Walking With The Rabbi

Please pray with me - pray

If you are able, please stand for the reading of God’s word. Today’s scripture is Mark 8:27-38

Mark 8:27–38 (CSB)

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?” They answered him, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, one of the prophets.” “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” And he strictly warned them to tell no one about him.

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. He spoke openly about this. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 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.”

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. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it. For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his life? What can anyone give in exchange for his life? 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.”

This is the Word of the Lord, please be seated.

I remember one time I was grabbing lunch with a friend. He wasn’t a follower of Jesus, but he found out that I was a pastor - and said he was fascinated, and wanted to grab lunch with me. Oh boy - you never know what you’re gonna get with a set up like that.

After we ordered food and sat down, he quickly mentioned that he was excited to pick my mind because he was fascinated by Jesus. Good start - i am compelled by the person of Jesus too.

I asked him what he found so compelling and fascinating about Jesus - and he said he loves the Sermon on the Mount.

Well I was bought in at this point, leaning forward, ready to interject the gospel.

I asked further - why the sermon on the mount - and he said: “Well I find Jesus to be an incredible teacher and philosopher, and the sermon on the mount is an incredible philosophy.”

While this is true - I started to catch on a bit here, and my excitement sobered as I realized what was.

This friend of mine had come to believe that Jesus was a great teacher - a nice guy - a non-violent political protester. But his understanding of Jesus, like many in our world was absent of the Gospel.

What my friend and many others don’t fully consider is something that CS Lewis so brilliantly brought up in the past. If Jesus isn’t Lord, meaning if he isn’t the messiah, God in flesh, then he isn’t a good teacher.

Jesus claimed to be God. Therefore - he’s either a liar, a lunatic, or he is who is says he is. But he cannot be a good teacher - without being Lord.

My friend wasn’t very interested in following Jesus as Lord, but continued to co-opt Jesus’s teachings for his own devices. While Jesus is compelling - he isn’t cute, he isn’t dismissible, he is formidable, and much of our world orbits around him - even the secular.

But this concept of being unknown or improperly known was common even while JEsus was physically present during his earthly ministry.

We see that in our passage today.

Up till this point, Mark as the narrator has been clear as to Jesus’ true identity - but humans in the narrative have not made a declaration of the messiahship of JEsus.

That changes in this passage - and it shows that the disciples were able to see the authority of Jesus in which he taught and acted, and correctly see that it pointed to God himself.

Let’s look at Mark 8:27

Mark 8:27 CSB

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?”

We see Jesus on the road with his disciples who are going around to the villages surrounding Caesarea Philippi. And we see Jesus pose a question to his disciples - which isn’t the normal pattern for Rabbis and their disciples.

The typical pattern of this time period would be for the disciples to ask their rabbi questions and allow him to respond. Jesus flips the script - questioning his closest followers.

And the question is direct and cutting - “Who do people say that I am?”

Generally speaking when we meet people, we conflate who one is with what they do. Typically one of the first questions we pose when we meet someone is “what do you do for work?” And when people ask “Tell me about yourself” we tend to go straigtht to “I’m a stay at home mom, or I’m a trucker, or a farmer.” Jesus’ question is much more profound. Who ARE you.

Who do people say that I am?

Let’s read on Mark 8:28

Mark 8:28 CSB

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

The disciples spill the tea, as they say, about who they have heard people talk about JEsus being. There was a sense that JEsus was special - someone significant - and people had all sorts of ideas.

Some saying John the Baptist - John the Baptist was so highly significant and sometimes I feel we don’t appreciate just how amazing he was and how influential he was. When he was arrested and killed, apparently there was some belief that the spirit of John was somehow made alive again in the person of Jesus.

Others said Elijah - who was widely considered the greatest of the prophets, and really became synonymous with the prophetic movement of the old testament. and that’s what the disciples indicate - one of the prophets. Notice they said THE prophets, not a prophet. The idea was that people were considering Jesus as one of the great voices from the Old Covenant. The Israelites were waiting for a final prophet who would come as Moses talked about in Deuteronomy 18.

All of these are high honors. The people were placing Jesus amongst the highest of standards that they could conceptualize. But each of these is woefully inadequate.

