7 Die With Me

Walked through chapters 3-8 learning from Jesus. Ended with the disciples still confused, fearful, not understanding Jesus and His power or authority. Final story of healing blind man that took a second touch.

Now Mark changes gears a little – Jesus begins talking about death. His death, and the necessity of followers to die as well.

Today, Jesus becomes more serious and direct. He invites the disciples to Die With Me.

Die With Me

Just finished the story of Jesus asking the disciples questions, do you not yet understand? Then the healing of a blind man who does not see clearly at first. At the end of this section is another blind man healed story.

The snapshots in between these two healing stories are instruction on what it means to follow and die.

first time Jesus asks who people say He is. Peter confesses He is the Messiah. Tell no one.

Peter is quick to answer (representative of disciples) recognizing now that Jesus is the Messiah. What this means is still not clear (blind healing) to them.

Read Mark 8:31-33

first time Jesus predicts His rejection, death, and resurrection. Peter tries to dissuade Jesus Who then rebukes him.

* Peter’s view is still based on the human understanding of Messiah as a religious/political leader who will squash the enemies and oppressors, take over the throne of David, and rule the world.

Jesus talking about being defeated by the religious leaders and being killed goes against this blind understanding. It makes no sense. And rising again doesn’t even register. Suffering Messiah is not a thing in their world.

v.32 Jesus spoke plainly = openly, clearly, not in parables or riddles.

How often do we do this? Misunderstand the way of God and try to force our own way and understanding? All The Time… We do this.

Why does Jesus seem to be so harsh here? Once again, the enemy is tempting with the shortcut method. Peter is stepping out of the role of disciple and getting in the way. All this conversation happened on the road to Caesarea Philippi. Disciples and crowd following Jesus. Jesus is basically telling Peter to get back in line and follow.

Read

Mark 8:34–38 CSB

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.”

Mark 8:34 CSB

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.

Mark 8:34

Mark

v.34 come after me = follow = be a disciple, follower, learner, student

deny himself = sacrifice/give up your own will and way

take up his cross = prior to Jesus being crucified, so not just about doing what Jesus did at this point, but doing what Jesus is about to do.

Crucifixion was often for those who rebelled against authority, punishment of submission and death.

Follow me = get in line and go where I go, do what I do. Die with me.

v.35 preserve your life = lose it all in the end.

Give up your rights to your life, control, accepting the way of Jesus and the Good News = gain it back in the end.

Your life must be spent, poured out, emptied, invested into the will and way of the King for His Kingdom.

v.36 What does it benefit? Rhetorical question with answer “nothing”. Benefit to gaining the whole world but then losing true life. having everything and getting nothing.

v.37 What can you give? Again, “nothing” there is nothing you can give to get your soul back or true life.

v.38 ashamed of me and my words =

(this does not mean you post junk on facebook to say you’re not ashamed and bet you won’t share this.)

adulterous and sinful = not so much the world but the religious scene, those who were supposed to be righteous.

These are questions to evaluate your priorities – my life or life for Christ?

Are you willing to follow Jesus through the persecution, beatings, death, and resurrection? Are you ashamed to be named with Jesus? Seen with Him?

When the Son of Man (Christ/Messiah) comes to rule in power – ashamed of your lack of commitment and response to Him.

Challenge here is to follow Jesus on the way of suffering, way of cross, way of death, way of ultimate life and glory.

is end of this passage. Reference to either Jesus’ resurrection and/or Pentecost.

This turning point is key to understanding the rest of the snapshots until Jesus arrives in Jerusalem.

Transforming Perspective

Jesus has announced His death and the necessity to follow, even through this death to life.

Transfiguration snapshot. – Peter, James, John inner circle go with Jesus up the mountain. His appearance changes and they are with Moses and Elijah. Voice from cloud Beloved Son, listen to Him.

(Does this happen every time Jesus goes off to pray alone?)

Jesus relates the coming of Elijah in John the baptizer to the Messiah’s coming after John/Elijah and suffering the same treatment.

casting out a demon. Faithless/unbelieving generation.

v.19 note “unbelieving generation”

v.22 If you can do anything to help.

Mark 9:23 CSB

23 Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’? Everything is possible for the one who believes.”

Mark 9:23–24 CSB

23 Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’? Everything is possible for the one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”

v.23 Could be Jesus asking “If you can?” like the man is doubting Jesus’ ability to heal. Or Jesus could be saying “If YOU can… “ meaning the man could. Either way, all things are possible if you believe.

Could be Jesus asking “If you can?” like the man is doubting Jesus’ ability to heal. Or Jesus could be saying “If YOU can… “ meaning the man could. Either way, all things are possible if you believe.

