Mark 8:27-33 (NLT)
Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets.”
Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.”
But Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead. As he talked about this openly with his disciples, Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things.
Jesus turned around and looked at his disciples, then reprimanded Peter. “Get away from me, Satan!” he said. “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”
Allow me to insert a hypothetical (based on true events) situation here.
You and Jesus are enjoying a conversation when he asks, “Who do people say I am?” You’d more than likely reply with such responses as: a holy man, a wise teacher, a human rights hero, a slang curse word, leader of the hypocrite masses, and naturally, your believer friends will say God’s son, the savior of the world and other “churchy” answers.
After you answer, he further inquires, “And you? Who do you say I am?”
Hopefully, you’re immediate response would mirror Peter’s: “You’re indeed the savior of the world. And more personally, my Messiah!”
Maybe then (as he did in the reading today) Jesus proceeds to detail some unexpected information about a future unpleasantness. Rather than laying out how he was going to die (which he did here), he tells you he’s going to save your worst enemy, rise someone above you in the church, or place a new manager over you at work. Anything which is upsetting and not according to your idea of the plan.
How will you respond? Will you implode like Peter in protest? Will you try to talk him out of it? Will you try to take matters into your own hands? Will you be a force for evil instead of good? Will you “have no idea how God works?” (verse 33, The Message).
Application: Make a conscious effort to note your reaction to unexpected interruptions to your plans. Do you lash out at Jesus at the unfairness of the situation? Or do you trust him through it anyway? Make adjustments as necessary.