I like how James Edwards summarizes this in in his commentary on Mark:

The Gospel according to Mark Peter’s Declaration of Jesus’ Messiahship (8:27–30)

To say that Jesus is like Elijah, John the Baptist, or a great prophet—or, as we so often hear today, that he is the greatest teacher or moral example who ever lived—may seem like an honor and compliment, but it is ultimately to deny his uniqueness and to press him into the service of old categories. It is “to pour new wine into old wineskins” (2:22). The authority that Jesus has demonstrated throughout Mark’s narrative does not allow him to be defined by something other than himself and his relationship with the Father.

And so in that context - Jesus presses the disciples further. Mark 8:29-30

Mark 8:29–30 (CSB)

“But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” And he strictly warned them to tell no one about him.

I find it compelling that Jesus asked the disciples about who they say he is. It’s as if hes asking them to make a judgment call. These disciples were going to play an instrumental role in the formation of the church and the scriptures, and so there perspective was of the utmost importance - they needed to have a correct judgement - and at some point, everyone who encounters Christ must answer that question - who do you say that I am?

Who do I say that JEsus is? Who do you say that Jesus is?

And how we answer that question really matters - for in it stems faith, and alignment, and allegiance and truth. And it will compel us to act in a certain manner. How we answer that question has consequences - some of an eternal nature.

Important to note is Jesus didn’t spring this question on the disciples right away - it was not rushed or forced. We don’t have an exact timeline of where this falls, but likely well over a year with the rabbi. The disciples have seen, followed, heard, experienced Jesus and his authority. Jesus doesn’t want their choice and their answer to the question to be founded in gossip, or feelings, or a whim - but on a grounded experience. Jesus doesn’t call his followers to a blind faith.

And this section really serves as a hinge for the whole narrative in Mark’s gospel - where from this point on Jesus is going to really be on his way to the cross - and if the disciples, if followers of jesus are to stay on this way following after him, it cannot be as just spectators - but they need to come to participate in that reality through faith in Jesus.

Who do you say I am? Perhaps the most important question we can be asked by God.

Peter’s pronouncement is correct and profound -

“You are the Messiah!” Peter says

The messiah. The anointed one. Only God and demons have correctly announced the real identity of Jesus up to this point in Mark - but here, Peter confesses the truth.

The word messiah means to anoint - or the anointed one. When we read the Old Testament, there were three kinds of people that were typically anointed; prophets, priests, and kings. In the exile, it became an expectation that there would be a new and greater Davidic king. Think of Jeremiah 23:5

Jeremiah 23:5 (CSB)

“Look, the days are coming”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“when I will raise up a Righteous Branch for David. He will reign wisely as king and administer justice and righteousness in the land.

Most commonly in the time of Jesus, the understanding of the coming king, and anointed one, was a king who would come to become a political ruler, and reestablish the physical kingdom of Israel.

Jesus is radically expanding the concept of the messiah for his followers, and for the world - but at this point, Peter doesn’t get it. So when Peter announces the truth of who Jesus is - he doesn’t have the complete picture yet of Jesus who will come to satisfy the wrath of God and bring us into right relationship with him, and to open the door of salvation to the gentiles.

Peter is thinking JEsus is gonna be the king of the new jewish kingdom and sit on davids throne - PHYSICALLY.

And so Jesus, wisely, tells Peter and the twelve - don’t tell anyone this - because you don’t fully get what that means.

The jews, and even the disciples at this time, were expecting the messiah to come in victory, and splendor, and success, and Jesus is going to introduce rejection, suffering, shame, and death. And it would be scandalous to them.

That’s what he begins to talk about in the next verses. Let’s look at Mark 8:31

Mark 8:31 CSB

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.

Now that the apostles have correctly identified Jesus as the Messiah - Jesus is now radically recapturing what that word means for them. He starts revealing, in shocking detail, what was about to happen. He was going to suffer. And the jewish leadership was going to hate him. That the anointed one was going to die, and then rise again.

From what i read and have studied, there just wasn't a thought in israel that the messiah would need to suffer. We, with hindsight, would identify Isaiah 53 and the suffering servant with the messiah, but jews in this time did not make that link.

