlfriend before marriage, and I will actively flee situations that tempt me toward sin.

And friends, daily cross-bearing also means running to your Savior when you inevitably fail despite your best efforts, and allowing his mercy and grace to strengthen you to resume the fight for obedience.

Why Follow Him?

At this point, you may be wondering, “Why would anyone want this life? Rejection? Suffering? Cross-bearing?” Jesus knew these thoughts would run through the minds of his disciples—and through ours as well—so he responds in verses 24–27:

“For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:24–27)

Why follow the suffering Christ? Because doing so leads to salvation. The person who clings to self-rule believes that denying self will leave them with nothing, but Jesus says we’ve got it backward. Trying to save the life where you remain enthroned will ultimately lead to losing the very life you’re trying to preserve.

You could gain the whole world and all its comforts and pleasures, yet in the process forfeit your soul. The word “forfeit” is haunting. It paints the picture of an exchange where, in pursuit of the world, you trade away your soul for lesser things. Jesus is asking, “What are you trading your soul for?”

Jesus’s words are sobering. If we continue to be ashamed of Jesus and his words—if we stubbornly cling to self-rule, worldly affirmation, and defiantly reject his invitation into true life—we will lose everything in the end.

I don’t want you to hear the call to follow Jesus as just one more impossible burden to carry. Jesus is not calling you to carry yet another crushing weight. Rather, he is inviting you to lay down the impossible burden of trying to save yourself. In Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says:

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

He is inviting you out of slavery to self and into the freedom found in him.

Why endure this path? Why carry the cross? Because, as we see in verse 27, the cross is not the end of the story. The kingdom of God is truly coming, and you will see it. In the verses we’ll study next week, the disciples will catch a glimpse of that coming kingdom in Christ’s transfiguration, and later they will see it fully displayed in his resurrection from the grave.

Follow Christ because any rejection and cross-bearing are worth it. Take heart! Jesus is not saying, “Life is hard and then you die.” He’s saying, “The path may be hard, but then you truly live.” He’s not withholding the good life from you; he’s pleading with you to let go of the dangerous imitation and embrace the real thing.

Church, the call to self-denial and cross-bearing sounds extreme and frightening until you realize that the one calling you is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who sees eternity in ways we cannot. Follow your suffering Christ on his path, and ultimately it will save your life.