We Can't, God Can!

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March 16, 2003 - Mark 8:31-38

Open It

  1. Are you a toe-dabbling Christian or a jump-into-the-deep-end Christian? Which variety does God want us to be?
  2. What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning-the alarm clock and the smell of breakfast or a desire to see what wonders and joys God has in store for you? Why?
  3. In a time when it would be easy to yield to pessimism, in what concrete ways does faith keep you optimistic?

Explore

  1. Who referred to himself as the "Son of Man"? (8:31)
  2. What did Jesus teach the disciples? (8:31)
  3. How did Jesus speak about what would happen to him? (8:32)
  4. Why did Peter rebuke Jesus? (8:32)
  5. How was what Jesus predicted different from what Peter expected? (8:32)
  6. What surprised Peter? (8:32)
  7. Who rebuked whom? Why? (8:32-33)
  8. What did Jesus say to Peter in response to his rebuke? (8:33)
  9. Why did Jesus rebuke Peter? (8:33)
  10. In what way did Peter have in mind the "things of man" as opposed to the "things of God"? (8:33)
  11. What was wrong with Peter's thinking? (8:33)
  12. Why did Jesus say, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me"? (8:34-38)
  13. How did Jesus refer to the people to whom he was speaking? (8:38)
  14. How will Jesus come back to earth? (8:38)

Get It

  1. Why does Christ ask us to "deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow" him?
  2. What does it mean to deny yourself?
  3. What does it mean to take up your cross?
  4. What does it mean to follow Christ?
  5. In what way can a person both save his life and lose it at the same time?
  6. How can we make sure we "have in mind the things of God"?

Apply It

  1. What attitude or practice do you need to change in obedience to Christ?
  2. What specific steps can you take to listen closely to Christ this week?

NOTES

From this point on, Jesus spoke plainly and directly to his disciples about his death and resurrection. He began to prepare them for what was going to happen to him by telling them three times that he would soon die (Mark 8:31; Mark 9:31; Mark 10:33-34).

In this moment, Peter was not considering God's purposes, but only his own natural human desires and feelings. Peter wanted Christ to be king, but not the suffering servant prophesied in Isaiah 53. He was ready to receive the glory of following the Messiah, but not the persecution.

Peter was often the spokesman for all the disciples. In singling him out, Jesus may have been addressing all of them indirectly. Unknowingly, the disciples were trying to prevent Jesus from going to the cross and thus fulfilling his mission on earth. Satan also tempted Jesus to avoid the way of the cross (Matthew 4). Whereas Satan's motives were evil, the disciples were motivated by love and admiration for Jesus.

Jesus used the image of carrying a cross to illustrate what is required of his followers. He is not against pleasure, nor was he saying that we should seek pain needlessly. Jesus was talking about the heroic effort needed to follow him moment by moment, to do his will even when the work is difficult and the future looks bleak.

We should be willing to lose our lives for the sake of the gospel, not because our lives are useless but because nothing-not even life itself-can compare to what we gain with Christ. Jesus wants us to choose to follow him. He wants us to stop trying to control our own destiny and to let him direct us. This makes good sense because, as the Creator, Christ knows better than we do what real life is about. He asks for cooperation, not self-hatred; he asks us only to lose our self-centered determination to be in charge.

Many people spend all their energy seeking pleasure. Jesus said, however, that a world of pleasure centered on possessions, position, or power is ultimately worthless. Whatever you have on earth is only temporary; it cannot be exchanged for your soul. If you work hard at getting what you want, you might eventually have a "pleasurable" life, but in the end you will find it hollow and empty. Follow Jesus, and you will know what it means to live abundantly now and to have eternal life as well.

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