WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.179 So, this morning for a little while, we're going to look back at the passage that we 00:00:04.179 --> 00:00:07.600 read together, Mark's Gospel chapter 8 from verse 27. 00:00:07.600 --> 00:00:09.080 It's the next section that we've come to. 00:00:09.080 --> 00:00:15.320 If you're visiting with us, we've been taking a slow journey through Mark's Gospel, and 00:00:15.320 --> 00:00:20.559 I hope enjoying doing so, as God has opened up and revealed to Himself to us in different 00:00:20.559 --> 00:00:23.199 ways. 00:00:23.199 --> 00:00:26.960 There are Bibles at the side if you want to take Bibles, there's Bibles upstairs as well. 00:00:26.960 --> 00:00:34.439 That's on page 844 if you want to follow along with the reading today. 00:00:34.439 --> 00:00:40.520 But what we have made clear, and if you have been here over a number of weeks and months, 00:00:40.520 --> 00:00:44.880 I think we've got to the stage where we know the author's intent, we know Mark's intent 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:50.159 as he is writing this Gospel, is to give a really clear identity as to the person of 00:00:50.159 --> 00:00:56.000 Jesus so that everyone knows who Jesus is, and also what it means to be a disciple. 00:00:56.000 --> 00:01:01.280 That's really the two big themes of Mark's Gospel, that we know who Jesus is and we know 00:01:01.280 --> 00:01:03.679 what it means to be a follower of Jesus, the disciple. 00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:04.680 It's very basic. 00:01:04.680 --> 00:01:09.239 It's very helpful if you're ever meeting with people who don't, aren't Christians, who 00:01:09.239 --> 00:01:11.359 maybe want to know more about the Christian faith. 00:01:11.359 --> 00:01:15.719 Going to Mark's Gospel is a great start because it speaks about Jesus and it speaks about 00:01:15.719 --> 00:01:18.240 following Him as disciples. 00:01:18.240 --> 00:01:23.359 And obviously that fundamental truth is critical for our eldership, for our leadership, for 00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:30.640 new elders, for the old elders, for the deacons, for everyone that's part of the congregation. 00:01:30.640 --> 00:01:37.120 Because our prayer life, our perspective when illness hits us, if we lose our jobs or when 00:01:37.120 --> 00:01:45.239 you go into the canteen at work, or you respond generally to life, will be governed, or your 00:01:45.239 --> 00:01:49.560 response will be governed by your understanding of Jesus Christ and my understanding of Jesus 00:01:49.560 --> 00:01:54.560 Christ, who He is and what it means to be a follower of Him. 00:01:54.560 --> 00:01:57.079 There's nothing more practical. 00:01:57.079 --> 00:02:01.439 There's actually nothing more doctrinal in knowing these truths and putting them into 00:02:01.439 --> 00:02:02.439 practice. 00:02:02.439 --> 00:02:07.920 And as we've seen, I think as we study Mark's Gospel, we've seen that he's very thoughtful 00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:14.280 in how he introduces different aspects of Jesus' life and character. 00:02:14.280 --> 00:02:17.120 And we've come, we're in the middle, we're right in the middle of the book, we're in 00:02:17.120 --> 00:02:23.640 the middle of the middle section of Mark's Gospel from chapter 8 verse 22. 00:02:23.640 --> 00:02:29.599 Right through to chapter 10 and verse 52 is a kind of middle section of the book. 00:02:29.599 --> 00:02:34.280 And in this section, we find that Jesus is on the way. 00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:35.759 He's moving on. 00:02:35.759 --> 00:02:43.000 He's not staying in one place, but He's on the way, we're told in verse 27, on the way 00:02:43.000 --> 00:02:45.120 He asked His disciples. 00:02:45.120 --> 00:02:49.360 And that's quite significant from Mark, the way He uses that language, because He uses 00:02:49.360 --> 00:02:59.439 it not just to talk geographically or about Christ's movements around Israel, but He's 00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:04.960 doing it because Christ is making His way somewhere from this point on. 00:03:04.960 --> 00:03:10.319 He's been going around the different areas of Judea and Sumeria, and now He's on His 00:03:10.319 --> 00:03:11.319 way. 00:03:11.319 --> 00:03:12.319 Where's He going? 00:03:12.319 --> 00:03:14.319 He's going to Jerusalem. 00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:19.120 That's the whole point of what Jesus, Mark is trying to remind us of here, that He's 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:20.439 on the way to Jerusalem. 00:03:20.439 --> 00:03:21.719 He's on the way to the cross. 