Jesus meets His disciples at Caesarea Philippi, surrounded by false gods, the so-called Gate of Hades, and all the darkness that place represented. Peter has just confessed, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” and Jesus has told him that he is a rock who will be part of the church Christ builds to carry light into dark places. Then Jesus shifts gears and says that He must go to Jerusalem, suffer, be killed, and rise on the third day.

Peter cannot handle it. Peter hears suffering and death, and apparently misses the resurrection. Peter wants a Messiah who conquers Rome, restores Israel, and makes everything go up and to the right. Jesus calls Peter a stumbling block because Peter has his mind set on the things of man, not the things of God. Peter has bought into a theology of glory, the idea that if somebody does faith right, then life will turn out great.

The theology of glory still sounds good to broken people. The if-then god promises that if somebody worships enough, gives enough, or behaves well enough, God will make life easy, prosperous, and safe. Jesus does not make that promise. Jesus tells His disciples that He came to suffer and die because this world is broken, and His people will keep dealing with that brokenness until He returns or calls them home.

Christ calls His people to lose their minds, meaning they must lose the false way of thinking that says God owes them an easy life. Christ calls His people to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him, not because following Him keeps pain away, but because He walks through pain with them. Loss still comes. Water can pour through a house. A phone call can bring news that a father is dying. A brother or sister can confront sin. Death can take somebody loved deeply.

The cross gives loss a different ending. Jesus lost His life to save His people’s lives. Jesus suffered and died so that sin, sickness, shame, and death would not have the final word. His resurrection means that every hard road is headed toward His victory. His grace meets His people on their knees at the foot of the cross, redeems them again, and makes them whole again.

Romans 12 flows out of that gift. Genuine love, hatred of evil, service, celebration, and weeping with those who weep do not earn God’s love. Christ has already given everything. A young man’s death from cancer brings real tears and real loss, yet Christ’s victory means death does not get the last word. Jesus never lets His people go. Therefore, those who are saved can take up their cross and follow Him, learning to lose well because Jesus has overcome.