Matthew 16:21-28  "From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem.. and be killed, and be raised up on the third day." 

The revelation that Peter received.. that Jesus is the "Christ, the Son of the living God".. is so powerful..  surely the high point of their journey with Christ so far, but... followed so quickly by the horrible news that He would be killed..  It was more than Peter could face. "God forbid it, Lord!" he cried. 

How startled Peter must have been.. to be told in one moment that he would be given the keys of the kingdom of heaven. and the next to be called "Satan" and a "stumbling block".  

There is a sobering reality that the disciples needed to be prepared for..  "God's interests".. are not the same as man's... (His ways our not our ways)... They needed to learn that being a disciple of Jesus is much more than what they had been expecting... It is a lesson that we must learn also. 

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."  Jesus tells them.  The cost of discipleship is your life.  Period.  "For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it." 

All the wealth.. all the power.. all the "gain" ..  in all the world..Jesus says.. is not worth the cost of your soul.  In the end, when Jesus comes "in the glory of His Father.. " when judgement is rendered, every man will  receive "according to his deeds".  Nothing of this world will matter then.. except what has been done in the Name of Jesus. 

God is interested in preparing us for that day.  He wants us.. our whole being.. His call is still the same. Deny self. Take up the standard of Jesus. Follow Him. Seek Him only and find real life. Every other choice leads to destruction of the soul. 

"When He shall come with trumpet sound, Oh, may I then in Him be found, Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne! On Christ the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand." 

Father in heaven, Your ways.. Your interests.... go way beyond our shallow thinking. We don't see things as You do.. like Peter we don't want the hard things.  But, You are perfect in every way and You have a much greater plan and purpose for us!  Thank You for doing in us the work of salvation, the work of sanctification.. to prepare us for the Day when Christ returns. May Your will be done! But, O Lord give us Your grace.. Father...   We look up.. alert and ready for that glorious day!  We abide in the One who died for us, who rose again, who sits at Your right hand, and who is coming again. Hallelujah!  He is Lord! Amen.