Daily Devotional For Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Good morning Southside! I thank you for joining us today to meditate on these devotionals and for your patience. It seems it is taking us some time to get through Matthew 16:21-28, doesn’t it? These words from Jesus are worth our time and attention to them. I thank you for giving that.

From then on Jesus began to tell His disciples plainly that it was necessary for Him to go to Jerusalem, and that He would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day He would be raised from the dead. (22) But Peter took Him aside and began to reprimand Him for saying such things. ‘Heaven forbid, Lord,’ he said. ‘This will never happen to You!’ (23)  Jesus turned to Peter and said, ‘Get away from Me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to Me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.’ (24) Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow Me. (25) If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake, you will save it. (26) And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? (27) For the Son of Man will come with His angels in the glory of His Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. (28) And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom’” (NLT).

As we saw yesterday, real discipleship is real commitment. You are either all in or you are not. There is no middle ground here. Today we pick up with verse 26. In this verse, Jesus asked His disciples a rhetorical question based on verse 25. Even if you had power and control over the whole world that is under the domain of the devil, if you lost your soul to hell, is that worth it? Every person dies. It does not matter who they are, how wealthy they are or how powerful they are in this life, they will still die. It is one thing we all have in common as sinners. 

We see that Jesus faced this exact temptation in Matthew 4:8-10. Most people spend their entire lives acquiring possessions, positions, power and pleasures. Jesus says in the end, all of these are worthless. What we have here is temporary and not eternal. What we have here cannot be exchanged for our soul. You can work hard to have a “good life” that is pleasurable, but in the end, it will be hollow, empty and taken from you at death. 

So the question should be this: what can I have that cannot be taken away from me, even by death? No amount of money can buy back a lost soul. This means as believers we should pursue God the Father more than the gods of pleasures. Without Christ, the world makes decisions that this life is all there is. Sadly, there are believers who live this way as well. No matter our status here or the rewards or recognition here, apart from Christ we are still lost. 

In verse 27, the future tense of this is referring to Christ’s glorious second coming, when this present life will end and judgment comes. Their lives will be repaid for how they lived here. The biblical basis for this is found in Psalm 62:12. The judgment referred to here is positive, involving the Son of Man’s loving acceptance of true disciples. While Jesus called His followers to deny themselves, take up their crosses, and follow, He also promised great reward. Their self-denial and discipleship would not be wasted.

Their repayment would come in the glorious future kingdom of God. Jesus will be the One doing the judging. This is affirmed also by the Apostle Paul in Romans 14:9-11 and in Philippians 2:9-11. While judgment is already taking place in the life of the believer, there is a future one coming (see Matthew 25:31-46). Everyone’s life is going to be reviewed and evaluated – even believers. While our eternal destiny is secured, we will be judged on how well we were good stewards of all that God gave us – our abilities, talents, skills, abilities, intellect, and opportunities.

Verse 28 had caused some confusion to some. There are those who read it and think Jesus was saying that His disciples would not die until they saw the kingdom of God come. In all likelihood, Jesus was referring to possibly: 

(a) Peter, James and John who were about to witness the Transfiguration in a few days (see Matt. 17:1-13); or 

(b) Those who would witness the Resurrection and Ascension soon; or 

(c) Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit; or

(d) All those who would spread the Gospel after Pentecost.

I am reminded of the words of martyred Jim Elliot, who gave his life in Ecuador to share the Gospel with the indigenous people there. He said this: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose” (Source: Jim Elliot, The Journals of Jim Elliot, p. 174). This passage makes it clear there is no crown without a cross – not for Jesus and not for us. What makes a person a Christian or a church Christian? Two criteria – Professing Jesus as the Christ and Lord; and second, following Jesus in His suffering even if it means we suffer.

For example, for a parent or family member who opposes their child or loved one going on a mission trip that might not be safe is not biblical; it is satanic and demonic. It may be viewed as being parental or loving, but it is not biblical and it does not model making Jesus Lord of your life. It is making self and selfishness lord. 

If we are not willing to die for Christ, we cannot live for Christ. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who left America to go back to Germany to oppose Hitler, was killed by the Nazis a couple of weeks before Germany surrendered. He said this, “When Christ calls a man he bids him come and die” (Source: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, p. 89). What is this cross we are to carry? Self-denial, even from suffering. Jesus is not promising us “No pain, no gain.” He is promising us lots of pain in order to gain. What is that gain – the joy of our obedience. Discipleship is not teatime or a latte in a coffee shop.

Assignment: Evaluate your self-denial and cross bearing. Does your spending reflect this? Does your giving reflect this? Does your time management reflect this? Does worship reflect this? If asked by the Lord, how willing are you right now to die for Jesus? If the Lord asked you to give up everything you have – everything – how committed are you currently ready to do that?

Scripture To Meditate On: Matthew 19:29, “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life” (NASB).

Prayer To Pray: “Lord, following You is no piece of cake. I hope I will go wherever You lead me. I pray that everything that I act as if it is mine, I would gladly surrender it to You. Lord, if I am not there yet, please help me get there in my self-denial and cross-bearing. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”

I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly