Mark 8:27 - 9:1

Here we are at a climax in Mark's gospel. This is the middle point.

Mark's gospel is likely a compilation of the stories that Peter went around telling people about Jesus. Think of him as a visiting evangelistic speaker. He tells great stories. The first Christians were hungry to meet people who really knew him while he was on earth.

When Peter got old or when he died these stories were very important and people did not want them to be forgotten. Mark has been helping Peter and had heard the stories many times. So he put together a book and he carefully organized it to tell the great story. So this gospel becomes not only great stories but a biography of the Messiah.

Peter does not let his pride get in the way of a good teaching point. The story is about Jesus, not about Peter after all. God gets the glory, as it should be.

Jesus response to Peter's rebuke is the climax of the first part of the book of Mark. After this comes the transfiguration and everything changes after that.

First Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the one who is predicted and hoped for throughout the Old Testament.

Jesus gets encouraged about the disciples and decides to speak very plainly about what will happen in the future. But this is just too much. The disciples just cannot handle the truth. Now Peter takes Jesus aside to rebuke him. Why? Does Peter just not want this to happen? Perhaps Peter thinks if it will happen to Jesus then it is likely to happen to them. Perhaps he is selfishly worrying about himself.

But while Peter has tried to rebuke Jesus privately, Jesus turns and rebukes Peter publicly so that all the disciples can see.

Then Jesus explains further. And this is the climax. Jesus expands on not having man's (selfish) interest but God's. Do we have God's interest as we live our life or do we just worry about ourselves? This teaching cuts me to the quick. I try to have God's interest from time to time. I think I have to take it in small bits. I then remember that God loves me and I love God.

Jesus then states "If anyone wants to come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it ... Whoever is ashamed of me in this adulterous and sinful generation the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory."

Jesus gives reasons why we should take God's side and not the world's. And there is a battle. You will have to commit to a side. Not making a decision is making a decision.

Even if it gets hard from time to time we must take God's side. We are proud of God, not ashamed. It is not God's fault for the sin in the world. It is ours.