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Mark 8:31-33
In Mark 8:31-33 (NKJV) Jesus teaches His disciples, “that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.” The Bible adds the words, “He spoke this word openly” (Mark 8:32) and is an important note as this lets us know that there were no indicators that should lead us to believe that it was not understood by His disciples, however most likely not perceived in the proper way as His disciples did not fully understand this from a heavenly standpoint. We must keep in mind that Jesus’ disciples did not have the Bible (New Testament) but were “living” it and were a part of these lessons that we can learn from today. It must have been hard for them to wrap their minds around all the miracles and teachings that Jesus brought to them as many, if not most, of the teachings of Jesus were against the traditions that they had been utilizing in seeking to prove themselves worthy to God for so many years. But the suffering and rejection that Jesus speaks of is one of the key points of the reason Jesus came to live with us; so He could experience the trials and tribulations that we go through each day, and then “be” the sacrifice that pays the penalty for all of them. Jesus teaches us in John 15:18-25, and quoting from John 15:20, “remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” Jesus was “being” the example and giving insight as to why we continue to experience persecution, trial, and tribulation as Christians.
We do not like to admit nor experience these types of situations, nor did the disciples of Jesus as Peter pulled Jesus aside and rebuked Him for saying such a thing (Mark 8:32). But Jesus, in reply mostly to the devil for blinding Peter to the truth, rebuked Peter for saying things that he did not fully understand, and that were against the will of God for the purpose of Jesus being in this world.
This is an example and promise that even as we walk with Jesus, we have a tendency to pursue the things that are most important to us, rather than God’s will for us.
We all have our own ideas of who God is and who we want Him to be in our lives, the things that we want or need God to help us with, the things that we “expect” God to do for us in growing in our relationships with Him. But we must all be reminded, as was Peter, that God is in control – we are not – and it is God’s will for our lives that we must continually be reminded that we are to seek over and above our own will and desires. Jesus teaches us in Matthew 6:32b-33, “For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
Dear LORD,
We want, and we strive to seek and to follow Your will for our lives, but the evils of this world also strive to block our pathway to You through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Please help us to put and to keep our focus on You and You will for our lives so that we may be the people that You desire us to be – in Christ. In Jesus name I pray, amen.