Notice too - it’s not that he was going to suffer - but that it was Necessary. Needed. The way of Jesus, the way of the Cross IS the way of the messiah. There is something in the suffering of Jesus on behalf of humanity that reveals God.

Eduard Schweiezer says it this way:

The Gospel according to Mark Messiahship and Discipleship (8:31–9:1)

God is therein precisely God in that he can do what humanity cannot do: God can allow himself to be rejected, to be made low and small, without thereby being driven into an inferiority complex.… Whoever understands the suffering of the Son of Man understands God. It is there, and not in heavenly splendor, that one sees the heart of God.

And he says it really plainly - so much so that Peter takes offense, and he wants to defend his rabbi’s honor! Let’s look now at verse 32

Mark 8:32 CSB

He spoke openly about this. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

The greek word used here for openly caned be translated plainly, boldly, confidently. A bold and clear proclamation.

And Peter, with his world view and expectations that have been shaped by the cultural expectations of the day cant help but recoil. And Peter wants to correct it. he “began to rebuke” mirroring the verse before where Jesus Began to teach. Peter is stepping into the place of the teacher and telling Jesus how it’s gonna be!

Dangerous place to be, trying to pull authority on Jesus.

And the word rebuke here is the same term that we see when it comes to rebuke demons. Peter is so offended by the idea of the suffering messiah that he wants to cast out that thought like he would a demon! verse 33

Mark 8:33 CSB

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.”

Jesus shifts his gaze to all of the disciples, knowing he needs to address the whole group to correct the view of the messiah.

In the words of James Edwards

The Gospel according to Mark Messiahship and Discipleship (8:31–9:1)

A wrong view of Messiahship leads to a wrong view of discipleship.

Jesus rebukes Peter harshly. PEter is opposing a key design of the plan of salvation. In many ways - when we as followers try and play god ourselves rather than submit to Christ and follow him we can become disciples of Satan rather than Christ.

In Edwards commentary on mark, he points out that the same rebuke that Jesus uses to peter “get behind me, Satan” is the same words that Jesus used to rebuke Satan in the wilderness in MAtthew 4.

Jesus must suffer and die - it is necessary, and for peter to oppose that act makes him stand in opposition to God himself. JEsus now address more than just the twelve - but to the greater community following to reveal what it means to follow JEsus. verse 34

Mark 8:34 CSB

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.

Jesus is trying to make it clear, not just to the disciples, but to all who would follow him - it’s true he is the Messiah - but to follow him on that path is not to political glory and power - but to self denial and the cross.

It’s hard for us to realize just how offensive the cross was to the people under roman rule. In our post-Christianized world, the cross is a picture of love and we now wear it as jewelry.

The cross was cruel and gruesome. It was reserved for slaves and political enemies and true criminals. It was illegal for roman citizens to be crucified because they that it was so vile. It was the image of hate and oppression.

Some scholars i’ve read have even posited that the word for cross was considered crass, and you wouldn’t use it in polite company, it was that nasty, even the word was too much.

And Jesus says that to follow him, one needs to deny oneself, don’t think of themselves and their desires - and to take up the instrument of death and cruelty - and follow him.

This is a call for total allegiance. it’s a radical call.

But its a call that will lead to life! verses 35 - 37

Mark 8:35–37 CSB

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it. For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his life? What can anyone give in exchange for his life?

This is a beautiful call and incredibly challenging. Verse 35 as noted by scholars forms a perfect chaism - which links salvation with the forfit of life.

The Gospel according to Mark Messiahship and Discipleship (8:31–9:1)

A “For whoever wants to save his life”

B “will lose it,”

B′ “but whoever loses his life for me and the gospel”

A′ “will save it.”

and life means much more than just your vital signs. Its the essence of who you are. And so the invitation here is that if the way of jesus - which is indicated to lead to suffering, denial, death even, if that is more important to the individual than their own well being - they will secure everlasting and never ending life.

Following JEsus is not an invitation to both and. both JEsus way and my own way. Jesus king and me king. It’s either or. Is Jesus lord? or am I? There is no distinction between sunday morning disciple and rest of the week disciple. IT’s all or nothing. All for Jesus - or none of it is.

