Image from ar15.com
Mark 8:27-38 (The Message) Jesus and his disciples headed out for the villages around Caesarea Philippi. As they walked, he asked, "Who do the people say I am?" "Some say 'John the Baptizer,'" they said. "Others say 'Elijah.' Still others say 'one of the prophets.'" He then asked, "And you - what are you saying about me? Who am I?" Peter gave the answer: "You are the Christ, the Messiah." Jesus warned them to keep it quiet, not to breathe a word of it to anyone. He then began explaining things to them: "It is necessary that the Son of Man proceed to an ordeal of suffering, be tried and found guilty by the elders, high priests, and religion scholars, be killed, and after three days rise up alive." He said this simply and clearly so they couldn't miss it. Turning and seeing his disciples wavering, wondering what to believe, Jesus confronted Peter. "Peter, get out of my way! Satan, get lost! You have no idea how God works." Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for? "If any of you are embarrassed over me and the way I'm leading you when you get around your fickle and unfocused friends, know that you'll be an even greater embarrassment to the Son of Man when he arrives in all the splendor of God, his Father, with an army of the holy angels."
Who do you say Jesus is? I heard a preacher say last night on a video on YouTube: "You don't open up the trunk of your car and say to Jesus, 'Get in!' nor do you open the back door of that car and say, 'Here you go, Jesus, ride there!' nor do you open the passenger door and invite Jesus to ride there. You open the driver's door, hand Jesus the keys, and say, 'Lord, take over!'" For many, we are content when Jesus is out of sight and out of mind. We are content to leave Jesus at church and we holler to Him as we drive away, "See you next week! I'll call you if I need You!" Peter, James, John, Judas, Matthew, all of the Twelve wrestled with the question Jesus posed to them when it came to Him. They all knew what people were saying about Him, but when Jesus got personal and asked, "And you - what are you saying about me? Who am I?" they heard first from Peter, who confessed, for He knew, or thought he knew, "You are the Christ, the Messiah." Then a moment or two later, when Jesus confesses the suffering that was coming His way, Peter again is visible in his "wavering, wondering what to believe." (Older versions say Peter rebuked Jesus), Jesus tells him, "You have no idea how God works." Then, the instruction: If we are to follow Jesus, we must let Him lead or drive in the above example; If we follow Jesus, He will show us how to live, with self-sacrifice as the way to follow best.
Surrender the car keys of your life to Jesus. Surrender your life to Jesus. Die to self, place Jesus first and start to follow Him as we should.
PRAYER: Loving Lord Jesus, take the keys of my life and drive me to service, self-sacrifice and the places where I can be serve as witness and servant to You. This I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
