Scripture: Mark 8: 27-38
Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah
27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”
29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”
30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
Jesus Predicts His Death
31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the 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 concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
The Way of the Cross
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
Today's Meditation:
That question posed by Jesus, “Who do you say that I am?” presents to all of humanity a choice about the identity of Jesus. One must say that either Jesus is the Messiah (as Peter did) or say otherwise. There is no middle ground. But if a person embraces and affirms that Jesus is the Messiah, that person is also marked by a new identity. That person is marked by being called a Christ-follower. This Christ-follower becomes a life-long disciple and will be shaped to be more and more like Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he or she is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
But Jesus is also upfront about what it means to be a Christ-follower. He says it plain and clear in his “Follow Me Contract.” There is no hidden fine print. When one follows Jesus, it is not only the best adventure one will ever undertake, but it is also a journey peppered with challenges and, yes, even hardships. Hence, Jesus says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.”
May you, as a disciple, experience a flourishing today and also in all your tomorrows. And may Jesus give you strength, encouragement, and mercy in your season of challenges.
Prayer:
Loving God, may you continually shape me to be more like your Son Jesus every day. Guide me in this adventure of being a Christ-follower. Amen.
Jesse G. Mabanglo