Encounter Jesus – Mark Week 7

Jesus the Christ

Mark 8: 28 – 9: 8

HANDOUT

Mark Week 7 – The Christ Handout

AUDIO

Lesson Notes

We come to the climax of the first half of Mark, “Who Is This Man?”, demonstrated in two crucial events – Peter’s Confession and the Transfiguration of Jesus. But first, a story that symbolizes the disciples’ journey to understanding who Jesus is:

  • Read Mark 8: 22-26 – Giving sight to a blind man in stages
  • Sees Nothing -> Sees some stuff -> Sees everything clearly
  • Read Mark 8: 14-21 – The disciples see nothing!

Peter’s Confession – Read Mark 8: 27-30

  • Verse 27 – “Who do people say I am?” What do all those massive crowds think?
  • John the Baptist, Elijah, some Old Testament prophet – High esteem, but utterly the wrong category (far too limited)!
  • Verse 29 – “Who do YOU say I am?”
    • This is the climax of the whole first half of Mark. Everything built to it. Now that they have seen all they have, what have they figured out?
    • This is also the question every person must answer for themselves
    • Peter – “You are the Christ”
      • Christ = Messiah = Anointed One
      • God marked a man as priest or king by having holy oil poured on his head. Literally by a priest or prophet, but ultimately it is by God’s blessing and Spirit
      • The Christ had been prophesied for centuries – one like David, but eternal. One to restore Israel, etc.
      • Old Testament was also clear the Christ would be far more than a king of Israel, but Israelites didn’t want to hear that and neither did the disciples.
    • Peter and the disciples finally get it! First human to call him Christ.
    • But they don’t get it all – like the blind man, they can now see shapes, but unclearly. Don’t understand the kind of messiah He was.

Jesus Foretells His Death – Read Mark 8: 31-33

  • Now that the disciples understand, Jesus can begin teaching the hard stuff – what will happen to Him, what will happen to them
  • This progressive unfolding is why Jesus made such a big deal about keeping earlier stuff a secret – He needed to get people to the place where they could handle the teaching
  • That doesn’t go any better than his previous teaching
  • They can’t handle this talk of suffering, death, and resurrection – 3 times in Mark He will predict His death, they will fail, and He will teach on the nature of discipleship.
  • Verse 31 – Jesus speaks very clearly about these things
    • The crucifixion was NEVER a surprise to Jesus. He knows exactly what He is walking toward and chooses to go anyway. For us!
  • Verse 32 – Peter rebukes Jesus. Same word used to describe  how Jesus talked to demons.
  • Verse 33 – Jesus rebukes Peter – again, same word as for demons
    • “Get behind me, Satan!”
    • Peter – only considering things from human perspective where suffering and death = defeat
    • Such a failure he is described as the ultimate enemy and tempter of mankind!
    • Needs to see from God’s perspective – death and resurrection = triumph over sin, death, and Satan
    • Jesus sacrifice was key to God’s plan to restore sinful mankind to Him
    • Too often we look at suffering, defeat, and death through human eyes – even though we are eternal creatures and have heard the gospel many times.
    • We need faith and wisdom to see from God’s perspective even when that is really, really hard because it involves someone we love

Nature of Discipleship – Read Mark 8: 34-38

  • Addresses this issue of seeing the world from a human perspective vs. eternal
  • Addresses BIG PICTURE THEME of DISCIPLESHIP
  • As disciples we need an entirely different perspective
    • Self-Denial = God is our center, not us
    • Cross = Suffering, Humiliation, Sacrifice – up to and including our life
    • Our soul and eternity are vastly more important than the matters of the world

Clear Sight at Last – Jesus, the Son of God – Read Mark 9: 1-8

  • Remember Mark 1:1 – “the Christ, the Son of God” – Disciples got the Christ part
  • Remember the two stage restoration of the blind man – disciples could now see broad outline of Jesus
  • Now, total clarity – Jesus is revealed as He was for all eternity – the 2nd person of the Trinity
  • Verse 1 – Some will see Kingdom of Heaven in power – I believe that’s the transfiguration
  • Verses 2-4 – Six days – recalls Exodus 24: 15 – the 6 days of God’s presence on Mt. Sinai before His voice speaks
    • This is a glimpse of the triumphant Jesus upon His return
    • Radiant – the way Moses was after being in the presence of God, but here Jesus radiates, because He is God
    • Elijah and Moses show up – the two great prophets of the Bible
    • Law & Prophets, both men came to a miraculous end
  • Verses 5-6 – Peter has to prattle on while terrified in the presence of God
  • Verse 7 – the cloud – always associated with the presence of God
    • “This is my beloved Son, listen to  him” – harkens back to the baptism (mark 1: 11)
    • “Listen to him” – Deuteronomy 18: 15 – listen to the prophet like Moses
  • “Who is this Man?” “Who do  YOU say He is?”
    • That’s the question each of us must answer for ourselves
    • The Son of God, the Christ, the Messiah, the Holy One of God, the Master of Nature, the Lord of the Sabbath, the New Exodus, God in the Flesh

Next week: Mark 11: 1-26 (Triumphal Entry, Cursing the Fig Tree, Cleansing the Temple)