The Most Important Question

Description:
Our understanding of who Jesus is determines our eternity as well as our present situation. Peter’s misunderstanding, expectations, and rebuke of Jesus in this passage are emblematic of our own divided loyalties to God and our own desires. We will examine Jesus’ teaching about His ministry and how to have the proper mindset to follow Him.

Mark 8:27-38

27 Jesus went out with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the road he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”

28 They answered him, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, one of the prophets.”

29 “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” 30 And he strictly warned them to tell no one about him.

His Death and Resurrection Predicted
31 Then he began to teach them that it was necessary for the Son of Man to suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and rise after three days. 32 He spoke openly about this. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning around and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! You are not thinking about God’s concerns but human concerns.”

Take Up Your Cross
34 Calling the crowd along with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it. 36 For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his life? 37 What can anyone give in exchange for his life? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”