The Real Mission of the Messiah - Mark 8:31-33 and Hebrews 12:1-3
In the book of Mark so far, Everyone has misunderstood who Jesus is. In chapters 1-8, faith is scarce. The main source for people's beliefs were intertestamental writings, nonbiblical sources such as the Psalms Of Solomon... which speak of the Messiah as a great military leader.
They missed that he'd be the suffering servant spoken of in Isaiah!
Verse 31...
Jesus speaks here of his impending suffering, a foreign idea to the twelve. The Messiah is the Son of Man from Daniel, with eternal dominion over his kingdom. In his suffering he'll be glorified! In Revelation, the only one worthy to take the scroll is Jesus; he's the son of God who earned his title suffering and dying on the cross!
To be saved, our sins must be atoned for, and Jesus was the perfect atonement.
We'll stand before him one day. Well give an account for everything we've ever said and done. In front of everyone. Satan will be there accusing. All will be laid bare. We're in trouble! If not for him, we'd be crushed! We need the spirit of God, we need Jesus's atonement!
Even the most righteous of society rejected him, and actually demanded his death. Jesus isn't the Messiah they expected or wanted, so he must go.
Even today, there are Christians who would reject Jesus if they met him in person making statements he's made in the Word. We need to be careful not to tell God how he should be... we must accept him as he is!
God's word is perfect, and we must accept all of it.
The good news is that Jesus died, and on the third day, he rose again! He overcame death. What he came to do was more glorious than defeating the Romans.
Do we trust God, trust his plan?
Verse 32...
Peter rebukes him, LOL! He didn't understand Jesus's true purpose...
Verse 33...
Jesus rebuked him back, saying he's got his mind on the things of man, not the things of God!
"Satan" is an old testament term for someone who is an adversary. In the New Testament, it refers to the devil.
Two thoughts...
1. Satanic teaching:
The central truth of the Bible: Jesus came to die, and to rise and defeat death. Anything counter to this is satanic.
Satan offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if he viewed down and worshipped him, without Jesus having to suffer. But he knew he'd come to die and rise again to atone for our sins.
Jesus will ask the same of us. If we're going to belong to him, we also have to reject Satan's path, and accept what may come.
2. The heart of Christ:
Jesus has been opposed at every turn.
Hebrews 12:1... We are to lay aside any sin weighing us down, drop it and keep running! Look to Jesus the founder-- and perfecter-- of our faith.
Jesus dealt with so much resistance and difficulty, and accepted it, because he knew the joy that awaited on the other side.
There are so many people in heaven they can't be counted... singing and praising God, overflowing with joy! Jesus completed his mission for this. If we just walk his path (obey his commands), and finish our race well, this is what awaits us! Jesus will be there at our death, and will defend us as our atoning advocate, allowing us entry into heaven with him for eternity!
So we accept whatever path he lays before us on earth!