Mark 8:27-33 – That’s Different – Bible study

Mark 8:27-33 Thats Different There has never been another who was as consistent as Jesus. Jesus is God and God never changes. Mal 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. But while God does not change, the way He deals with man does and though you may never have thought about it, Jesus changed His some things in His ministry during the course of it. For example, in the beginning of His ministry, Jesus did not teach using parables, but then He did. So much so that on some days, that is all Jesus taught. He changed the way He dealt with people. Again, in the beginning of Jesus ministry, Jesus was more patient with the scribes and Pharisees. As His ministry progressed, He became less tolerant of them. Of course, Jesus had reasons for that but it demonstrates that Jesus changed the way He dealt with people during the course of His ministry. At this point, (Mark 8, Matthew 16, Luke 9), Jesus made such a change. Lets notice some things that were different. I. Jesus went to a new place. That was different. A. Mark 8:27, tells us that Jesus was at Caesarea Philippi. 1. As far as I can tell, this is the first and only time Jesus will come to this place. 2. And as far as I can tell, this is the only thing that was done therea short conversation with Jesus disciples. B. Caesarea Philippi was a beautiful place with a wicked history. 1. The land was in the extreme northern part of Israel, a mountainous land with trees and streams. That is the area that collects and feeds the Jordan River with water. 2. This first mention of that region was in \#Judges 18:7\, just two miles to the west. It was a city called Laish. Laish was actually just outside of the border of Israel, in pagan land. 3. In Judges 18, the tribe of Dan wanted additional land so they went and to the edge of Israel and took Laish. is just a city and many miles from their tribal land. Their only possession there is that one city. They called it Dan. 4. Laish was a heathen city that worshipped false gods. When Dan took it, they set up their own false gods there. As far as I know, there was never a day when the city of Dan was a godly place. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_(ancient_city) 5. During the time between our Old and New Testaments, the Greeks sat up the worship of Pan at Caesarea Philippi. They would throw their babies off the cliffs into the river below. If the babies went directly into and under the water, they figured Pan accepted the child as a sacrifice. If the baby hit on the rocks below and the river became red with blood, they figured Pan rejected their sacrifice. http://theranch.org/2010/11/08/lesson-9-what-happened-at-caesarea- philippi/ C. Why did Jesus go here? 1. The Bible does not say, but I will give my guess. 2. Perhaps because it was a place that needed to recognize the true God. 3. That is what happened to Peter there and is our next point. 4. I think Jesus wanted these people to meet the one true God, even for just a brief time. II. Jesus made clear some new revelations. That was different. A. I say "made clear" for the revelations had already been revealed but the disciples were having a difficult time understanding them. B. The first revelation was who Jesus was. 1. \#Mark 8:27\ Jesus began by asking for the opinions of what others thought. Some thought Jesus was John the Baptist, others Elijah, others thought another prophet. 2. \#Mark 8:29\ But who do YOU think I am? a. Peter nailed it, but not of himself. b. Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Mark 8:29 And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. 3. It is really astounding that this seems to be a first for the disciples. a. After following Jesus for a couple of years, they still have not figured out who He is! (1) Someone says, "They had to have done that already. They have performed miracles and done great works by now!" (2) Remember that Judas never did figure out who Jesus was! (a) Judas heard all of the teaching. (b) Judas saw all of the miracles. (c) Judas even perform miracles and was so trusted that the disciples made him their treasurer, but Judas will betray Jesus and die without ever fully realizing who Jesus was! b. There seems to be some great difficulty in comprehending who Jesus really is! (1) Some seem self-blinded to Christ. They are so earthly centered, so involved in our own lives and world that they cannot see. (2) Paul listed one reason as the devil. 2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (3) But the Old Testament said that God blinded some. (That is, God gave them what they wanted, blindness.) Joh 12:40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. 