Finding Life by Losing it. Marks Gospel.

As deep an insight into the meaning of life as has ever been spoken was given by Christ on the 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 Jesus brought. Concerning the believers life.
 He began to teach them. Mark's gospel reads:  it would be the hardest lesson they ever had to learn.
 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 absolutely be 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 the cross. The teaching would never end. The Holy Spirit would continue it long after Jesus, departure from earth. "He began to teach them that the "Son of man must suffer may things." That the divine one could succumb to suffering was foreign to the thought of the day. They couldn't handle the notion that He would become a victim. Persecution and excruciating pain. The disciples were speechless.
 They just couldn't handle such a problem. Through the suffering death of the Messiah, God would work out the worlds 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 the scribes." The drama of Mark's Gospel peaks in Caesarea Philippi. It's a religious mecca. Every major religion can be found here. Temples dot the landscape.
 Priests roam the streets. Jesus and His followers are here, Why? was Jesus there? If Jesus had preached a sermon, its not recorded. If Jesus performed a miracle, we don't know it. As far as we know, all He did was ask two questions. The first, "Who do people say that I am?" The disciples are quick to answer, after they overheard the conversation. " Some say you are John the Baptist..Others say Elijah, and others say you are one of the prophets. Good answers. True answers. But wrong answers. Jesus then turns and asks the disciples and us,who do you say that I am?  He doesn't ask, " what do you think about what I have done?" Now! Who do you say that I am?" through the suffering death of the Messiah, God would work out the world's reconciliation with the Father. On their way to Jerusalem, however they are still 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 the scribes." This two staggered their minds. Why go to Jerusalem if this was waiting for him? Head back to Galilee while their was time. Of all people the religious leaders should have accepted God's Messiah.  This  rejection was to cut Jesus deeper than all  than the whips. All this talk between Jesus and his disciples about the trial, suffering terrible things and being rejected by his own, with Jesus ending up on the cross. Peter reacted to Jesus stabbing prediction, taking him by the arm and begging to rebuke him., you shouldn't say such things, he  protested. While Jesus was trying to draw his disciples into a partnership in his sorrow. Peter rejected the whole concept  out of hand.  Peter completely missed the point after being in the inner circle. 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 then He ordered, " Get behind me Satan!" For you are not of the side of God. but of men. strictly speaking Satan not Peter, was addressed.  Peter allowed himself to be a Mouth piece for Satan in what He said.  One translation renders Jesus words to Peter, you are not looking from God's point of view, but from man's. we humans do this with our life. We face our problems, meet our crisis, confront our opportunities from a human 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 humiliate Peter in what he said. He was stern toward Satan, but loving towards
Peter. For the disciple sake, the temptations had to be rejected. Jesus words to the multitude and his disciples were these word's: " If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me." NO EXCEPTIONS!" LET HIM DENY HIMSELF! Take the love He brought and share it.