00:03:21.719 --> 00:03:26.199 So every time you read that in this section, that Jesus was on His way. 00:03:26.199 --> 00:03:30.319 It's not just a random fact about His timetable. 00:03:30.319 --> 00:03:36.560 It's reminding us that He has a specific purpose to go to Jerusalem to die. 00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:42.919 And so in this middle section, three times Jesus predicts His death and resurrection 00:03:42.919 --> 00:03:43.919 for the disciples. 00:03:43.919 --> 00:03:47.119 He's teaching them about what lies ahead. 00:03:47.119 --> 00:03:49.319 There's a change of pace in this section. 00:03:49.319 --> 00:03:54.879 Not so many miracles, more direct teaching, more clear teaching, more teaching that's 00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:57.039 not in parables. 00:03:57.039 --> 00:04:04.679 And we're told that He says to them clearly that they, plainly, that they must know about 00:04:04.679 --> 00:04:05.679 this truth. 00:04:05.680 --> 00:04:15.040 It's a critical section as He predicts His death and His resurrection in these sections 00:04:15.040 --> 00:04:17.040 to His disciples. 00:04:17.040 --> 00:04:22.439 And that's because Mark knows exactly that the identity of Christ revolves around that 00:04:22.439 --> 00:04:25.079 fact and revolves around that truth. 00:04:25.079 --> 00:04:32.160 And also our understanding of discipleship revolves around knowing and appreciating crucified 00:04:32.160 --> 00:04:37.320 and risen Savior and the cost of discipleship to following Him. 00:04:37.320 --> 00:04:44.720 So we find it's interesting, the early sections have been, Mark has been reflecting on Jesus 00:04:44.720 --> 00:04:50.879 and the people have been amazed at His power and His ability to calm the waves and to raise 00:04:50.879 --> 00:04:56.680 people from the dead and do remarkable miracles, great evidence of power. 00:04:56.680 --> 00:05:00.440 But now Jesus is teaching about weakness. 00:05:00.439 --> 00:05:05.240 Not about power, He's speaking about death and He's speaking about suffering. 00:05:05.240 --> 00:05:11.480 And there's a whole change of direction as He blends these truths about Himself together 00:05:11.480 --> 00:05:14.279 and as Mark does that for us. 00:05:14.279 --> 00:05:18.959 And it is also interesting, and we've seen this hunter mentioned it and Corey mentioned 00:05:18.959 --> 00:05:23.759 it the week before, that this section that we're looking at, not that we're looking at, 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:29.800 this bigger section of which the bit that we're looking at is part and in the middle. 00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:39.240 We're book-ended, the section is book-ended by two parables, sorry, two miracles of healing, 00:05:39.240 --> 00:05:41.400 a blind person. 00:05:41.400 --> 00:05:46.080 And it's as if Mark really wants to get across that point again and again. 00:05:46.080 --> 00:05:49.800 And we see it in the reaction of the disciples obviously as well, that there's an ongoing 00:05:49.800 --> 00:05:58.960 blindness and that Jesus has come to open people's eyes, not primarily not physically, 00:05:58.959 --> 00:06:05.359 although He does that in these miracles, but with that deeper parabolic truth of opening 00:06:05.359 --> 00:06:13.680 our eyes spiritually so we know and understand who Jesus is and who we are and what discipleship 00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:15.560 means. 00:06:15.560 --> 00:06:22.719 In my new role, if God allows that to happen as a church planted in Leith, I've been rereading 00:06:22.719 --> 00:06:26.199 center church by Tim Keller. 00:06:26.199 --> 00:06:31.319 And you know the phrase very well, but it just took me with a new sense of significance 00:06:31.319 --> 00:06:37.879 again in that recognition as disciples that I am more sinful and flawed than I ever dared 00:06:37.879 --> 00:06:43.639 believe and I'm more accepted and loved than I ever dared hope. 00:06:43.639 --> 00:06:50.759 And that's really what Mark is wanting to get across in terms of discipleship here to 00:06:50.759 --> 00:06:52.360 his readers and to us. 00:06:52.360 --> 00:06:58.600 And we come to this powerful cameo right in the middle of the middle section with Jesus 00:06:58.600 --> 00:07:02.199 and his disciples and he's teaching them. 00:07:02.199 --> 00:07:05.840 And as is often the case, the focus moves from Jesus and the disciples to Jesus and 00:07:05.840 --> 00:07:13.080 Peter who really in many ways is the spokesman, is the one with bravado, but the one also 00:07:13.080 --> 00:07:14.520 with insight. 00:07:14.519 --> 00:07:24.000 And we find this really interesting conversation between them where there's two questions, 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:29.159 two answers, three rebukes and a divine insult. 