Luke 9 is an amazing passage. The 12 are sent out – then they return full of excitement. The 5,000 are fed and Jesus goes up the mountain to pray. We get the amazing declaration of verse 20 when Peter declares Jesus to be the Messiah of God.

Then we have v. 21 – where Jesus sternly ordered AND commanded them not to tell anyone. Really? We are to witness and tell of Jesus, right? But, now was not the time – it would come in a bit.

That is followed up with the exhortation to take up their cross daily and follow him – to deny themselves. Living life in the shadow of the cross. Is that not the call of God to all of us? Denying ourselves and living for God. Denying ourselves and living for others. Living life in the shadow of the cross. This is what our Lord did every day of his life. His life was an inexorable march to the cross.

What does it mean for us to live life in the shadow of the cross?