1. Hills and Valleys of Life
Mark 8:27-33

2. Mark 8:27-30
27 Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, "Who do men say that I am?" 28 So they answered, "John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets." 29 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered and said to Him, "You are the Christ." 30 Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.

3. Mark 8:31-33
31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke this word openly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

4. Hill and Valley Peter is on the hill
He confesses the Jesus is the Christ
He did something right
Then comes the valley
He is called “Satan”
Jesus rebukes him

5. Syrian Thinking 1 Kings 20 Great slaughter – v. 21 Second army – v. 25
127,000 killed in one day
Plan for second attempt
What went so wrong?

6. Syrian Thinking
1 Kings 20:23 Then the servants of the king of Syria said to him, "Their gods are gods of the hills. Therefore they were stronger than we; but if we fight against them in the plain, surely we will be stronger than they.

7. Elijah – Mt. Carmel 1 Kings 18-19 On Mt. Carmel
Baal – God of lightning
Prayed all day – no fire from heaven
Elijah's turn – 12 barrels of water
Prayed – fire bured offering, wood, stones, and water in trench

8. Elijah – Valley of Jezreel
1 Kings 18-19
Threatened with his life
Ran 18 miles; servant quit
He ran another 20 miles
He hid in a cave ready to die
“What are you doing here?”

9. John the Baptizer
Matthew 3:5-7 5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

10. John the Baptizer
John 1:36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"
Matthew 11:2-3 2 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples 3 and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"

11. Peter – on the mountain Transfiguration – Matthew 17:1-2
1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

12. Peter – in the valley Denied Christ – Matthew 26:74-75
74 Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I do not know the Man!" Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." So he went out and wept bitterly.

13. Job – from hill to valley
Blessed by God – Had everything
Lost it all in one day
Family
Home
Possessions
Income

14. Jesus – from hill to valley
Triumphant Entry
Palm leaves
People saying, Hosana
One week later
“Crucify Him!”

15. Us – from hill to valley Life is full of ups and downs
Jesus is always present
At the high spots of life
AND in the deepest valley
Acts 17:27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.