The cross was not an accident in Jesus’ story. It was the assignment.
Sermon Title: THE UNEXPECTED GIFT
Sermon Text: MARK 8:31-9:1 (ESV)
Sermon Series: THE ROAD TO THE CROSS: FOLLOWING THE SUFFERING KING
By: PTR NESTOR SY
Sermon Notes:
MARK 8:31-9:1 ESV
31 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. 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 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.” 34 And he called to him the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? 37 For what can a man give in return for his life? 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.” 9:1 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”
The problem wasn’t Peter’s confession. It was Peter’s expectation.
The gift of God often comes wrapped in ways that don’t look like a gift at all.
Just because the packaging looks painful doesn’t mean the gift isn’t good.
I. UNWRAPPING PETER’S EXPECTATION
“suffer”
Greek: paschó
“to undergo pain, to endure hardship.”
“rejected”
Greek: apodokimazó
“to disapprove, to deem unworthy, to throw out as useless.”
“must”
Greek: dei
“absolutely necessary.”
MATTHEW 16:22 ESV
22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”
The cross was not an accident in Jesus’ story. It was the assignment.
II. THE SECOND GIFT: YOUR CROSS (v. 34)
The cross isn’t about martyrdom in the literal sense for most of us. It’s about discipleship in the daily sense.
“deny”
Greek: aparneomai
“to disown, to renounce.”
III. THE TRUE GIFT: AN INVITATION TO LIFE (vv. 35-38)
Saving and Losing: The Great Paradox
The way to real life is not by clutching, but by giving it away.
The Question of Profit and Loss
“life”
Greek: psuché
Your soul is the most valuable possession you have, don’t trade it for worthless trinkets.
The Challenge of Allegiance
When the world pressures you to step away from Jesus, whose approval do you value most?
“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer