Clarification of the Way of the Cross:

Matthew 16:24 “...Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me..."

Mark 8:34 “...And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me..."

Luke 9:237 “...And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me..."

Is this a new teaching that Jesus is giving?

• Matthew 10:37-38 "...He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me..."

What are the requirements for those who wish to “come after” Jesus?

• Deny self.
• Take up cross.
• Follow Jesus.

What does our culture think of self denial?

• Our culture preaches self gratification.
• Our culture teaches self indulgence.

Have you ever seen an advertisement that expresses self denial?

What does it mean to take up our cross?

• The cross was an instrument of violence and torture.
• Self denial is violence and torture.
• We must actively participate in the process.

How did the Luke account clarify that “come after” is a lifestyle choice?

• We must take up our cross daily.

Matthew 16:25-26 "...For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?..."

Mark 8:35-37 "...For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? "For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?..”

Luke 9:24-25 "...For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. "For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?...”

Is this statement a paradox?

• A paradox is a statement that apparently contradicts itself and yet might be true
• The statement includes two different forms of life - temporal and eternal.

How does saving comfort and security in this temporal life endanger eternal life?

• It’s a failure to follow Jesus, which requires daily denial of self.

How does losing comfort and security in this temporal life ensure eternal life?

• It’s the prescribed way to follow Jesus.

• Colossians 1:18 “...And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent...”

Matthew 16:27 “...For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done...”

Mark 8:38 “...For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels...”

Luke 9:26 “...For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels...”

Does it matter how we respond to the Red Letters, to the words of Jesus?

• Jesus says everyone gets repaid based on what they’ve done.

When are people ashamed of Jesus and His words?

• When the culture makes them feel awkward and foolish.
• When they’re more concerned about comfort and security than truth.
• When self preservation becomes more important than eternity.
• When following Jesus requires more than they’re willing to do.

Peter Doesn’t Get It:

Context:

• Peter correctly claims that Jesus is the Christ.
• Jesus then charges the disciples to tell no one that He is the Christ.
• And if that wasn’t unusual enough, He proceeds to tell them that He must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things, be killed, and be raised on the third day. 
• This is the first of several discussions about the future that Jesus was about to embrace.

Luke 9:22 “...saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised...”

Matthew 16:21-23 “...From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man...”

Mark 8:31-33 “...And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man...”

What did Jesus clearly say was about to happen?

• He was going to suffer.
• He was going to be killed.
• He was going to be raised on the third day.

What did Peter hear?

• He was going to suffer and die.

Why could Peter previously answer correctly that Jesus was the Christ?

• It was a revelation from the Father who is in heaven.

Why could Peter now give a response that led to Jesus rebuking him as Satan?

• He was so focused on his preference that he didn’t hear, and accept, all that Jesus was saying.
• His mind was set on the things of man, not the things of God.

Why is failure to hear, and accept, all the words of Jesus such a problem?

• Jesus reveals the intentions of the Father.
• Any alternative is rebellion against the Father’s intentions.
• Satan long ago rebelled against the Father, and entices others to do the same.

Which is better, revelation from the Father, or alternatives to the Father’s intentions?

What happens when we drop RED LETTERS in order to pursue our preferences?

• We, like Peter, overstep the true meaning of discipleship
• We assume that we know better than the Master what course to pursue.

Peter tried to dissuade Jesus from the death on which the salvation of the world depended.

How often do we miss God’s viewpoint because of our own?

How often are we a “stumbling block” in the way of the ongoing intentions of the Almighty?

Everything becomes clear:

Context:

• Jesus fed the 4000.
• He warned about the leaven of the Pharisees, and of Herod.
• At Bethsaida, some people bring Him a blind man and beg for a touch.

Do you know anyone that is desparate for a touch from Jesus?

Mark 8:23-26 “...And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” And he looked up and said, “I see men, but they look like trees, walking.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village...”

Why would Jesus lead him out of the village?

• Does a true relationship with Jesus occur apart from the crowds?
• Mark 7:33-35 “...And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly...”

How did the first touch from Jesus change the man’s life?

• He saw things he hadn’t seen before, even though they weren’t clear.

When a person is first touched by Jesus, do they see everything clearly?

• Having eyes that don’t see, and ears that don’t hear is a common problem.

How did the second touch from Jesus change the man’s life?

• He saw EVERYTHING clearly..

When does a person see everything clearly?

• When Jesus finishes his work in their life.

• Proverbs 4:18 “...But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day...”

Why would Jesus tell the man to not even enter the village?

• He sent Him home, which wasn’t the village.
• The “messianic secret” is a prominent theme in Mark’s gospel account.
• The current religious/political view of the coming Messiah was inconsistent with Jesus’ mission.
• Nobody knew His secret ambition.
• A growing focus on His power and authority would not help His mission.

Peter Gets It:

Matthew 16:13-16 “...Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God...”

Mark 8:27-30 “...And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him...”

Were there multiple opinions about Jesus?

Are there still multiple opinions about Jesus?

Does your opinion about Jesus matter?

Matthew 16:17-20 “...And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ...”

How did Peter come up with the correct answer?

• Revelation from the Father who is in heaven.

On what will Jesus build the church?

• The firm foundation of confessing Jesus as the Christ, the son of the Living God?

• 1 Corinthians 3:11 “...For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ...”

• Ephesians 2:19-20 “...So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,...”

• Revelation 21:14 “...And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb...”

How did Christ continue to protect the messianic secret?

• “...he strictly charged them to tell no one about him...”

How would you interpret Matthew 16:18 (NASB) “...upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.....”?

• What was Jesus going to do? <build His church>

• What was about to happen that might cause concern? <He was going to be crucified, dead, and buried>

Is Hades is the temporary place of the dead?

• Revelation 1:17-18 “...When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades...”

• Revelation 20:13 “...And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done...”

See, Hear, Understand, and Remember:

Context:

• Another crowd had been miraculously fed.
• The Pharisees demand a sign from heaven.
• They move on, but the disciples had forgotten to bring bread.
• Jesus speaks to them but they don’t hear what He’s saying.

Matthew 16:6 “...Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees...”

Mark 8:15 “...And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod...”

What would you be thinking if you were in the disciples situation?

• They were thinking about forgetting bread, so they naturally thought Jesus was addressing them about their thoughts.
• We typically think that God is tracking with us.
• We spend too little effort trying to keep up with God.

Matthew 16:8-11 “...But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees...”

Mark 8:17-21 “...And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?...”

What don’t the disciples see or hear? What don’t they understand?

• They should have seen enough bread miracles not to worry about earthly bread.
• By now they should understand that Jesus is focused beyond earthly sustenance.

What expectations does Jesus have of His disciples?

• That they will use their eyes to see.
• That they will use their ears to hear.
• That they will understand.
• That they will remember what they saw, heard, and understood.
• That they will live in faith.

What is Jesus warning about?

• The teaching of the Pharisees and of Herod.

What is wrong with this teaching?

• It fails to embrace the reality of Jesus.
• It focuses on earthly things and earthly perspectives.

Do religion and politics still have this same problem?

Should we still “...watch out, beware...”?

What would this look like?