Risen: The Road to the Resurrection | Pastor Bryan Davis | 03/01/2026

Luke 9 presents a hinge moment where public acclaim gives way to a costly call. The narrative traces a turning point: popular ministry, miracles, and questions about a political Messiah shift dramatically when the Son of Man predicts suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection. That prediction reframes discipleship away from honor and public status toward daily identification with the shame and sacrifice of the cross. Cultural values that prize self-centered authenticity collide with Jesus’ demand to deny self, take up a cross, lose one’s life, and live unashamed.

The gospel reads like a two-act play: Act One offers wonder, miracles, and social honor; Act Two confronts cost, loss, and the cross. Luke 9 confronts the illusion that following God guarantees comfort or social prestige. Instead, discipleship requires a countercultural reordering of identity—from self-rule to submission to God’s will—and a willingness to face rejection, loss, and even social ruin for the sake of Christ’s kingdom. The language of “losing” life evokes total surrender rather than mere inconvenience: personal ambition, comfort, and public approval must be laid waste if eternal life and true soul-worth are to be preserved.

Practical realities appear throughout: denying self opposes contemporary calls to self-fulfillment; taking up a cross implies daily, situational cost rather than wearing another’s penalty; losing life involves surrender of temporal gain for eternal value; living unashamed presses for wholehearted witness despite social pushback. The text closes with a clear invitation to respond—either to enter this costly path now or remain satisfied with the feel-good first act. Prayer and personal response frame the passage’s pastoral application: repentance, renewed surrender, and risk for the gospel stand as the expected posture of those who move from applause to allegiance.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Deny yourself every day Denying self undoes the cultural assumption that personal autonomy defines truth and purpose. The disciple replaces self-as-sovereign with submission to God’s will, discovering identity rooted in relationship rather than self-expression. This reorientation reshapes daily choices, ethical commitments, and long-term priorities toward kingdom fidelity. [23:20]
• 2. Take up your cross daily Taking up a cross names a repeated, situational commitment to choose shame or loss for the sake of Christ. The call expects distinct, sometimes costly responses shaped by individual circumstance—not copying Christ’s atonement, but sharing in his pattern of suffering and fidelity. This daily discipline trains the heart to value God’s purposes over public favor. [28:17]
• 3. Lose life to truly live Losing life carries the force of total surrender—renouncing personal ambition and temporal gain to secure the soul’s eternal worth. Temporary comforts often obscure the long-term cost of clinging to self; surrender anticipates a different economy where spiritual reality outweighs earthly success. The paradox promises preservation of true life through radical giveaway. [33:56]
• 4. Live unashamed for Christ Living unashamed requires public resolve to own Christ’s words and ways despite cultural hostility or personal cost. Shame avoidance and image management will erode witness; bold obedience cultivates courage to invite others into the gospel. The final reckoning honors those who proclaim Christ without retreat. [39:24]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [07:35] - Conference and announcements
• [08:04] - Series: Risen — Road to Resurrection
• [09:22] - Luke 9: a pivot in the story
• [10:39] - Peter’s confession and expectations
• [13:48] - Jesus predicts suffering and death
• [16:17] - The call to deny and follow
• [23:20] - Deny yourself explained
• [28:17] - Take up your cross explained
• [33:56] - Lose your life to gain it
• [39:24] - Live unashamed and respond
• [43:31] - Invitation to give your heart
• [46:56] - Prayer, altar response, and send-off

Based on the sermon summary and transcript provided, here is a Bible study discussion guide.

Bible Reading
Luke 9:23-26 (ESV)
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

Observation questions

1. According to Luke 9:23, what are the three specific actions Jesus says are required to come after Him?
2. In the context of the chapter, what shocking prediction did Jesus make just before giving this call to discipleship (Luke 9:22)? [13:48]
3. What two contrasting outcomes does Jesus present regarding saving or losing one's life in verse 24?
4. What final warning does Jesus give in verse 26 concerning how we relate to Him and His words in this life?

Interpretation questions

1. In a culture that deeply valued honor and avoiding shame, why would Jesus’ command to “take up your cross daily” have been so shocking and counterintuitive to his first disciples? [16:51] [28:55]
2. The idea of “losing your life” is compared to the “laying waste to a city” or “death in battle.” [37:08] How does this stronger definition change our understanding of what Jesus is asking for, compared to thinking of it as a mere inconvenience?
3. Jesus draws a comparison between gaining the whole world and forfeiting your soul. What does this reveal about the true, eternal value system of God’s kingdom versus the temporary value system of the world?
4. How does the concept of the gospel being a “two-act play” help explain the turning point in Luke 9 and the shift in what Jesus requires of his followers? [19:20]

Application questions

1. Denying yourself is a direct affront to the cultural belief that “self is the ultimate authority.” [24:05] What is one specific area of your life (a relationship, a habit, a dream) where you are still acting as the sovereign ruler instead of submitting to God’s will?
2. Taking up your cross daily implies a “situational commitment to choose shame or loss for the sake of Christ.” [28:17] What might taking up your cross look like in your specific circumstances this week—at your job, in your family, or with your friends?
3. Losing your life means “laying waste to personal ambition” and temporal gain. [37:24] What personal ambition or desire for comfort do you need to actively “lay waste to” this week in order to preserve your soul’s eternal worth?
4. Living unashamed requires “public resolve to own Christ’s words and ways despite cultural hostility.” [39:24] Is there a conversation you’ve been avoiding or a truth you’ve been softening because you feared someone’s reaction? What would it look like to lean into that conversation with grace and courage?
5. The call is to move from “Act One” of feeling good about faith into “Act Two” of costly discipleship. [21:22] On a scale of 1 to 10, where would you place your current walk with God—mostly in Act One or fully engaged in Act Two? What would it take to move one step closer to Act Two?