In Matthew 16:24-27 Rabbi Jesus communicates what is necessary to possess Him as Savior. In so doing He also invites us to discover the key to securing its goal – eternity with Him in Paradise.

1. If you want Jesus to be your Savior then you must live the rest of your life rejecting the belief that the most valuable things in this life are those that advance/improve self-image or pleasure (24a).

1.1. “come after Me” = Possess Me as Savior (for the purpose of salvation) (Isa 55:1-4 w/Mat 16:13-16). Notice it is conditional (“If anyone wishes to…”). IOW: wanting Him or salvation is not enough to possess Him or it (Luk 13:22-24) = Jesus by His mention of “many” not being “able” to “enter” confirms this man’s concern that there are “just a few who are being saved.” The reason however is not because the “many” do not desire it (“for many, I tell you will seek to enter”). Rather, it is due to the fact that though they want to be saved they refuse the pain and unpopular path (“Strive” [Grk., agonizomai; agonize] = Fight or compete [like an athlete] under great stress and strain; Joh 18:36; 1Ti 6:12; 1Co 9:25 [athlete – literally, agonizing one]; “narrow” [Grk., stenos; constrictive] = The gospel message that truly saves is the one that constricts [i.e., places necessary obligations/constraints on its recipients – e.g., obedience] rather than accommodates [i.e., places no such obligations/constraints – e.g., FAG; Mat 7:13-14 “borad” = accomodating]; e.g., most Americans wish they were independently wealthy, but few are willing to do what it takes to make it a reality).

1.2.  “he must deny [reject] himself” = We must deny/reject the belief that the most valuable things in this life are those things which advance/improve my self-image or pleasure.

“and take up his cross” = The jettisoning of this belief system must be permanent (until you die [cross was an execution device]). IOW: your life will now longer reflect this way of thinking/belief – which implies (also) daily practice (Luk 9:23). 

1.3. Jesus’ demand for denial/rejection in this area is related to our identity as image-bearers. Because we are image-bearers, we are hard-wired to love and seek those things we believe to be the greatest value-add to image – either our image or the image of God. As a result, we will always love the most (or are most loyal to – or lost without), what we believe to be the thing(s) producing the most value (Mat 6:21 “treasure” = things believed to possess the most value; “heart” = what you love [are most loyal to or lost without]).

1.4. What (then) Jesus is not talking about: becoming “the navy seal of ‘no’”. IOW: the key to getting to heaven is not growing in self-discipline (Col 2:23; 1Ti 4:8). It is instead about changing whose image we are attempting to advance from self to God – which means believing that the most valuable things in this life are those things that promote that – His image (not ours).

2. Possessing Jesus as Savior will also mean adopting His belief that the most valuable things in this life are those that advance/improve God’s image and pleasure (24b).

2.1. “follow Me” = Language indicating a Rabbi – disciple relationship (the disciples of a Rabbi were said to follow him). As such, what is meant by this word “follow” is more than simply obey his teaching, but imitate his life. Hence the reason, Jewish disciples would often live with their rabbis (so they could imitate his life). The requirement therefore to “follow [Jesus]” is a call to see as most valuable in this life those things Jesus saw as most valuable – to adopt His view or belief in this respect.

2.2. And for Jesus, the things most valuable, were those that advanced/improved God’s image. As a result, this is what He was most passionate about – what He most loved. He was most loyal to (or lost without) the promotion of God’s image and pleasure (versus His own). Hence (Joh 8:29). This is confirmed also by Jesus’ rebuke of Peter in (vv21-23 “God’s interests” were the interests – the thing most valuable to Jesus).

2.3. This (again) is what Jesus lived for and what we must live for if we are to follow (or imitate) Him as our Rabbi and get to heaven: we must see as the things most valuable in this life – and therefore most love (be loyal to or lost without), those things which advance or improve God’s image.

