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31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” 34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:31-38 NIV Bible)
Good day, dear Friend! May this be a wonderful day for you and yours. May you hear God's voice as you spend time in His word and explore His message for you. May God's Holy Spirit prepare us for all God has to share with us.
There seems to be no way that the cross looming ahead for Jesus should have surprised the Twelve. They had been there for most of the traps and tricks Jesus' enemies presented to Our Lord, and to hear they were finally going to get their way and kill Him should have really have come as no surprise, but it did. The news from our loved ones when they shared medical news and alerts still did not prepare us for their death, so here is Peter, the chief disciple reacting like Peter when he rebukes Jesus. This shocks us but it shouldn't. Peter loved Jesus. Peter had given up his life and career to follow He whom some suspected could truly become the new king of Israel. Nowhere and at no time did Jesus promise the disciples or even us, any illusions of comfort or ease. Nowhere do we read Jesus sugarcoating the reality of following Him; demands of sacrifice, rejection, and even suffering were on the menu for those who have chosen to be His disciples. The reality from this verse is that our journey of faith won't always be smooth sailing.
I feel for Peter when he hears Jesus tell him, "Get behind me, Satan!" Gulp. Wait. What? Lord, did you mean to call me Satan? Isn't Satan our enemy? The evil one? Jesus continues, "You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns." Ouch. Can we blame Peter for being, like us, wanting and seeking an easier, more comfortable path? Don't we often want the benefits of faith without embracing the challenges it entails.
The crowd is called together by Jesus when He declares, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Gulp. Jesus is saying to truly follow Him we must let go of our selfishness, our worldly desires, and everything that hinders our spiritual growth. To "take up our cross" means we should embrace the challenges and choose God's will over our own comfort. Jesus knew of the power we find in sacrifice; it is the transformative power that can take us from self-preservation to full dependence on God. We can find true meaning and fulfillment in giving our lives to something greater than ourselves - to God and His purpose. We should ask if we are spending our time changing pleasures at the expense of our spiritual wellbeing. Jesus wants us to put our souls in their proper place which is aligning our lives with His teachings and values. We should walk alongside Jesus, carrying our "crosses" of challenges and sacrifices. This does involve our making difficult choices, standing up for what's right even when it's unpopular, or prioritizing spiritual growth over worldly pursuits.
PRAYERS: Heavenly Father, grant me the courage to face the reality of following You. Help me embrace self-denial and pick up my cross with faith and commitment. May I prioritize my soul's salvation over temporary gains and find true fulfillment in serving You and living out Your message, in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Walk on, carrying your cross with faith, knowing that true life and purpose lie in following Christ.
I love you and I thank God for you!
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
