Day One question 2a asks “How would you answer the question-Who
do you say that I (Jesus) am?”
I agree with Peter
answers found in Matthew16:16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living
God.”
Matthew16:17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not
revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will
build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Wow,
don’t we all want to hear Jesus say, “Blessed are You!” Don’t you long to have the King greet you as
Jesus taught in parables of Matthew.
‘Well done, good and faithful
servant. ‘Come, you who are blessed by my
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Let us
must deny ourselves for the cost of Christ.
It concerns me that
a lot of our friends and family know about Him but do not Know Jesus personally?
Last week I was
stunned when my friend told me about a very good sermon she had heard. She was
glad to hear the Pastor teach that many other gods over the world may be the
same as our God, they just call him by a different name.
Stunned to hear her
beliefs, I remarked, “There is only one way to be saved. Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the
life. Only way to the father is through me!” Sadly she had no reply.
Ladies, we must pray
for others to know Jesus as their personal Savior and LORD.
PRAY
Discipleship as the Way of the Cross Mark
8:37-9:29
• A disciple will suffer (8:27 – 9:1).
• A disciple will listen (9:2-13).
• A disciple will pray (9:14-29).
Disciples
must deny self for the cost of Christ.
I- A disciple will suffer (8:27 – 9:1).
Mark 8:31-33 This is the first of three times in Mark that Jesus predicted His own death. (9:31; 10:33-34) Jesus used the title, Son of Man, must
suffer points to the necessity of His suffering and death and testifies to Jesus willingness to fulfill God’s plan
to redeem the world.
The elders, the chief priests, and the scribes
were the three power groups of the Sanhedrin, the ruling Jewish body. Jesus
would be killed, not by a lawless mob but by Israel's religious leaders.
Can’t you just see their faces? Don’t
you know they were stunned, devastated!?
Peter- bold, robust leader spokesman
of the group takes Jesus aside to rebuke
Him. Woe, Woe, Woe surely the student is not trying to teach the Master.
Peter
clearly loved the LORD and was boldly stating “This will not come to pass; we
will never let this happen to you.” Had they not seen Jesus raise the dead, calm the storm; heal the leper, the blind, deaf and dumb!!! “Oh
Master this horrible thing can never happen to you.” Did Peter hear the last
part “after three days rise again?”Clearly
he did not understand.
Do we
ever do that! When we give our prayer list to Jesus do we tell Him what He
should do? “Bless Brother Bob, heal Sister Sue. Bring Johnny home! Give us warm
weather, but please get rid of the bugs.” Who are we to tell the Creator of the universe
who can whip up a storm that destroys building and bridges made by man! Was
that not a powerful demonstration to our nation the week before election? Our
prayers should always qualify our requests to be in His will.
Peter, who the Lord had just blessed, must now be
rebuked:33 “Get behind me,
Satan! For you are not setting your
mind on the things of God, but on
the things of man.”
Poor Peter,
he jumped the gun again. He did not understand Not only must Christ suffer but a disciple will suffer (8:27 – 9:1).
v.8:34“Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross (Luke says daily) and follow Me.
Trying to live godly lives in an ungodly world, we may find that following Christ sometimes involves isolation, ridicule, and discrimination.
1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you
to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
AW Tozer says “Our cross will be determined by whatever pain and
suffering and trouble which will yet come to us. Because of our obedience to
the will of God the true saints of God have always borne witness that
wholehearted obedience brings the Cross into the Light quicker than
anything else.”
Even if we
are blessed to escape persecution, as Disciples of Christ we must still be bold
enough to expend time and effort in
promoting the cause of Christ in positive ways.
1 Peter 4:16 Yet if
anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.
Lk 14:33 whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. Let us must deny ourselves for the cost of Christ.
This kind of "high cost" of discipleship demanded by
Jesus caused many people to turn away from following Him.
But Jesus wasn't
trying to attract large crowds, He wanted disciples!
Mark 8:38(ESV)38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Ladies, we need an introduction from Jesus for all we are
sinful creatures. God cannot look upon sin therefore the only way we can come
before the Father’s throne is through Jesus the perfect sacrificial lamb. We must
be washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood. Therefore we need an introduction to the Father. If we are
ashamed of Jesus and his Words in this generation (at the voting booth, in the
workplace, out with our friends) then he will be ashamed of us when he returns.