4. Could I tell you that God wants everyone to know who Jesus is? a. Yesterday at our soul winning class I made the statement that every Christian is born a missionary. b. Some God will call to leave America and go to other countries to preach, but most of the Christians I know will be called to central Alabama. Even so, you and I are just as called as those missionaries who travel to collect funds and learn a new language and culture. c. Why? Because God is not willing that any should perish! He wants everyone to come to repentance \#2Pe 3:9\. C. The first revelation was about who Jesus was. The second revelation was about what Jesus came to do, Jesus must die. 1. Notice the change that Mark emphasized concerning this teaching. Mark 8:31 And he BEGAN to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. a. Matthew made it even clearer. Matt 16:21 From that time FORTH began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. b. From this event and forward, Jesus would emphasize His death over and over again. c. This truth had been revealed before, in the Old Testament, at Jesus birth, and by Jesus Himself; but now Jesus would begin to make this truth abundantly clear. 2. Of the new things that Jesus was doing, this is the hardest for some to accept. a. I try to understand the mindset of the lost. b. Some hate the news of Jesus death, especially when you tell them it was for them. c. I have wondered why? The news that I find so glorious they hate! The Bible does not say and few of them can or will put it into words, but I have a thought. d. I think they hate Jesus death because such a cruel death means their sins must be exceedingly wicked. (1) Most cannot fathom that they are bad enough to need God to die such a cruel death for them! (2) Rather than accept that, they would rather assume God as a cruel and unjust God. e. To them, I would first say, "Remember, Jesus death was cruelin partbecause our hell is going to be cruel. (1) But again, the fact that hell is cruel offends them. (2) It again reminds them that they are far more wicked than they are willing to accept or else that God is unjust. f. I will state plainly, God is not unjust so we must be far more wicked than many are willing to accept. g. They might ask, "What evil have we done?" Let consider what God has done. (1) He created us from nothingness. (2) He granted to us a soul, with conscientiousness and free will. (3) He granted to us intellect, reason, skills, abilities, and emotions like Himself. (4) He made us mobile, capable, able to love and reproduce. (5) In this age, God has granted to us comforts and luxuries like no generation before us. (6) And for all of that, we have denied Him, cursed Him, shunned Him, and violated every element of His holy character. (7) You can argue with the wind all of your 60 to 80 years of life, but Gods justice would not let Him exact a penalty greater than what was due and God has said if we die separated from God we will spend eternity separated from Him and all of His gifts and comforts. (8) That is what hell is and it is just. III. Jesus emphasized a new commitment. That was different. Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. A. Once we know who Jesus is (the Christ) and what He has done for us (died to pay for our sins), we should understand that a new level of commitment is required. 1. Jesus is not just another man. Christianity is not just another club. The ministry is not just another adventure. 2. To too many, the call of Christ is but an addition to their already too busy schedule; but Christ demands you clear your schedule for Him. 3. Christ demands our trust, our obedience, our love, and our life. 4. If you figure on giving Jesus any less than those four then your calculator is broke. B. Christians may not be called to serve God in the same manner, but all are called to serve Him to the same degree. IV. Jesus warned of new and stronger attacks. That was different. Mark 8:33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men. A. Jesus knew about the devil and had had conflicts before. 1. Satan first rebelled against God when he was an angel in heaven. 2. God cast him out of heaven. B. Since Jesus incarnation, Jesus had done battle with Satan. 1. Remember at the beginning of Jesus ministry, Jesus had fasted 40 days and nights and then Satan came to tempt Jesus. 2. At the end of that round of temptations, the Scripture said that Satan left Jesus "for a season," but he came back! 3. Jesus had seen Satan attacking Him through the scribes and Pharisees. It would appear that Satan either influenced or directly possessed them. 4. And Jesus had dealt with the devil in many of the people He had met. C. But now, the devil was either influencing or possessing Peter! 1. Satan has switched from attacking Christ from without to attacking Christ from within! 2. Peter was a likely choice. a. Peter was impetuous, speaking first and thinking later. b. Peter was a natural leader and had influence over the other 11. c. Peter was close to Jesus, being the one who often spoke what the others were thinking. 3. However, Peter had something that the devil did not count on. a. Peter had a genuine love for Jesus. b. In fact, the door that gave Satan entrance into Peter on this occasion was Peters love and devotion to Jesus. c. In the end, that love would be too much for the devil to overcome to accomplish his purposes. d. He will have to look elsewhere. e. Of course he did and he found Judas more to his liking. D. Can I point out that the more you see who Jesus is, what Jesus has done, and what your response should be, the more Satan is going to come after you. 1. He will come through your enemies and your friends. 2. He will try blessing you to turn you away and he will try cursing you to turn you away. 3. He will tempt you both with treasures and despair. 4. Get ready and stay faithful!