00:07:29.159 --> 00:07:33.719 So it's a small section, but it's packed with really interesting information and truth for 00:07:33.719 --> 00:07:35.599 us. 00:07:35.599 --> 00:07:42.120 And Jesus begins by asking the question, who do people say that I am? 00:07:42.120 --> 00:07:47.319 And he's wanting to find out what the disciples know about those around him and what the general 00:07:47.319 --> 00:07:48.720 opinion is of Jesus. 00:07:48.720 --> 00:07:54.600 Unlike the Pharisees who want him dead and the political leaders who are afraid of Jesus, 00:07:54.600 --> 00:07:59.280 the opinion of the people is generally positive towards Jesus. 00:07:59.280 --> 00:08:02.439 It's not right, but it's generally positive. 00:08:02.439 --> 00:08:05.040 They recognize he's someone different. 00:08:05.040 --> 00:08:12.280 They recognize probably that he is the spirit of the prophets in him, some say John the 00:08:12.280 --> 00:08:15.520 Baptist, others say Elijah, and others one of the prophets. 00:08:15.520 --> 00:08:21.280 They recognize him as someone sent from God with the resurrected spirits of the great prophets 00:08:21.280 --> 00:08:26.400 of old, but they don't really understand who he is. 00:08:26.400 --> 00:08:30.759 So Jesus asks a second question and moves from the general to the specific. 00:08:30.759 --> 00:08:40.399 That's a great question, but who do you say that I am? 00:08:40.399 --> 00:08:43.720 Who do you say that I am? 00:08:43.720 --> 00:08:47.279 And Peter answers, you're the Christ. 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:50.360 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about that. 00:08:50.360 --> 00:08:53.000 So Jesus cuts to the chase here with the disciples. 00:08:53.000 --> 00:08:54.559 He's wanting to teach them. 00:08:54.559 --> 00:08:55.639 He's wanting to speak to them. 00:08:55.639 --> 00:08:58.080 He's wanting to declare truth to them. 00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:02.600 And he's absolutely emphatic, and he says, what about you? 00:09:02.600 --> 00:09:04.920 Who do you say that I am? 00:09:04.920 --> 00:09:10.520 Because that's the question that he wants them to answer, to come to that understanding 00:09:10.520 --> 00:09:13.080 of who Jesus Christ is. 00:09:13.080 --> 00:09:16.639 And Peter articulates something that's different from the crowds. 00:09:16.639 --> 00:09:20.280 He doesn't say he's John the Baptist or that he's Elijah or Moses. 00:09:20.280 --> 00:09:23.360 He says, you are the Messiah. 00:09:23.360 --> 00:09:24.800 You are the Christ. 00:09:24.800 --> 00:09:26.520 You're the anointed one. 00:09:26.519 --> 00:09:28.600 You're the Son of God. 00:09:28.600 --> 00:09:31.799 You're the long-awaited Savior of prophecy. 00:09:31.799 --> 00:09:36.840 And I was like, what a great answer. 00:09:36.840 --> 00:09:39.879 What a great insight, what great understanding. 00:09:39.879 --> 00:09:45.960 And Jesus commends him for that, not in the passage we read, but in the parallel passage 00:09:45.960 --> 00:09:53.600 in Matthew, Jesus says to him, Peter, it is God who's revealed that to you. 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:59.600 That's a revelation from God, and on Peter on this rock, I will build my church. 00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:05.480 And it's a turning point in the gospels, because it's his first declaration of understanding 00:10:05.480 --> 00:10:13.000 from the disciples as to who Jesus was, who Jesus is. 00:10:13.000 --> 00:10:22.759 And yet, we are introduced to a great gulf in their understanding as to what kind of 00:10:22.759 --> 00:10:29.879 Messiah they were expecting and looking for and hoping for. 00:10:29.879 --> 00:10:35.480 In blessing Peter, Jesus is recorded by Matthew. 00:10:35.480 --> 00:10:43.279 I'm wondering if it's left out by Mark, because Peter most likely was Mark's source for information. 00:10:43.279 --> 00:10:51.879 And maybe Peter didn't speak to Mark and tell him about the blessing, but he was more concerned 00:10:51.879 --> 00:10:59.639 that people would understand that he didn't get things quite right, because Jesus goes 00:10:59.639 --> 00:11:03.240 on to drop a bombshell. 00:11:03.240 --> 00:11:10.960 The first rebuke from Jesus is, He strictly charged them or told them, it's the same word, 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:13.720 it's the same word that's used for the rebuke earlier on. 00:11:13.720 --> 00:11:18.519 He rebuked them, there's an element of rebuke in what he says, not to tell anyone about 00:11:18.519 --> 00:11:19.759 him. 00:11:19.759 --> 00:11:26.080 He strictly charged them, and it's the same word that's used throughout this whole passage 00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:27.759 about rebuking. 