Only Halfway There

Mark 8:27-38

Oct 7, 2012

Pastor Miles

1. Jesus is the Christ, the promised Jewish Messiah.

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. (Mark 8:27-30 ESV)

2. Jesus came to suffer and be killed and rise again.

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. (Mark 8:31 ESV)

3. To follow Jesus we need a new worldview.

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." (Mark 8:32, 33 ESV)

• Worldview is not just a matter of perspective, It's also about where we are living.
• It's about the reign and rule of God in my personal life.

4. To follow Jesus we need to die to self.

And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would 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 can a man give in return for his soul? 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." (Mark 8:34-38 ESV)

• Once we have submitted to the reign of God, are we allowing His rule to transform us in all aspects of our life? Eg, friendships, family, financial, etc.
• God's reign and rule is about the breadth of surrender and the depth of transformation: for this to occur we need to take up His cross and follow Him. 
• There are essentially 2 kingdoms (earthly and heavenly) but only one throne (of God). 
• By taking up the cross we are dying to self. The more we die to self, the more we will save our lives. If we are ashamed of Jesus, He will in turn be ashamed of us.

Questions for reflection.
1. Are you still trying to save your old life?
What have we not surrendered to Him?
2. What do you still cling to the world's values?
3. Where or when are you ashamed of Jesus?
4. Where is The Lord saying to you: "this part needs to die?"