A true disciple must deny himself for
the cause of Christ.
II A disciple will listen (9:2-13).
Peter, James, and
John form a close inner circle. You may recall only they were allowed to enter
when Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead. This small group was
privileged to witness Jesus’ power in raising the dead, and experience His
glory when Jesus was transfigured before them.
His disciples must
have been confused and devastated to learn of His impending suffering and death.
To encourage them six days later he
gives Peter, James and John a glimpse of
His glory. And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This
is my beloved Son; listen to him.”
Matthew Henry says A glimpse of that kingdom was given in the
transfiguration of Christ. It is good to
be away from the world, and alone with Christ: and how good to be with Christ
glorified in heaven with all the saints! But when it is well with us, we are apt not to care for others, and
in the fullness of our enjoyments, we forget
the many wants of our brethren.
We must
deny our wants for the cost of Christ.
I can understand Peter
wanting to build tents and stay right up there on the mountain. Have you ever
had a mountain “top experience?” Been on
a women’s retreat! The serenity, peace and joy of having time for communion
with God, makes you want to stay on the mountaintop.
Do you have a lot
of friends, women you have met here at CBS, ladies in your church, friends from
work? But do you a few very close friends? Friends who take no offense
when you are grumpy or out of control.
Keeps no record of wrong! Loyal, trustworthy friends that will listen truly listen, when you are
despondent. Someone to whom you can “vent” about your family,” admit your
shortcomings. I am truly blessed to have
Sisters in Christ who love me in spite of myself.
When he speaks we should listen. When we study our
Bible we should allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us. Be still and know that I
am God!
Philippians 2 Do
nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let
each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among
yourselves, which
is yours in Christ Jesus.
Let us must deny
ourselves for the cost of Christ.
III A disciple will pray (9:14-29) Three main
characters
While Jesus and
these three special disciples were up on the mountain listening, the other disciples were down in the trenches. At this
very time, the other disciples needed them greatly.
Let’s concentrate on the three main characters
in this drama.
FATHER “Teacher,
I brought my son to you. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they
were not able.”
UNCLEAN
SPIRIT makes him mute, it seizes him, throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid.
JESUS “O faithless
generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring
him to me.”
UNCLEAN
SPIRIT saw Jesus, immediately it convulsed
the boy, and he fell on the ground
and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. “From childhood. it has often cast
him into fire and into water, to destroy
him.
FATHER But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
FATHER But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
JESUS
“‘If you can’! All
things are possible for one who believes.”
FATHER
I believe; help my unbelief!” FAITH
JESUS
rebuked the unclean spirit, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never
enter him again.”
UNCLEAN
SPIRITS crying out and convulsing him
terribly, it came out, leaving the boy as dead
JESUS
took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
DISCIPLES
privately, “Why could we not cast it
out?”
KJV “This kind cannot
be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.” He added fasting to prayer. There are times when prayer needs to be
accompanied by fasting before it can be effectual.
WW Power comes
through Faith- The disciples had become dependent on Jesus’ physical presence, when faced with a
genuine test, they failed. The disciples will need to learn how to function in His absence. When the Holy Spirit comes He
will work through the prayers of
believers.
Dr. A. C. Dixon of
Spurgeon's Tabernacle wrote: “When we rely upon organization, we get what organization can do; when
we rely upon education, we get what education can do; ….but when we rely upon
prayer, we get what God can do.”
MAX LUCADO day 29 “No one can pray and worry at
the same time. When we worry, we aren’t praying. When we pray, we aren’t
worrying. When you pray, you “stay” your mind on Christ, resulting in peace.”
A disciple has no
power without God.
1888-1988, Bertha Smith
went to China as a missionary in 1917 until1948 when Communism forced her out.
After her retirement in 1961, she prayed for and ministered to pastors and
other Christians up until her death in 1988.” It has been said
“Missionary Bertha Smith born in Cowpens, SC once
told an audience that there are too many
‘alive’ Christians in the world. The listeners looked puzzled and asked,
‘Aren’t Christians supposed to be alive?’
She replied, ‘You don’t understand. We have
too many “alive” Christians—alive to SELF. They do what they want. We need more
“dead” Christians—dead to self.”
For whoever would save his life will lose it, but
whoever loses his
life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.
Mark 8:35
Will you choose to die daily to your own desires in order
to follow Christ wholeheartedly?