00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:33.720 There was a sternness about what Jesus says, and that's because he knew that they didn't 00:11:33.720 --> 00:11:39.960 fully understand what it meant for to claim Jesus as the Messiah, to claim Him as the 00:11:39.960 --> 00:11:41.319 Christ. 00:11:41.319 --> 00:11:44.439 He knew it was only their first step. 00:11:44.439 --> 00:11:49.519 They had their own ideas of a victorious king, a physical king, a king on the throne of David, 00:11:49.519 --> 00:11:56.439 a king who would push out the Roman Empire and would introduce this new kingdom here 00:11:56.439 --> 00:11:57.439 on earth. 00:11:57.439 --> 00:12:01.679 But their understanding had to be turned upside down. 00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:08.240 Jesus didn't want them to spread their misunderstanding of the Messiah, of the Christ to everyone 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:09.439 around about them. 00:12:09.439 --> 00:12:14.759 That would have caused great problems and great difficulties, so he tells them, don't speak 00:12:14.759 --> 00:12:16.519 to anyone about what I've said. 00:12:16.519 --> 00:12:17.519 He rebukes them sternly. 00:12:17.519 --> 00:12:20.120 It's such a strange thing, isn't it, you think? 00:12:20.120 --> 00:12:26.679 When Peter's just made this great declaration and Jesus says, okay, yeah, don't tell anyone 00:12:26.679 --> 00:12:28.919 about it. 00:12:28.919 --> 00:12:31.840 But then we come to a second rebuke. 00:12:31.840 --> 00:12:35.919 And astonishingly, the second rebuke is from Peter. 00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:39.039 It isn't from Jesus, it's from Peter. 00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:46.199 As we go on, Jesus began plainly to teach them about his suffering, his rejection, his 00:12:46.200 --> 00:12:49.280 murder, and his resurrection. 00:12:49.280 --> 00:12:55.000 He said this plainly, and then we're told, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke 00:12:55.000 --> 00:12:56.000 him. 00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:59.920 Can you imagine the Christ, the Son of God? 00:12:59.920 --> 00:13:03.080 Peter, come on, Jesus, come away here. 00:13:03.080 --> 00:13:05.080 What are you talking about? 00:13:05.080 --> 00:13:06.080 Who are you? 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:07.080 What are you... 00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:08.080 Who do we see in things like that? 00:13:08.080 --> 00:13:09.080 That's ridiculous. 00:13:09.080 --> 00:13:10.080 Come on. 00:13:10.080 --> 00:13:13.720 And he rebukes them like he's a little child, like he said the wrong thing. 00:13:13.720 --> 00:13:16.279 Peter says that to Jesus Christ. 00:13:16.279 --> 00:13:19.440 I don't think he even gets the chance to finish it. 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:22.800 We're just told he began to rebuke him. 00:13:22.800 --> 00:13:33.320 And he misunderstood entirely that following Jesus and following Jesus' life and death 00:13:33.320 --> 00:13:38.759 would mean suffering, would mean death, and would mean resurrection. 00:13:38.759 --> 00:13:44.159 And Jesus goes on to explain that this must... 00:13:44.159 --> 00:13:45.159 Isn't that interesting? 00:13:45.159 --> 00:13:46.919 There's a real imperative there. 00:13:46.919 --> 00:13:51.039 He says he must suffer these things. 00:13:51.039 --> 00:13:54.480 It's not just, oh, I know the future, and by the way, I'm going to get killed. 00:13:54.480 --> 00:13:55.879 They're going to take me away. 00:13:55.879 --> 00:13:59.200 He said, no, I'm on the way. 00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:00.399 I'm on the way. 00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:02.319 I must suffer. 00:14:02.319 --> 00:14:03.480 This is part of... 00:14:03.480 --> 00:14:06.080 This is everything that I'm here to do. 00:14:06.080 --> 00:14:10.120 He spoke plainly, and Peter thought better of him. 00:14:10.120 --> 00:14:12.680 He usurped Christ, rebuked him. 00:14:12.680 --> 00:14:13.840 You're mad Christ. 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:14.840 What are you saying? 00:14:14.840 --> 00:14:17.560 I know better. 00:14:17.560 --> 00:14:21.120 You're talking nonsense. 00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:24.000 And then we come to the third rebuke, same word. 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:26.280 She's all the way through. 00:14:26.280 --> 00:14:31.440 And it's Jesus' rebuke of Peter and of the disciples. 