Jesus: Who is this who can call me to right living?
Mark 8:27-33
27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”
29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”
30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
31 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. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
33 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.”
Here in this passage, Mark presents a paradox, focused on Peter, but true about me and probably you. Peter in one moment is so insightful to see that Jesus is the Messiah, and in the next passage he is being rebuked by Jesus.
There are things that I get right when I follow Jesus.
But with the best of intentions, there are still things that I get wrong. I make bad decisions, I stand for justice when I should have been loving, or I am gentle when I should have been firm.
Too often, I read the bible in a way that is “for me” when I need to also make sure I am listening to its rebuke and its call. I need to also read the bible as being “against me” as Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote.
Lord, I pray that You would give me ears to hear when I need to repent. Thank You that you love me enough to desire my best life through ongoing correction.
Written by Ps Justin Ware