Mark 8:31-38 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is Mark 8:31-38. With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage. Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage? After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
Mark 8:31-33 (NIV)
31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.
32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
On verses 31-33: Peter rebuked Jesus for talking about how Jesus must suffer many things, be rejected by the religious establishment, be killed and rise again after three days. So why did Jesus respond by saying “Get behind me, Satan”? It’s because Jesus knew that he had to (“must”) suffer and die. Jesus didn’t think Peter was Satan, but Jesus saw how Satan could use Peter’s words to distract Jesus from doing what the Father had called him to do.
When Peter tries to dissuade Jesus from taking this road of suffering, Jesus is probably reminded of when Satan tempted Jesus in the desert and offered to give Jesus a shortcut to glory and power, one that did not seem to involve death or suffering (see Matthew 4:8-10). Jesus had to take a firm stand against that train of thought and focus on God’s will for Jesus’ life.
Likewise, you can’t play around with temptation, entertaining it, dancing around it, trying to co-exist with it. You need to take a firm stand against Satan’s schemes, rejecting them outright, lest you risk giving into them.
Mark 8:34-38 (NIV)
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
On verse 34: In verses 31-33 Jesus made it clear that He had to suffer and die. Here in verses 34-35 Jesus makes it clear that those who follow Jesus would need to suffer for Him as well. To deny yourself means to not live with yourself at the centre anymore but with Jesus at the centre. To take up your cross means to live out the calling that God has for you, including enduring whatever pain or suffering that comes with that calling. These are all part of following Jesus.
Mark 8:35 (NIV)
35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.
On verse 35: Our natural inclination is to protect ourselves and keep ourselves at the centre, to live for our own comfort and happiness. But here Jesus makes this incredible promise: live for yourself and you’ll end up losing your life for eternity; live your life for Jesus and give it away for His cause and you’ll find true life for eternity.
Mark 8:36-37 (NIV)
36 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
37 Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
On verses 36-37: If I gain the whole world (i.e. get everything I thought I wanted on earth) but forfeit my soul (i.e. forfeit the destiny and calling God had for me), what good is it? If I lose my soul, nothing else I have can help me to get it back. Real life is not getting everything I want; it’s doing what God wants.
Mark 8:38 (NIV)
38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
On verse 38: We can either live for Jesus and take His words seriously, or we can be ashamed of Jesus and ignore His words. If we choose the later, the way we treated Jesus will be the way Jesus treats us.
Jesus, You are the One I live for. With You is real life. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
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