00:14:31.440 --> 00:14:35.840 Turning aside, seeing the disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, 00:14:35.840 --> 00:14:41.280 Get behind me Satan, this is the divine insult, for you're not setting your mind on the things 00:14:41.280 --> 00:14:43.840 of God but the things of man. 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:47.960 He's speaking to them all, but it's really Peter that's exposed here. 00:14:47.960 --> 00:14:51.440 And it's a brutal what he says to Peter. 00:14:51.440 --> 00:15:01.320 And Peter couldn't believe that he was being accused of being a disciple of Satan and using 00:15:01.320 --> 00:15:03.519 such strong language. 00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:08.919 But Jesus just interjects so quickly before Peter's even finished giving the rebuke and 00:15:08.919 --> 00:15:12.919 says, Look, he nails him, stone dead. 00:15:12.919 --> 00:15:16.919 And there's a humbling of Peter at that point. 00:15:16.919 --> 00:15:22.399 And Jesus once said, Look Peter, look Peter, there's a spiritual war here. 00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:27.240 And you're speaking words of darkness and temptation. 00:15:27.240 --> 00:15:33.199 And you're revealing a deep ignorance of God and of His purposes which are diametrically 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:42.480 opposed to a human way of thinking about messiahship and hero worship and hope and future and life. 00:15:42.480 --> 00:15:53.720 And I'm sure the urgency with which Jesus spoke speaks into a sense of the temptation 00:15:53.720 --> 00:15:57.759 that was being offered to Him not to go on the way. 00:15:57.759 --> 00:15:59.640 We'd seen it before. 00:15:59.639 --> 00:16:03.080 And we knew it was attributed to the darkness of Satan. 00:16:03.080 --> 00:16:07.240 And here we see, he sees it again. 00:16:07.240 --> 00:16:15.919 And he wants to crush it and quell it completely and utterly. 00:16:15.919 --> 00:16:19.120 He is not going to lose sight of going on the way. 00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:26.799 And it's such a deep reminder to us of the truth for us of the necessity of the cross, 00:16:26.799 --> 00:16:31.279 the way of the cross, it is not just theology. 00:16:31.279 --> 00:16:39.359 It is much more than just philosophical truth or theological insight. 00:16:39.359 --> 00:16:45.759 It is an imperative must for the salvation of any human being. 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:52.879 For Christ, the divine man, it was the way of love. 00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:55.279 And it wasn't up for discussion. 00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:57.319 It wasn't up for coming and going. 00:16:57.319 --> 00:16:59.879 It wasn't up for debate. 00:16:59.879 --> 00:17:02.039 And it's really second John all over again. 00:17:02.039 --> 00:17:06.240 We've been looking at second John in the evening worship and how determined John was 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:11.399 to make sure that the early church, the early house churches didn't get misled by false 00:17:11.399 --> 00:17:13.559 teachers who said you could go another way. 00:17:13.559 --> 00:17:14.559 It could be easier. 00:17:14.559 --> 00:17:15.759 You don't need to suffer. 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:20.079 You just need that deep insight and live any old way you want. 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:23.000 And you don't need to worry about loving God or loving others. 00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:26.319 And it's, these guys, it was imperative for them. 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:30.200 And it was imperative for John how much more so for Jesus. 00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:32.880 So briefly, can we just think about one or two lessons? 00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:37.279 There's much more in this than we can share today. 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:41.920 I think the first thing, and it's going back to Jesus' earlier interaction with the disciples 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:44.960 in the bit we read, questions are great. 00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:47.319 They reveal so much about people. 00:17:47.319 --> 00:17:52.880 And Jesus often used questions in his interactions, both with his disciples and with those who 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:59.480 were inquiring about faith in him. 00:17:59.480 --> 00:18:04.280 And so as you go from here and as you live out your faith as a Christian, remember it's 00:18:04.280 --> 00:18:11.560 a great diagnostic aid, a great intentional aid that you can use in your evangelism. 