Mark 8:31-38, Jesus began
to teach his disciples that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be
rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and
after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him
aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he
rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind
not on divine things but on human things.
1. Right after the declaration
by Peter that Jesus was the Christ when they were up near Caesarea
Philippi. This next incident
happens. Jesus began to teach, instruct
and even warn His disciples. Jesus is
making it very plain and clear what was going to happen to Him. There were four signs or indications of what
was going to happen to Him in the future.
Jesus was preparing them for the worst and the best.
2. So what are the four things
a. As the Son of Man. This means
God’s Messiah in human form presiding over the final judgment of man. Jesus was going to undergo great
suffering. He would be whipped, beaten,
spit on and He would be reduced to human hamburger. He would be beaten beyond recognition. His body would be broken and His blood
shed.
b. He would be rejected by the elders, chief priests and scribes. The spiritual elite, religious leaders and
teachers of the law would all reject Him.
Remember they were the ones who incited the crowd to call for Jesus
execution. They paid Judas, 30 pieces of
silver. They held a mock trial in the
middle of the night.
c. He would be killed. Jesus was
preparing His disciples for what was to come.
Jesus was killed for our salvation, redemption and liberation. It was for freedom He died so we could be set
free.
d. The after three days He would rise from the dead. Jesus was setting the stage for what was
going to happen.
3. The gospel writer makes it clear that Jesus spoke of this
openly. Jesus wasn’t hiding a
thing. That is the thing you can trust
about God He will tell you openly what His will, plan and purpose are for your
life. God has given us the Bible to be
our guide, compass, rule, or play book to help us navigate the complexities of
life. He has given us the Holy Spirit to
lead and guide us into all truth. It is
not rocket science to follow the Lord when you live within the pages of the
Bible. Smith Wigglesworth said that a
person is never fully dressed unless they carry with them the Bible.
4. Right after Jesus talked about this Peter takes Jesus aside and
rebuked him. Rebuke means to express
sharp disapproval or criticism of (someone) because of their behavior or
actions. He did not belief or want to
believe this was going to happen. Peter
was going on a tirade, diatribe or pontification. Now this happened just after he had
acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ.
He could not believe that was going to happen. This did not line up with his thinking or
belief. This is not what he signed up
for. Jesus was supposed to usher in an
earthly kingdom, where they were supposed to reign with Him. Jesus in Peter’s thinking was going to throw
out the Roman rule and begin a new righteous rule. This did not fit up with his plans.
5. Peter did this privately but Jesus turned to all his disciples
because they were all thinking the same thing. He says to Peter, “Get behind me
satan. For you are not setting your mind
on divine things but natural things.” Did
Jesus just call Peter satan? Yes you
heard right. Here is a truth we can
speak both godly and satanic things at the same time. Man is the only creature who can do that. We can draw from a good and bad well at the
same time. Peter was talking from his
flesh not from the Spirit. Here are ten
things that Jesus died by dying, being buried and rising from the dead. These are things the devil, the world and the
flesh do not want you to know.
I. Jesus gave us salvation,
redemption and freedom.
II. He destroyed the power of sin, death, hell and the grave.
III. He destroyed the works of the devil.
IV. Jesus’ broken body gives us healing.
V. Jesus’ blood is the most powerful element in the universe gives us
forgiveness, freedom, all the benefits of heaven and victory.
VI. The resurrection gives us power authority, anointing enablement,
wisdom clarity and boldness.
VII. We have eternal and abundant life.
VIII. We have a new life in the Spirit with gifts and fruit.
IX. We have armor, weapons and power in our fight in the spiritual
realm.
X. We have authority and victory over every force of hell.
The first part of this message is what
did it cost Jesus to give us salvation, redemption, eternal and abundant
life? Plain and simple it cost Him
everything. Now the second part is what
will it cost us?
He called the crowd with
his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them
deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to
save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and
for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain
the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return
for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous
and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he
comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
1. So what is the cost of being
a follower of Jesus Christ? You will not
hear this very often in a prosperity preacher’s sermon. Wikipedia says a follower is an adherent or
devotee of a particular person, cause, or activity. In Jesus’ case it means complete and total
devotion. So here is the cost. In dollars and cents here it is. This is what God demands.
2. Deny yourself, take yourself off the throne and put Jesus on. Put your will, plans purpose destiny on
hold. Say no to you and yes to the
Lord. He is the pilot of your plane,
ship or car. If God is your co-pilot
swap seats.
3. Take up your cross, crucified your flesh. Render yourself dead. It is God’s way or the highway. You cannot live in both worlds. It will take all of your power and God’s to
live a victorious life.
4. Follow Jesus. Let Him be your
role model, mentor and example. He did
the will of his Father and you must as well.
He love, forgave and accepted people unconditionally and you must.
5. Here reality those who want it their way, to save their life will
lose it, to be in charge will lose it.
There is a price for personal autonomy.
Hell and eternal damnation is the price.
You cannot escape this reality except through Jesus. Look at John Lennon, Prince, Michael Jackson,
Whitney Houston, Elvis, James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, John Kennedy the list goes
on.
6. Those who lose their life for Christ and the sake of the gospel will
save it. Jesus is the only way, truth
and life. You get eternal and abundant
life. Jesus is the lifesaver in the
storms of life. Jesus is the only way to
save your life. Not Buddha, Krishna,
Mohammad, Confucius or anyone else. He
is the only one who can save you.
What profit is it if you gain the whole world to
lose your soul and your life? In fact
what can they give in return for their life?
Nothing. Plain, simple, precise
and clear. Nothing. No money,
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