We're Gonna Be Alright

Mark 8:27–38 NKJV

Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?” So they answered, “John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.” Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him. And He began to teach them 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. He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

Proverbs 23:7 NKJV

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.

Romans 12:2 NKJV

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Jesus is trying to change their thinking

so that they will live like He has the last word.

If Go opens the door, no devil in hell can close it.

On the road....

He has healed the sick, raised the dead, and walked on water.

And in that context

He asked, “Who do men say....”

They quickly conducted a Gallup poll...

But then He asked, Who do you say....

Peter piped up....

What Peter said is major, but where he said it is even more major.

Cessaria Philipi

In earlier times a center for the worship of Baal, the false fertility God for the Caananite religion.

Later with the Hellenization most of the world it was named:

Paneas

Became the religious center for worship of the Greek god, Pan

Caesarea

Then Herod the great raised there a temple to Caesar.....

Herod’s son Philip renamed it:

Caesarea-Philippi

Where temples are built in honor of men and their culture.

Were people bow down to the idols of culture.

Make sure you don’t bow down at the temple of self-aggrandizement.

Matthew 16:25 NKJV

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

I dare you to live your life for something grater than yourself.

In a place teaming with little miniature God’s Peter got it right.

But then the messiah starts messing with Peter’s mind.

He said you got the answer right but let me reveal some things to you.....

This is not what they had in mind.

To them the messiah is a man of war, a triumphant warrior....

What kind of savior is made to suffer....

It’s counter cultural

How can he save others if He cannot save himself.

A man of sorrows and aquainted with grief...

Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him.

Organizational pshychologist

in our daily lives to many of us favor the comfort of conviction over the comfort of doubt.

We see disagreement with

We should

Our beliefs get brittle long before our bones

Jesus is trying to turn their world upside down in order to turn it right side up.

It does not go along with the God’s of empire and self-aggrandizement.

Watch out that you don’t bow down to a God that is a false God.

When suffering comes our way, we lose our way....

We ought to know by know that we are going to need something more than that.

2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Job said, "though he slay me”

A character that is hammered out in the crucible of affliction.

Jesus keeps trying to work on Peter’s mind.

You know pulled out a switchblade and cut off a mans ear.

When your struck, you don’t have to strike back.

You don’t have to

You remember what you said, when somebody cut you off on your way to church.

Learn how to think....

Romans 12:2 NKJV

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Because we worship the God’s of the culture we don’t see

There is but one God!

I’ve got a feeling, everything’s going to be alright....