Jesus Predicts His Death

I. Jesus Reveals His plan to Die Mark 8:31-33

Mark 8:31–33 CSB

31 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. 32 He spoke openly about this. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 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.”

For the first time we see that Jesus openly discusses with his disciples the purpose of His coming. He tells them he must suffer and die. The word used here for “necessary” means it is inevitable. It has been decided and it will take place. However it seemed they were so shocked by Jesus words they completely missed the promise of a third day resurrection. The word for “rise” here is the same word used of procreation. To create life. His resurrection would produce sons and daughters.

Again, the disciples were so fixed on the repulsive idea that Jesus would die they completely missed the resurrection and it’s intention.

Instead Peter takes Christ aside and rebukes him. You have to remember that the Jewish nation was not looking for a Messiah who would die. This was a completely foreign concept.

We see Jesus reaction to Peter’s words. Jesus rebuked Peter in front all of the disciples. This is one of the harshest rebukes recorded given to anyone.

So why was Jesus so harsh with Peter? Why did Jesus associate Peter’s rebuke with Satan?

#1. Jesus had already faced similar temptation for Satan before.

When we look back to the temptation of Christ, We remember that Jesus was taken to a tall mountain and shown the kingdoms of the world. To gain them without the death on the cross all Jesus had to do was bow and worship Satan.Moments ago. Peter confessed Jesus as the Messiah, now with the same mouth he touted the same temptation as Satan Himself. “ You do not have to die” . He played the part of the tempter.

Did Peter mean harm? Would anyone say that Peter’s desire to see Christ take his throne without death was obviously evil? No, of course not but as one commentator put it...

Satan’s suggestion is not blasphemous or obviously evil: it is smooth, attractive and ‘natural’, appealing to all ‘natural’ human instincts. That is why it is so dangerous.

Mark 8:33 CSB

33 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.”

The most dangerous of temptations comes when Satan uses our natural instincts against us. When we do what is natural and normal , we fail to consider the will of God. It was natural for Peter not to want Jesus to suffer and Die, but he didn’t listen to the words of Jesus. He said it was necessary..... We get ourselves into more trouble when we do what is obvious and never stop to consider the will of God

# 2 If Peter and the rest of the disciples couldn’t grasp the conditions of Messiahship, they could never have grasped the conditions of their own discipleship.

The path of the Jesus and his disciples were the same.

II. Jesus Preached Death is Needed for Life Mark 8:33-35

Mark 8:34–35 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.

The phrase “deny himself” does not mean to deny oneself something he or she wants. Instead it means to let go of any claim to your life. In other words it is not self-inflicted poverty or suffering, but rather a removal of ones self from the equation of life. It is in this verse that one see the repentance of the will to Chrrist. The embracing the death of oneself both literally and figuratively and follownig Jesus into the resurrection of life.

One cannot be a follower of Jesus without these elements.

Mark 8:35 CSB

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.

The word save has the idea of “redeeming” his life. If one tries to redeem his life himself, outside of dying to self he will lose it. (notice the same connection to both Satan and Peters temptation.) But if he will die to himself, and embrace Christ and the gospel there is life. It is a beautiful paradox. It is only through death that we are brought to life.

Notice how this message goes against human nature. Unlike Peter who could not see outside of what is natural. Jesus proclaims what is not natural and it brings life.

In this....

III. Jesus Proclaims the value of dying to oneself Mark 8:36-37

Mark 8:36–37 CSB

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?

The word “gain” is a business word. Jesus is asking is the wealth of this world worth losing your enternal soul. But then he broadens the question. If not wealth what are you willing to give in exchange for your soul?

For some it is wealth.

Some it is sex

Some it is relationship and friendships, family

Some it is control.

But let me ask the same question that Jesus asked then. What are you wiling to give in exchange for your very soul? It is not that committing any one of these sins is any more damnable of an offense than any other. In fact in Christ, all of these sins are forgiven. However some, will never come to Christ because they do not want to die to themselves and allow God to remove these sins from them.

It is in this that Jesus gives a stern warning.

IV. Jesus gives a stern warning Mark 8:38

Mark 8:38 CSB

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.”

To very important words or phrases in this text

#1 Ashamed -To be ashamed means to distance oneself from something.

In this case Christ and his words or Gospel.

#2 Adulterous generation - The concept of spiritual adultery was the idea of apostasy.

Apostasy is an ultimate rejection of the truth not out of misunderstanding or wrong information but rather a rejection because of one’s understanding. A person can get to the point in his/her life where they are no longer wrestling with the Holy Spirit over their salvation and they have completely rejected without hope of ever repenting. They have made up their minds. Hebrews talks about this ultimate rejection . It calls it falling away from the truth.

Hebrews 6:4–8 CSB

4 For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, who shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age, 6 and who have fallen away. This is because, to their own harm, they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding him up to contempt. 7 For the ground that drinks the rain that often falls on it and that produces vegetation useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and about to be cursed, and at the end will be burned.

So Jesus is saying whomever hears and understands the truth but distances themselves from it the same will be denied before the father in heaven.

So then what is the good news in this.

Here it is. IF you are worried you have fallen into apostasy , you most likely have not. The apostate does not worry about his or her soul. They are reprobate and rebellious.

So for those who are not yet in Christ, there is hope. Today is the day you could turn your life to Christ and you will experience life like never before. You can be forgiven and set free.

For the believer....You have made the better choice. Even in your suffering you have life and hope and joy in knowing the fellowship of Jesus Christ sufferings and the hope of eternity in the perfection of God kingdom of heave. It is worth it? Don’t believe the idea that it is not. Don’t give up and don’t turn back. Your path only ends in triumph with Christ.