If we’re really honest we have to admit that Peter speaks for all of us when he rebukes Jesus for saying that he would soon suffer. The main reason Peter does this is that following a God who suffers means we will probably have to suffer, too. Sure enough we were right; for immediately after Jesus puts Peter in his place, he says, “Those who want to be my followers must first deny themselves, take up their crosses and follow me.” What Peter probably figured out right from the beginning was that he would have to sacrifice. Paul carried the thought a step further in Romans 12 when he said that we are called to be “living sacrifices” which may be one of the main problems people have with Christianity today.

Sacrifice is not a word we use much these days, is it? When was the last time you used…