00:18:11.560 --> 00:18:17.880 Very often we're concerned about splurging out as much of the truth as we can, getting 00:18:17.880 --> 00:18:24.160 out of the gospel to people, and yet sometimes the way hasn't been prepared because we haven't 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:29.720 asked the questions that will open up their interest and their questioning themselves. 00:18:29.720 --> 00:18:31.480 We don't know where they're coming from. 00:18:31.480 --> 00:18:33.280 We don't know what they think. 00:18:33.280 --> 00:18:35.920 And so it's a great thing to ask questions. 00:18:35.920 --> 00:18:37.440 What do people think about Jesus? 00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:39.640 What do you think about Jesus? 00:18:39.640 --> 00:18:47.440 And find out what they know and find out what they think so that we can begin to realign 00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:51.480 potentially they're thinking towards what Jesus says about himself. 00:18:51.480 --> 00:18:57.799 Because many will similarly say what the crowd said then, that Jesus is a good man, that 00:18:57.799 --> 00:19:03.000 is probably a prophet, that is definitely from God. 00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:08.320 And that that might be nice and comfortable, but it leaves people as part of a crowd. 00:19:08.320 --> 00:19:15.720 There's no personal challenge to that kind of understanding of Jesus Christ. 00:19:15.720 --> 00:19:18.640 So Jesus will always take it from the general to the specific. 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:19.640 What do you think? 00:19:19.640 --> 00:19:21.279 What do I think? 00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:23.720 And that's a great question to ask ourselves. 00:19:23.720 --> 00:19:26.319 It's the billion dollar question for us. 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:33.519 Every one of us, because our eternal destiny depends on recognizing and understanding and 00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:36.000 putting our trust in Jesus Christ. 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:39.759 Such a big question and such a good question to ask people. 00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:42.880 But you know, maybe what do other people say? 00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:44.039 What do your friends say? 00:19:44.039 --> 00:19:45.319 What do they say at the university? 00:19:45.319 --> 00:19:47.480 What do they say in the workplace? 00:19:47.480 --> 00:19:49.759 But then, what do you say? 00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:56.759 It's such an important emphasis. 00:19:56.759 --> 00:20:01.439 Because Jesus requires us to have a personal understanding that will always set us apart 00:20:01.439 --> 00:20:02.879 from the crowd. 00:20:02.879 --> 00:20:05.480 It will always do that. 00:20:05.480 --> 00:20:08.480 Because nobody generally says, oh, he's the living God. 00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:09.639 He's worthy of my worship. 00:20:09.639 --> 00:20:12.599 I'll fall on my knees before him. 00:20:12.599 --> 00:20:19.480 And so if we understand who Christ is, and if we set Him apart as Lord, then it will set 00:20:19.480 --> 00:20:20.480 us apart from others. 00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:28.519 So questions are great, both diagnostically for ourselves and also for other people. 00:20:28.519 --> 00:20:34.719 Secondly, I think this is very important, understanding Christ takes time. 00:20:34.719 --> 00:20:38.240 You maybe became a Christian 30 years ago. 00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:41.319 That was only the beginning of the journey. 00:20:41.319 --> 00:20:46.679 The older I get as a Christian, actually I feel the less that I know. 00:20:46.679 --> 00:20:53.559 Remember the emphasis on this middle section of Mark on blindness? 00:20:53.559 --> 00:21:03.839 That is absolutely, absolutely, fundamentally a brilliant insight into humanity. 00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:12.959 That we need Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit every single day to open our eyes, because 00:21:12.959 --> 00:21:23.959 it's not simply a philosophical choice of how to live, or a moralistic way of living, 00:21:23.959 --> 00:21:26.199 or a philosophical mindset. 00:21:26.199 --> 00:21:32.199 It is that we are spiritually blind and selfish and greedy and self-centered every moment 00:21:32.200 --> 00:21:34.920 of the day, and we don't recognize His grace. 00:21:34.920 --> 00:21:36.759 We don't value His grace. 