But what other option do we have? Thats what JEsus is getting at in verses 36 and 37 - if this way of JEsu sis the way that leads to life and life eternal - what good does it do even if we conquer the whole world and yet lose it all when we die? That would be a foolish life!

So yes, Jesus is saying that following him will have terrible pain - but it is the only true way to live as a human in this fallen world, and by grace through faith, as we follow him - we are made in to the new humans that will inherit the kingdom and the new world to come.

Last verse for today, verse 38:

Mark 8:38 CSB

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.”

Jesus was critical of his generation, and his words are reminiscent of the prophets. He’s articulated before that people honor him with their lips but their hearts are far from him.

For that original audience - the idea of following a king who would walk into shame, and death, and suffering was offensive. Jesus is calling them, and therfore us - to not be ashamed of him. For we who by faith walk confidently with and behind our rabbi will be remembered when JEsus comes again in all glory.

So in a lot of ways we are called to live that eternal life by grace through faith, now. The kingdom is already here, but not yet fully realized.

And as we will look at next week as we approach Easter - his disciples still struggled to grasp it.

That brings us to our question:

So What?

If i can be bold, again the disciples didn’t get it yet - but what about us even though we, with the revealed word in our hands, many of us struggle to grasp what JEsus is calling us to.

There are many of us who claim to be christian - who claim that Jesus is our Lord with out lips - and yet when it comes to actually listening to Jesus and doing what he says - we reveal that Jesus isn’t our king - we just want him for his get out of jail free card.

We like to change Jesus from the Biblical JEsus and turn him into our own image.

He’s a good teacher, He’s a good philosopher. He’s my spiritual guru.

Nononono - Jesus is GOd. Jesus is king of kings. Jesus is Lord. And he calls us to follow him. To look at how he lived, to hear his commands and to actually do them!

So what? Friends - the question is do you know him? Do you have faith in Jesus as the king of kings? And have you chosen to follow him. Examine your heart, who is making the decisions of your life? Do oyu consider JEsus and his way in your day to day? Do you want him? Do you believe that he actually will bring you into eternal and overwhelming life?

We need to pray for faith - we need to pray that God would continue to transform us, and where we have malformed ideas around JEsus and the messiah and the kingdom, we need to pray that God destroys those and gives us the true vision for the kingdom.

The so What that really lands with me today and this week as I’ve studied this week have at times been called the two most important questions we can ask.

First - Who do I say Jesus is?

Who do you say Jesus is? If you had to answer, or write down - who is jesus? How would you answer? King, messiah, savior, lord, God, friend - all good - all important - and when we take our answer and subject it to the testimony of scripture it can be instructive to where we are in our spiritual walk.

For my friend that I was at lunch with - I asked him who jeuss is and he said he’s jsut a really good teacher. MAn that’s so not untrue - but it’s not the truest truth. What is your conception of Jesus Christ?

But we can’t forget the second question:

Second - Who does Jesus say I am?

Both matter - both together reveal our relatioship with God. Some of us can rightly articulate that JEsus is God and messiah - but we think that JEsus hates us, or is angery at us, or distant - friends I think that shows that we have a misunderstanding of the Gospel - something isn’t there. For those of us who are in Christ - we are redeemed, forgiven, and reconcilled. CAlled sons and daughters who are loved and desired by God the father!

Do you know it? Have you accepted it?

Has the gospel sunk down deep into your bones?

JEsus is King. He is Lord and Savior. And by grace through faith - in him, I am redeemed. Loved. Chosen. Cherished. Secure.

What a way to live - and if that’s true, no matter what comes in this world I will follow JEsus because I KNOW I will walk with him into the eternal life. Even if the worst should come, and I follow literally down a dusty street to meet my end in brutal torture - I will follow Jesus because I am his chosen, and he has shown me that his way is the way to life.

Jesus is Lord

I invite you now, as the worship team comes up, to pray and reflect on tose questions

Who do I say JEsus is?

Who does JEsus say I am?

And friend, if you are processing, and you are confused, or things aren’t clear - or maybe you reallly thinkg that JEsus hates you, or you sense fear - would you please talk to one of the elders or I? Or a brother or sister around you? The good news of JEsus Christ is that there is we can now have peace with God. You can be reconcilled here and now by grace through faith in JEsus.

Pray with me.