In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to fall into routines without questioning why we do what we do. This tendency extends to our spiritual lives as well. Many of us attend church, participate in religious activities, or even consider ourselves followers of Jesus without truly understanding what that means or why we’re doing it. But what does it really mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?

Let’s start with a simple story that illustrates how easily we can lose sight of our “why”:

A young couple had just gotten married, and the husband was preparing dinner using his mother’s recipe. As he began, he cut the end off the chuck roast before placing it in the crockpot. His wife, curious about this step, asked why he did it. He replied, “I don’t know. That’s what my mom always did.”

Intrigued, they asked his mother about it when they next visited. She gave the same answer – it was just what her mother had always done. Finally, when they had the chance to ask the grandmother, she explained, “When your grandpa would come home from the store, he would always get the biggest roast he could find. I had to cut the end off because that’s the only way I could get it to fit in my crockpot.”

This story reminds us how easily we can fall into doing things simply because “that’s the way we’ve always done them.” But when it comes to our faith and our relationship with God, we need to dig deeper and understand our “why.”

In Luke 9:18-25, we find a pivotal conversation between Jesus and his disciples that gets to the heart of what it means to be a true follower of Christ. The passage begins with Jesus asking his disciples a crucial question: “Who do the crowds say that I am?” The disciples respond with various answers they’ve heard – John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the ancient prophets risen from the dead.

But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He makes it personal, asking, “But who do you say that I am?” This question cuts to the core of discipleship. It’s not about what others think or believe about Jesus; it’s about our personal relationship and understanding of who He is.

Peter answers, “The Messiah of God.” This recognition of Jesus’ true identity is the foundation of discipleship. But Jesus doesn’t leave it there. He goes on to explain what following Him truly entails: “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”

This statement challenges our modern, consumer-centric mindset. In a world that constantly tells us to put ourselves first, to accumulate more, and to seek personal gain, Jesus calls us to a radically different way of living. He asks us to deny ourselves, to put His will and the needs of others before our own desires.

The call to “take up your cross daily” is not a call to mere suffering, but to a complete reorientation of our lives. It’s about aligning our priorities, our actions, and our very selves with the kingdom of God rather than the kingdoms of this world.

Jesus goes on to say, “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit them if they gain the whole world but lose or forfeit themselves?”

These words cut to the heart of what truly matters in life. We can spend our entire lives chasing after wealth, status, or power, but in the end, what does it really gain us? If we lose our true selves – our connection to God and our eternal purpose – in the process, what have we really achieved?

This message is as relevant today as it was when Jesus first spoke these words. We live in a society driven by consumerism and the constant pursuit of more. The advertising industry spends billions trying to make us feel dissatisfied with what we have, always yearning for the next big thing. But Jesus calls us to a different path – one of self-denial and focus on what truly matters.

This challenge extends beyond our individual lives to our faith communities as well. Many churches have lost sight of their true purpose, getting caught up in cultural expectations, political battles, or the pursuit of worldly success. But the core of our faith, the “why” behind everything we do, should be rooted in two fundamental principles: the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

The Great Commandment calls us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. It’s about living our lives as true disciples of Jesus, embodying His teachings in our daily actions and interactions.

The Great Commission challenges us to make disciples, teaching others and baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It’s not just about personal spiritual growth, but about sharing the transformative message of Jesus with others.

When we lose sight of these core principles, we risk becoming like that pot roast recipe – going through the motions without understanding the “why” behind our actions. We may attend church out of habit, participate in religious activities out of obligation, or even claim the label of “Christian” without truly living out what that means.

But true discipleship is about more than routine or cultural expectation. It’s about a radical reorientation of our lives around the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. It’s about seeking first the kingdom of God, even when that puts us at odds with the values and priorities of the world around us.

As we reflect on what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, let’s challenge ourselves to move beyond mere routine or cultural Christianity. Let’s dig deep into our “why,” examining our motivations and aligning our lives with the transformative message of the Gospel.

Are we willing to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and truly follow Jesus? Are we focused on gaining the whole world, or on nurturing our eternal souls? Are we living out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission in tangible ways?

These are the questions that can guide us toward authentic discipleship – a life that’s not just about religious routines, but about a deep, transformative relationship with Jesus Christ and a commitment to His kingdom values. As we wrestle with these questions and seek to live out our faith in meaningful ways, we may find that our lives – and the world around us – begin to change in profound and beautiful ways.