00:21:36.759 --> 00:21:45.039 We don't see how much we need His grace, and we are often self-reliant by our prayerlessness. 00:21:45.039 --> 00:21:47.640 But I don't want to discourage you with that. 00:21:47.640 --> 00:21:52.740 I want to encourage you that we're learning all the time. 00:21:52.740 --> 00:21:56.960 If we have faith as small as a mustard seed, we're accepted by Jesus, because it is Him 00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:58.840 who's working in our hearts. 00:21:58.840 --> 00:22:00.440 It's God who will keep you. 00:22:00.440 --> 00:22:02.120 It's God who's teaching you. 00:22:02.119 --> 00:22:05.559 All we're asked to do is to go back to Him with our ignorance and with our blindness 00:22:05.559 --> 00:22:07.799 and ask Him to give us sight. 00:22:07.799 --> 00:22:15.199 And Peter's response, I think, revealed his heart, and it was a huge teaching moment for 00:22:15.199 --> 00:22:16.199 him. 00:22:16.199 --> 00:22:18.559 And for us, you're the Christ. 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:19.559 Bang! 00:22:19.559 --> 00:22:24.079 I think he was expecting some sweets, because he was top of the class. 00:22:24.079 --> 00:22:25.079 He got the answer right. 00:22:25.079 --> 00:22:28.359 You know, like the kids in the kids' church, when you ask a question, and the answer's 00:22:28.359 --> 00:22:29.359 always Jesus. 00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:30.799 It doesn't matter what it is. 00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:33.519 The answer's always Jesus, isn't it, because you're bound to be right that way. 00:22:33.519 --> 00:22:35.240 Well, it's a bit like that, maybe. 00:22:35.240 --> 00:22:36.919 Maybe that's been harsh on Peter. 00:22:36.919 --> 00:22:40.839 No, it has been harsh on Peter. 00:22:40.839 --> 00:22:43.480 And it shouldn't say that. 00:22:43.480 --> 00:22:47.440 He had that understanding, and he was bold, and he did need humbled. 00:22:47.440 --> 00:22:53.720 We know that from the rest of his biography. 00:22:53.720 --> 00:22:59.919 But he was the Lord's, and Jesus was his Savior. 00:22:59.920 --> 00:23:07.279 But when we take Jesus as our Savior, it turns everything we believe about God upside down. 00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:09.680 And it turns our life upside down. 00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:12.160 And it turns our perspective upside down. 00:23:12.160 --> 00:23:17.400 It's not just something that we walk along life's journey with. 00:23:17.400 --> 00:23:24.400 It's something that's an utter and complete revolution and earthquake into who we are 00:23:24.400 --> 00:23:26.640 and what we understand. 00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:32.400 And I think the key of this passage in many ways is understanding our tendency to blindness, 00:23:32.400 --> 00:23:41.040 to being deceived, or to think in a way, and it sounds very harsh, but to think in a way 00:23:41.040 --> 00:23:43.080 that it's doing Satan's work for him. 00:23:43.080 --> 00:23:46.880 I think that's what Jesus was trying to get across to Peter. 00:23:46.880 --> 00:23:51.720 He was thinking not in a godly way, and not in a Christ-centered way, and so really doing 00:23:51.720 --> 00:23:53.400 Satan's work for him. 00:23:53.400 --> 00:24:01.320 And we have to ask sometimes the question, whose agenda are we furthering by relegating 00:24:01.320 --> 00:24:06.400 Jesus to a big part of our lives? 00:24:06.400 --> 00:24:10.440 Because there's always the third lesson, I think, among many, the danger of thinking 00:24:10.440 --> 00:24:13.800 we know better than Jesus. 00:24:13.800 --> 00:24:18.759 That's, I think, an indication sometimes of the blindness in our hearts. 00:24:18.759 --> 00:24:22.240 Just like Peter took Jesus aside, rebuked him. 00:24:22.240 --> 00:24:24.079 Do we do that? 00:24:24.079 --> 00:24:31.759 Maybe not intentionally, maybe not deliberately, and we don't have Jesus to grab by the arm, 00:24:31.759 --> 00:24:38.519 but metaphorically do we pull him aside and say, Jesus, I think I know better here. 00:24:38.519 --> 00:24:41.480 I think I know you better than you know yourself. 00:24:41.480 --> 00:24:46.279 I really think, I don't really think my sin's that bad. 00:24:46.279 --> 00:24:49.880 I don't think you're guiding me very well in life. 00:24:49.880 --> 00:24:53.160 I don't think the experiences I'm going through really are fair. 00:24:53.160 --> 00:25:01.880 You should deal with them, Jesus, taking them aside and saying, really, we know better. 00:25:01.880 --> 00:25:07.280 And yet a paradoxical truth within that for me is that if you've never rebuked Jesus or 00:25:07.280 --> 00:25:12.560 struggled with the truth of providence or what's happening in your life, you've probably 00:25:12.560 --> 00:25:16.960 still never understood your heart. 