John 14:6
The Way, The Truth, and The Life
6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Mark 14:66-72
Peter Disowns Jesus
66 While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him.
“You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said.
68 But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway.
69 When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” 70 Again he denied it.
After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”
71 He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.”
72 Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.
1 Peter 2:21-25
Jesus is Our Example
21 To this you were called,because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 “He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Luke 9:23-27
Following Jesus Means Denying Oneself
23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
27 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”
Luke 14:25-35
The Cost of Being a Disciple
25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn't able to finish.’
31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
34 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.
“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
Matthew 22:36-40
Two Greatest Commandments
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
John 14:27
Jesus Gives Us a Different Peace
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 17:3
Eternal Life is Knowing God and Knowing Jesus
3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
Jesus is the Way...The Way we are to lead our lives...Jesus is the Son of God...He is our example and we should follow in His steps, and follow His teachings...They are very difficult steps to follow...Believers do try...Peter tried...But in Jesus' hour of need Peter denied His LORD three times...And Peter had been with the LORD for three years, was one of His Disciples, and a good student of His Teacher's...But following the Jesus Way is very difficult...And He never says His Way would be easy...He is always telling us the cost of following Him, and the cost of taking up His cross...
Christianity is so hard that G. K. Chesterton said this on the difficulty of practicing following Jesus: There is a sense that Christianity is only old hat...It’s been around for so long and so many people, cultures, and even civilizations have tried it...Yet, despite such endlessly common efforts, they seemed to have still fallen short...They didn't produce the missing link, the holy grail, or that secret to life that makes sense of this mysterious existence...Christianity is just a worn out pair of shoes, used when useful and in the end “found wanting.”...That’s the common perception anyway...But it’s wrong...The truth is that the Christian life has largely “been found difficult and left untried.”...And because of that we've never actually experienced the fullness of the Christian ideal...There are some who have actually overcome the difficulties, given it a fair try and did not find it wanting at all...They’re called Saints...So before we go writing off Christianity as more of the same old hat, consider looking to the Saints and trying on a hat that you perhaps have never fully tried...
Following Jesus is not easy...Christianity has mostly been found difficult and left untried, because of its difficulty, to always to be doing the right thing, and always to love and be helping our neighbors ..In fact, even people who are Christians find it very difficult to follow Him...By Jesus setting the Perfect Example for His followers, in a way impacts the way the non-believer looks at those who do try to follow Him...The non-believer looks at the believer and see how he is living...Does the believer's life really change and does he act differently, with Jesus in his life?...Does the believer follow the example of Jesus in what He does in His daily life each and everyday?...For the non-believing skeptic he doesn't read the gospels about Jesus, because he sees that the believer lives no differently and behaves no differently, and feels no differently than he does...The non-believer sees it must be difficult or something is amiss -so reading about Jesus and following Him goes untried...And by not reading the gospels, one does not get to know Him and how divine, brilliant, humble, and wise He is...One does not learn about Him or His teachings...One cannot get to know Him, without reading about Him...And so without knowing about Him, how does one know difficult He is to follow...Following Him means denying one's own self...For whoever wants to save their own life, must lose their life for Him...Their is difficulty and a cost to following Jesus...The cost is mostly how we live our life on earth...Always loving God and loving our neighbor sounds easier than actually practicing it...Always doing God's will if very difficult...But knowing Jesus and His Father are the keys to eternal life...
And in all our difficulties, we sometimes fail, as Peter did...But Jesus forgives...After Jesus ascended Peter became a great teacher himself...He taught many about Jesus...Jesus forgave Peter with his failings...Peter did his best and overcame many of his difficulties and our personal failings -and became a Saint...
Jesus knows that we are only men...He knows how weak the flesh is...He became a Man and dwelt with us...And in some of the other religions that teach us that enlightenment is the way to morality and to personal peace...Enlightenment is more the goal to one's inward peace in other religions...Christians believe that Jesus is the Light...He is the One who Enlightens us...Only knowing Jesus can give us peace...And His peace is unlike any other...But that is where His peace lies...A peace only Jesus can give...