Last night in our Community Group we studied the passage in Mark 8:27-38 where Jesus asks the disciples who people say that He is. They all give various answers, then Jesus asks the disciples who they think He is. Peter immediately responds that He is the Messiah. Then Jesus began telling them about the great suffering He would experience. To which Peter rebukes Christ for speaking of such things. Jesus immediately turns the rebuke back on Peter by saying, "Get behind me, Satan! You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns."
Many of us would ridicule Peter for such a response, but we also know the end of the story. The people of Israel were looking for their Messiah and had been for hundreds of years. They were looking for someone like King David, their "knight in shining armor" to swoop in and save them from the Romans. Someone who would fight courageously, conquering their enemies and then making things right for them. They were not expecting their Messiah to come to die, even though the prophets all pointed to this. What Jesus was talking about made Peter uncomfortable...the disciples didn't understand God's mysterious plan, even though Jesus spoke so clearly about it.
After rebuking Peter, Jesus goes on to explain to the disciples that "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." We don't fully understand what it means to take up our cross. The cross was the form of capital punishment back in those days. It was designated for the worst criminals. Therefore, it was the most painful, torturous death that any human could suffer. So what does Jesus mean by "take up your cross"? It sure doesn't sound convenient or easy. Neither does denying ourselves. We are just like the disciples...we have in mind human concerns rather than the concerns of God. We make decisions based on what will be most comfortable for us. We spend time and money to make life convenient and easy. In the midst of doing this, we end up focusing more on ourselves than the things of God.
Following Jesus is not rainbows and fluffy clouds. It's costly. Sometimes it means we have to break-off relationships that are harmful and lead us astray....forgive someone who really wronged us...give up a habit...love someone who is difficult to love....put others before ourselves...give up our dream house....leave a job for ethical reasons....suffer physical pain...be rejected by friends or family because of our faith in God. But we do have a merciful Savior, who went through the most painful suffering: He was rejected....betrayed, beaten and spit upon. He descended into hell and experienced the most painful separation from His Father.....all for us. So that we might be able to have an intimate relationship with His Father, too. God's concerns include us knowing Him more intimately, no matter the comfort level or convenience. He knows that suffering for His sake is worth the eternal glory and joy that we get to experience starting on this side of heaven.
Pray this weekend that the students at Hope Academy would want to know this Savior. Pray that their hearts would be open to His love and they would believe the Truth they have heard at School. Pray that they would want to live this costly life....
Thank you to those of you who have given to Hope Academy!! You have really blessed me, as well! Here is the link for anyone who is unsure of how to give. Again, my challenge is $26 for each mile I'm running in my marathon! http://hopeacademygso.org/?page_id=87
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