READING: MARK 8:22 - 9:1

They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spat on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, ‘Do you see anything?’

He looked up and said, ‘I see people; they look like trees walking around.’

Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, ‘Don’t even go into the village.’

Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, ‘Who do people say I am?’

They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’

‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’

Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah.’

Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. ‘Get behind me, Satan!’ he said. ‘You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.’

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.’

And he said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.’

REFLECTION

A friend of mine from University grew up on the Isle of Man.  He shared this story with me once.

He knew a Christian lady who liked to bless people with cakes.  If she heard they were having a hard time, they could well return home to find a cake on the doorstep. She was well known for leaving cakes on the doorsteps of people and had this uncanny knack of leaving them at the right time. She claimed she wasn’t a great preacher or good evangelist but she could bake – so that’s what she did.

Her daughter, a student at the time, was tragically killed in a car accident on the mainland. The cakes stopped.  The community mourned such loss to such loving caring family.

Months passed – and then a local family going through a tough patch returned one day to find a cake on the doorstep.

This time the impact of that cake was phenomenal.

A grieving mother was looking to bless other people.  It made the most incredible impact on peoples’ lives.

A simple cake, given with great love.

Today’s passage uncovers kingdom truth.  The true life of a disciple is to follow Jesus – take up your cross and follow him.

Often interpretation of this passage is extolled by people who have given up jobs – perhaps moving to other countries to be overseas missionaries or even church workers.  This can mean you can be left thinking all paid Christian work is done by those who have taken up their cross and if you have a normal regular job, you’re not a proper disciple.  Which of course isn’t true!

Taking up your cross means that you surrender your right to dictate the course and direction of your life.

The lady on the Isle of Man used what God had given her:  Baking.  In the midst of her own grief and loss – she laid aside her own life, following the example of Jesus served other people.  Her cakes became legendary across that small community – people came to know she was praying for them.  She was witnessing to God’s goodness in her life.

You can be a platform Christian conference speaker and be doing it for yourself.  Your job does not define the quality of your discipleship.

Let me leave you with this challenge today:

The Evangelist J John says imagine your life is a car.  So, let me ask you - where is Jesus in the car of your life?

Is Jesus Christ in your car?  He says I know many people who have him in the car.  But the question is – where is he in the car?  Is he in the boot?  Do we drive our car to church, unlock the boot and get Jesus out for religious happy hour?  And then get him back in quick?  Oh no, you say – he’s in the driving seat of the car of my life?  Really?  Are you sure? When Jesus takes a left down the road of generosity and you sit in the back seat and grumble?   Or when Jesus takes a right down the road of forgiveness.  You get sulky and I don’t want to go down Forgiveness Road.  The problem with most of us that Jesus is in the driving seat but we’re often back seat drivers.  The challenge is to sit back and let Jesus drive.  If we do that then we’ll find as he drives our life, our life will change - become have fruit:  Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness and Self Control.  If we don’t have that in our lives, then perhaps we’re still back seat driving.

Today ask this question if my life is car – where is Jesus?  Then ask yourself – Is he in the driving seat?  Are you going to let him drive you where he likes?

PRAYER

Lord, help us this day not to be backseat drivers.  To release control to you!

Amen

Want to get this podcast regularly? See http://stthomascrookes.org/podcast/