Then Jesus began to tell them about the terrible things he would have to suffer, and that he would be rejected by the elders and chief priests and other Jewish leaders, and be killed, and that after three days he would rise again. he talked about it frankly with them, So Peter took him aside and chided him. "You shouldn't say things like that," he told Jesus. Jesus turned and looked at his disciples and then He turned toward Peter sternly, " Satan, Get behind me! You are looking at this only from a human point of view and not from God's. Then He called his disciples and the crowds to come over and listen. "If any of you want to be my followers," he told them, " You must put aside your own pleasures and shoulder your cross, and follow me closely. If you insist on saving your life, you will lose it. Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the good news, will ever know what it means to really live. How does a man benefit if he gains the whole world and loses his soul in the process. For is anything worth more than his soul."ANYONE WHO IS ASHAMED OF ME AND MY MESSAGE IN THESES DAYS OF UNBELIEF AND SIN," I THE MESSIAH WILL BE ASHAMED OF HIM WHEN I RETURN IN THE GLORY OF MY FATHER, WITH THE HOLY ANGELS." As deep an insight into the meaning of life as has ever been spoken was given by Christ on his way to the cross. Around the destiny of his own life he wrapped a teaching for every life.
Concerning his own suffering death, the message reads: take the love He brought. Concerning the believer's life, it says: lead the life He taught.
"He began to teach him," Mark's gospel reads. It would be the hardest lesson they had ever learned.
After almost three years with him, the disciples were put to their most difficult test.
Could they discern the meaning of the cross? What Jesus was going to say would stagger them.
It would be absolutely mind-boggling. Therefore, well ahead of time, love was preparing the beloved. Jesus was always preparing his disciples for the next step. He only began to teach them here about his cross.
The teaching would never end. The Holy Spirit would continue long after Jesus departure from earth.
"He began to to teach them that the son-man must suffer may things." That the divine one could succumb to suffering was a foreign thought of the day. He would be a victor, not a victim The title "Son-of Man," meaning the God-sent messiah, guaranteed exception from suffering in popular thought. Yet Christ was saying here to his disciples that he was about to suffer terrible things as one translation renders it.He would experience excruciating agonies. This left the disciples speechless.
They just couldn't handle such a concept. Sometime after the event they would discover that " with his stripes we are healed." Through the suffering death of the Messiah, God would work out the world's reconciliation with the Father. On the way to Jerusalem, however, they were utterly baffled.
Jesus went on to share with his disciples that " the son- of man must... be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and scribes." This, too, boggled the mind. Why go to Jerusalem if this was in store?
Head back to Galilee while there was time. Of all people the religious leaders should accept God's Messiah. This rejection was more than whips. "He came to his own home, his own people received
him not. " What a shudder must have shaken Christ's own heart as he foresaw the rejection he must experience!
He must be killed, Jesus told his disciples. The prediction was getting more fantastic every phrase. Here was the ultimate shocker. afterward they would learn to understand it as Paul interpreted, " God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." Gave His all! But now this never even dawned on them. They were appalled by what He was saying. When Jesus came to the climax... "and three days rise again" they were completely lost. that probably didn't even register because they were so bothered by what He was saying, their heads were going around in circles and he said this plainly, " Mark gospel records. This was no parable or allegory with hidden meaning. It was frank, open, devastating. At least they could never say he hadn't told them.
This was just the first time. Other times would follow. Jesus wanted them to have a solid basis for interpreting what was to follow. When would it happen? They might remember what He told them.
Mean while, they could start thinking about it in advance. During their whole lifetime they would not have anything more important to ponder. After the disciples would witness the suffering death and triumphant resurrection of their Lord, they would come to realize the earth shaking meaning of these events. God with a rapturous offer of mercy through Christ was embracing humankind. No person ever again need feel rejected or lost or hopeless. By His cross Christ drew the sting from life and death,for those who put their trust in what He did for them, there is peace with God for the sinner and indescribable joy now and forever. The secret hid from creation was now shouted over the earth. God totally loves every person. He did it all that was necessary to settle every ones account with him.
Even when it required torture,death, and resurrection of his only son, he didn't hesitate. Henceforth, no catastrophe or threat, even death itself of his only son, could ever terrorize a believer or give him an anxious day.God holds us to his heart in tender mercy and pardon for the sake of Christ. This is why Christ suffered, cruelty rejected by his own, was crucified like a criminal and was raised to life
on the third day.
All this, however, was not apparent in that plain talk on the way to Jerusalem, so Peter reacted to Jesus stabbing prediction of being put to death, and rise again in three days afterwards, Peter grabbed Jesus by the and began to rebuke him. Peter rejected the whole Idea out of hand. If even Peter completely missed the point after being with Jesus for three years, no one today ought to be overconfident about his understanding of the Gospel, but always praying for the light and leading of the Holy Spirit. Probably all the rest thought like Peter but didn't say it. Jesus shot back a stunning reply. First He looked into the disciples thoughts, found them confused and disbelieving, and the ordered, ' Get behind me Satan, not Peter was addressed, but Peter had allowed himself to become a mouth piece for Satan in what he said . Jesus is saying to Peter, you are not looking at this from God's point of view. It can save so much heartache to reflect first for a while on how God looks at the situation and what He can do with it. Jesus did not humiliated Peter in what he said. He was stern with Satan., but loving towards Peter. The temptation had to be rejected. " Let him take up his cross", Christ continued, this reference is to condemned criminal carrying his cross through the streets of Jerusalem up to the hill outside the city where He would be crucified. The cross is a burden taken upon one's self for the sake of others. It is assumed in love and carried without complaint. It may be a very heavy burden. Christ apparently staggered and stumbled under the weight of His cross up the slopes of Calvary. Today a cross might be a women doing the food shopping for a neighbor during her illness. There are many types of examples that represents a burden voluntary assumed in love for somebody else. " Let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Then Jesus gave life's great master principle: " For who ever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel will save it." THIS IS, IN EFFECT, A SACRED PROMISE TO GOD. If one gives his life away upon others, he can't lose. He can only win. " For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?" Jesus asked:" For what can a man give in return for his life?" Christ pressed further. What is a fair exchange? Would one trade a Diamond for dirt? Or gold for fools gold? There is no equal exchange when it comes to life., meaning life made up of inner peace, joy, fulfillment, and hope. Today's collect ( prayer of the day) prays: " Bring back all who have erred and gone astray from your word, and lead them again in faith to receive and hold fast to your truth. Jesus concluded, For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the son of man be ashamed, when He comes in the glory of His father with the Holy angels. The way a Christian lives announces his shame or his pride regarding Christ. If such a one crumbles under the pressures of society and constantly compromises
Christian principles, he is ashamed of Christ. If however, that person holds fast through thick and thin because Christ's steadfastness toward him, then Christ is honored. When the Lord comes in all His glory, all will be revealed. Pray God for the courage to live for Christ in this day and toward that one. Take the love he brought. Lead the life he taught. The two are interwoven.Living solely in trust upon the radiant love for us., we can be motivated to live the life he taught. Living that life will turn us back time and again for strength to that love he brought.
I Christ, the Savior, we find the source of both.
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