GAIN OR LOSS

 

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.

7.      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, no sacrifice, penance, mantra, religious system, good works and treasure.  Nothing.  Salvation comes only through Jesus Christ.  The devil would love you to continue to believe the lie.  Jesus tells this morning a harsh truth.  To save us.  A beautiful lie never stops a harsh truth.

8.      Those who are ashamed of Christ and His words in this adulterous and sinful generation.  What a perfect description of His world and ours.  We have not got better.  No social reset, experiment has worked and will never work.  The wicked elitist of today.  The Biden’s, Trudeau’s, and the Macron’s cannot do anything.  Why? Because satan is the god of this world and they do his bidding and he robs, kills and destroy.  He has no compassion, grace, love or mercy.  He is corrupt and so are all who do his bidding. 

9.      Jesus will be ashamed of them when He comes in the glory of His Father and with His angels.  Reality check, Jesus is coming back.  He came the first time as the suffering Savior.  Next, time His coming will begin the tribulation period and then He will destroy the armies of the antichrist and usher in the millennial kingdom.  He came as savior next time as Lord.  I close with the final two statements you will hear when you are brought before the Lord for judgment.  You will hear depart from me worker of iniquity or well done thy good and faithful servant enter into my rest.  What you do with Jesus and these instructions will determine that.  What does it cost you to follow the Lord everything.  What did it cost Jesus to secure your salvation?  Everything.   He expects no less,  I want to remind you that the cost benefit ratio for serving the Lord far outweighs anything you will lose.