00:25:16.960 --> 00:25:21.440 And you've never understood that this is a likely reality for us that we rebuke Jesus 00:25:21.440 --> 00:25:24.039 because we think we know better. 00:25:24.039 --> 00:25:33.200 And at least when we do that, let's have the recognition that we need forgiveness and we 00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:40.559 need our blind eyes to be opened. 00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:49.879 We need to grasp a suffering Savior, and we need to grasp the reality that if we are to 00:25:49.879 --> 00:25:56.559 follow Jesus, we will suffer as those who are dealing with our own stubborn hearts and 00:25:56.559 --> 00:26:04.440 our own sinful hearts, and that remains entirely non-negotiable. 00:26:04.440 --> 00:26:10.519 So as we close for the elders, for the spiritual leaders, for those who will be overseeing 00:26:10.519 --> 00:26:15.119 and are overseeing their spiritual health of this congregation, keep these truths absolutely 00:26:15.119 --> 00:26:16.619 central. 00:26:16.619 --> 00:26:18.960 We don't graduate from them. 00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:22.440 We don't become more sophisticated and move away from them. 00:26:22.440 --> 00:26:27.039 We live out His loving, sacrificial love for people. 00:26:27.039 --> 00:26:32.160 We do what we're called to do and humble dependence upon the living God. 00:26:32.160 --> 00:26:40.160 And we seek this congregation, this family of God's people to be a place of truth, a 00:26:40.160 --> 00:26:48.840 place of love, a place of grace, a place of forgiveness, place of life, place of hope, 00:26:48.840 --> 00:26:56.160 of celebration, of prayerful humility, and an invitational heart to bring others into 00:26:56.160 --> 00:27:03.240 the community to hear about the suffering Savior who went on His way, all the way to 00:27:03.240 --> 00:27:11.680 the cross, and who loves them all the way to the cross, and who took that same terminology 00:27:11.680 --> 00:27:17.160 upon himself and said, I am the way, the truth in the life. 00:27:17.160 --> 00:27:19.680 No one comes to the Father except through me. 00:27:19.680 --> 00:27:22.079 May that be our experience. 00:27:22.079 --> 00:27:25.440 May that be our ongoing learning. 00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:31.839 May we recognize what Mark is saying, that as disciples, we always, we're not like drivers 00:27:31.839 --> 00:27:35.199 who pass their test and throw away the railplates. 00:27:35.199 --> 00:27:37.199 We're always learners. 00:27:37.199 --> 00:27:38.799 We're always dependent. 00:27:38.799 --> 00:27:39.799 We're always followers. 00:27:39.799 --> 00:27:43.679 And He's the greatest one to follow. 00:27:43.679 --> 00:27:44.679 Always. 00:27:44.679 --> 00:27:49.879 He's always perfect and He's always right and He's always gracious and loving, even 00:27:49.879 --> 00:27:56.359 when we don't understand it, even when we pray prayers of asking, what on earth is going 00:27:56.359 --> 00:27:59.559 on, Father? 00:27:59.559 --> 00:28:00.559 Let's pray. 00:28:00.559 --> 00:28:07.240 Father God, we ask and pray for Your grace and for Your goodness to us, to be more and 00:28:07.240 --> 00:28:08.240 more evident. 00:28:08.240 --> 00:28:15.720 We thank You for Your outstanding patience with the disciples who though they heard plainly 00:28:15.720 --> 00:28:23.919 from Your mouth, that You were to suffer and die at the hands of Your enemies and then 00:28:23.919 --> 00:28:24.919 be raised. 00:28:24.919 --> 00:28:30.319 Not only did they not hear the death, but they didn't hear the resurrection, but either. 00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:37.439 And forgive us, Lord, when we are like them with all the more knowledge and the more complete 00:28:37.439 --> 00:28:43.639 understanding that we have from a finished scripture of the word incarnate. 00:28:43.639 --> 00:28:45.359 We thank You. 00:28:45.359 --> 00:28:50.919 We are forever indebted to You for Your patience. 00:28:50.919 --> 00:28:55.119 And we ask for a sense of forgiveness. 00:28:55.119 --> 00:29:00.439 We pray for a sense of dependence on You for Your forgiveness and yet a great, great joy 00:29:00.439 --> 00:29:09.199 and desire to follow You for the life-giving reality of who You are and simply because we 00:29:09.199 --> 00:29:11.599 were created so to do. 00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:16.079 So help us and bless us and bless now as we move in towards the ordination. 00:29:16.079 --> 00:29:20.599 May Your Spirit be with us for these few moments together also. 00:29:20.599 --> 00:29:25.599 In Jesus' name, Amen.