2.4. Principles then not to miss: 1) Whatever you choose to believe are the most valuable things in this life will be what you most love (are loyal to or lost without). Again (Mat 6:21) = Love (what we feel loyalty to or are lost without) is always the result of what we chose to believe as most valuable. And…2) What you believe to be most valuable will always be determined by whose image you are attempting to advance or improve in this life: yours or God. These two things are at the heart of what Rabbi Jesus is teaching in (Mat 13:44-46) = The obvious reason the man and the merchant see the kingdom of God (represented by the treasure and the pearl) as most valuable is because the image they are most concerned with advancing and improving is not their own but God’s. IOW: because they seek God’s glory (and not their own), it is His kingdom (and not their own) which is most important. Hence the reason for their great loyalty to it as demonstrated by the selling of all their possessions. Again, the things you choose to see as most valuable in this life (and the sure-fire sign of whose image you live to promote), will (as a result) become your greatest passion or love (where your heart beats), the things you will be most loyal to (and lost without).

2.5. John’s instruction about loving God and not loving the world – or the things of the world therefore also serves as a helpful diagnostic for determining whose image we are living for (self or God) (1Jo 2:15-17) = People who choose to see as most valuable the things of the world—and who as a result, feel a heartfelt or strong love and loyalty to (or are lost without) those things, are people living for the advancement or improvement of their image (not the image of God). This is the mindset and marketing, perspective and propaganda of the world - both in the public and private square (e.g., schools, businesses, government): life is about seeking the advancement or improvement of your self-image or pleasure. The modern term for this is narcissism (def., self-centered or the pursuit and promotion of self above all else). This world’s most popular religion has always been narcissism. John splits this world’s narcissism into three categories: 1) “the lust of their flesh” (advancement/improvement of self through physical stimulation; e.g., a narcissistic view of sex and food – Phi 3:17-20), 2) “the lust of their eyes” (advancement/improvement of self through psychological stimulation; e.g., a narcissistic view of knowledge, power, beauty, experience) and/or 3) “the pride of life” (advancement/improvement of self through position and/or possessions; e.g., a narcissistic view of people and personal property).

2.6.The reason Jesus most often speaks negatively about our earthly/blood family is b/c He knew this was the area where most people would be guilty of narcissism or attempting to advance/improve their self-image or pleasure (e.g., Mat 10:34-37; Luk 14:26). Why are our earthly/blood families so often the target of narcissism (people promoting self-image)? Because there are so many opportunities to exploit without being noticed. Most of what is seen by the world as loving families or good parenting or people becoming the best version of themselves is nothing more than people attempting to advance or improve their self-image or pleasure through those other people (e.g., loyalty to kids as possessions, pets, for friends, praise, vicarious living, status, support, stability, or sentimental experience parents or family in general as possessions, pets, for friends, praise, status, support, stability or sentimental experience). It is worth mentioning that the phrase “pride of life” in 1 John 2:16 is most likely a direct reference to earthly/blood family since this was the phrase’s common understanding in the ANE (e.g., Gen 30:20, Isa 4:1, Psa 17:14)

2.7. In light of what was discussed consider the difference from an image seeking perspective between our earthly/blood family and our heavenly/covenant family: b/c of its requirements for membership, loyalty or love for the latter is almost always (if not always) due to seeking God’s glory (not our own). Which means this too serves as a great diagnostic for determining which path we are on.

2.8. It is therefore because the narcissistic person’s love or loyalties lie elsewhere (e.g., their earthly/blood families versus God’s heavenly/covenant family), that John can say “the love of the Father is not in them.” IOW: It is impossible to truly possess – or sustain love for (or loyalty to) God when you are living to improve your image instead of His. Once more, love is always the function of something else. It is only produced for those people or things we view as most valuable to the image we are attempting to advance or improve. Which means the only way to stop having such strong loyalty and love for the things of the world is to change the image we live to promote. It means leaving our (self) image behind (crucifying it) and following (or imitating) Rabbi Jesus – Who lived instead for God’s image as demonstrated through His pursuit and practice of one thing (above all others – as most valuable) during His earthly life.

CLOSING CONTEMPLATION: What did Rabbi Jesus pursue and practice as the most valuable thing during His earthly life?