The father obviously understands the challenge to his faith and says, “I believe, help my unbelief” to draw the reader into this response to their own faith challenge.

the next prediction

Mark 9:31 CSB

31 For he was teaching his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after he is killed, he will rise three days later.”

v.32 They still didn’t understand and were afraid to ask…

disciples arguing who would be greatest – still looking for a political, earthly kingdom

Mark 9:35 CSB

35 Sitting down, he called the Twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last and servant of all.”

First/last, last/first. Again, following means giving up self, putting others ahead

someone casting out demons in Jesus name = although not directly following in His band, still serving in His name, for His sake, furthering His will.

taking drastic means to put submit sinful nature to follow. = enter life or be thrown into hell.

submitting marriage relationships to God’s will – no divorce, no unfaithfulness.

vv.11-12 clearly stating that divorce is wrong from either party in the marriage.

Receive the Kingdom of God like a child. Wholeheartedly believing and receiving.

So far, it sounds like there is a lot to give up, sacrifice your will and way to follow. Is Jesus mean? Is He overly demanding?

Why is it required to completely submit and accept Jesus’ will over our own?

If you realize that this is your Creator leading you out of bondage and into true freedom, you’ll realize that you gain so much more than you think you lose.

Yes, There Is A Reward

much longer story about the sacrifice and reward of following Jesus.

Mark 10:21 CSB

21 Looking at him, Jesus loved him and said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Mark 10:

The rich young man believed he was keeping the commandments as they related to dealing with others. Jesus loved him and invited him to give up his wealth that keeps him shackled, give it away, and then follow. Are we willing to give up everything to follow?

The disciples obviously were wrestling with that. Peter as the disciple representative stated they had given up all to follow. Jesus talked about the great hundredfold reward and increased persecutions for following. Eternal life in the age to come as well.

Mark 10:29–31 CSB

29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said, “there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundred times more, now at this time—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and eternal life in the age to come. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Again with first/last, last/first.

Third prediction of death and resurrection = delivered to chief priests and scribes, condemn to death deliver to Gentiles, mock, spit, flog, kill. After three days rise again.

longer story about two disciples wanting to have positions of honor and power in the new kingdom of Jesus. Still thinking Jesus is an earthly Messiah with a strictly earthly kingdom.

Jesus asks if they can suffer with Him (drink the cup) – baptized with the baptism I am baptized

vv.41-45 earthly rulers lord over, rule over or exercise authority over others. Not you. Great/servant, first/slave.

Also third time for this statement.

Mark 10:45 CSB

45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark10:45 Son of Man came not to be served but to serve. God in flesh serving His created ones. Ransom for many.

Son of Man came not to be served but to serve. God in flesh serving His created ones. Ransom for many.

Another amazing connection here to wrap up this section on following to die.

healing of blind Bartimaeus. Last stop on his way to Jerusalem.

Bartimaeus had heard of Jesus, heard Jesus was passing by and called out to Him. Son of David. Recognizing Jesus as Messiah.

Mark 10

Mark 10:51 CSB

51 Then Jesus answered him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Rabboni,” the blind man said to him, “I want to see.”

I want to see. Faith. Sight. Followed.

Just like in v.36 when James and John asked.

want to see. Faith. Sight. Followed.

Conclusion

Jesus invites you to follow Him. He tells us here what it means to follow.

Galatians 2:20 CSB

20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20

Are we to be casual observers who wander away when the message is unclear and we only see partially? When the way gets difficult and uncomfortable?

Jesus doesn’t allow for casual observing. He is all in and invites you to be all in.

Your real hope is in giving up your life, giving up your own will and way, and following Jesus. At least you know He is there with you in the troubles that come and there is hope of life on the other end.

Don’t let someone tell you it’s going to be ok. Without Jesus it isn’t going to be ok.

Don’t tell yourself the lie that Jesus won’t let you go through more than you can handle. The Bible doesn’t say that. Invite Jesus into the struggle and sometimes He’ll rescue you out of it, and sometimes He’ll rescue you through it. It can definitely be too much for you to handle on your own.)

Big Idea: Give up the claim to your life, follow Jesus to new life and your true reward.

Can we repeat the words of Paul?

Galatians 2:20 CSB

20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

What About You?

Yes, following Jesus can be difficult. He doesn’t necessarily make the way easier, but fills it with real, true life and true reward.

Following Jesus leads to difficulty, but isn’t life already difficult anyway?

You make bad choices and suffer the consequences without hope of it getting any better on your own. Life hits you hard and you can’t quite get ahead of the pain and struggle.

Don’t let someone tell you it’s going to be ok. Without Jesus it isn’t going to be ok. Where can you find hope

Don’t tell yourself the lie that Jesus won’t let you go through more than you can handle. The Bible doesn’t say that.

Your real hope is in giving up your life, the control, giving up your own will and way, and following Jesus. Then you can know He is there with you in the troubles that come and there is hope of eternal life on the other end.

Invite Jesus into the struggle and sometimes He’ll rescue you out of it, and sometimes He’ll rescue you through it. It can definitely be too much for you to handle on your own.

Don’t tell yourself the lie that Jesus won’t let you go through more than you can handle. The Bible doesn’t say that.

Invite Jesus into the struggle and sometimes He’ll rescue you out of it, and sometimes He’ll rescue you through it. It can definitely be too much for you to handle on your own.)

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