馬太福音十六章24-28節
神的小僕人

經文:
24 於是耶穌對門徒說：若有人要跟從我，就當捨己，背起他的十字架來跟從我。
25 因為凡要救自己生命的，〔生命或作靈魂下同〕必喪掉生命，凡為我喪掉生命的，必得著生命。
26 人若賺得全世界，賠上自己的生命，有甚麼益處呢？人還能拿甚麼換生命呢？
27 人子要在他父的榮耀裡，同著眾使者降臨，那時候，他要照各人的行為報應各人。
28 我實在告訴你們，站在這裡的，有人在沒嘗死味以前，必看見人子降臨在他的國裡。

當主耶穌吩咐我們作祂的門徒，祂就明明的告訴我們，要學習捨己和背十架，但這是什麼意思呢？此段經文的上文是耶穌預言自己的犧牲，而彼得卻不認同且阻攔耶穌的使命。由此可見學習放下自己的意思，順從神的心意，就是背十架的道理。

十字架是受苦和犧牲的記號，是放下滿足自己的慾望，順服神的旨意。我們喜歡享受神給我們的祝福，卻不願意學習跟從神所受的痛苦。主耶穌提醒我們，要作祂的門徒就要放下自己、背十架、跟從祂。

Matthew 16:24-28

Jesus told His disciples clearly that we need to deny ourselves, take up the cross and follow Him. But what does that mean? The story before Jesus’ command is how Peter tried to deny the mission of Jesus and persuade Jesus not to sacrifice. We can therefore understand from this context that Jesus reminds us that obedience is the clue to authentic discipleship.

The cross is a sign of pain and sacrifice, and it is something we learn to let go. Christians love to have blessings from the Lord and yet we seldom want to talk about sacrifice. Denying ourselves is sacrifice, taking up the cross can be painful, but obedience is the only way of following Christ.