Discipleship is not a casual affair to Jesus. In a series of three encounters, Jesus shows the high priority he places on discipleship.  It is not an accident that this teaching follows a passage that centered on rejection. Part of  what makes following Jesus so demanding is the fact that some type of rejection is given for the believer. Following Jesus takes focused commitment.  Kingdom preaching is an urgent task for followers of Jesus.

The Christian faith goes beyond knowing what others believe. It requires us to hold beliefs for ourselves. When Jesus asks, "Who do you say I am?" he wants us to take a stand, Who do you say Jesus is?  People are willing to pay a high price for something they value. Is it any surprise that Jesus would demand this much commitment from his followers? There are at least

three conditions that must be met by people who want to follow Jesus. We must be willing to deny self, to take up our crosses, and to follow him. Anything less is superficial lip service.