Jesus in Mark Mark 8:27-38 :You Can Follow Me Context healing of a blind man vv22-26 . where Jesus brought vision to a blind man in a 2 stage process. At the First touch the blind man’s eyes & vision was partially restored; the man saw people as trees. A 2nd touch from Jesus and the blind man could see clearly.  

Jesus’s Miracles helped to open the disciples spiritual eyes to a deeper understanding of who Jesus really was . 1 Peter’s Declaration about Jesus’s identity 2 Jesus’s Foretelling of His Death and Resurrection 3 Jesus’s outline of the requirements of being his follower.

People’s Ideas The Messiah The Jews had their own ideas about the expected Messiah . In their minds the Messiah would herald in a new age of peace and freedom from Roman Rule. It’s no wonder then that Jesus had to re-educate/redefine for his disciples the true meaning of Messiahship. In the people’s minds there was no room for a cross and certainly little room for a suffering love

V27-30 Peter’s Declaration about Jesus this passage which is often considered to be the watershed moment in Mark’s gospel Jesus wanted to know who the disciples thought He was . revelation of Jesus’s Identity from Peter .’ You are the Christ , The Messiah . Confession of Jesus as the Christ /Messiah /the Anointed one is key/fundamental in developing a personal relationship that transforms a person into a Christian

But what about you?’ This question still lingers today and is directed at everyone of us

V31-33 Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 3 Jesus made His mission a subject of systematic teaching.

That Jesus was on a mission That Jesus was on a mission . And That mission involved suffering , rejection, death and resurrection. Jesus was setting out the divine plan for the Messiah of God . Not what the people had in their minds No wonder Peter took Jesus aside and sternly rebuked Him

God’s ways may not make sense to us. But He has the big Picture God’s ways may not make sense to us. But He has the big Picture . Peter wanted Christ to be king , but not the suffering King prophesied in Isaiah 53

VV34-35 the requirements of being his follower Jesus went on to lay out the requirements for true discipleship If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me Jesus used this same imagery to illustrate the ultimate submission required of his followers

. In the cross is represented not only a departure from self-centeredness , but also it is a statement of deep commitment to the way of the Christ. This was a counter cultural message in Jesus’s time ; I’s a counter cultural message today Like Daniel who ,though in a hostile environment, purposed in his heart to remain faithful to His God. We too are to be resolute in our pursuit of the way of Christ

We live no longer to follow our own will , but to follow the will of Christ , and in that service we find perfect freedom Prayer of St Richard of Chichester Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ For all the benefits Thou hast given me, For all the pains and insults Thou hast borne for me. O most merciful Redeemer, friend and brother, May I know Thee more clearly, Love thee more dearly, Follow thee more nearly Amen