The text is after the Bible passage and the video…

Mark 8:31-38
31 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. 32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37 Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

 

Sermon preached at St. Stephen’s Church, Goldsboro, NC
Sunday February 28
The Reverend Alan Neale
“Follow…”

(Now I want you to forgive me (before I say anything…). The story I am about to tell you is somewhat sexist and definitely dated but, here goes. At least I know my dear wife forgives me, even though she has heard this countless times… but here goes.)

A minister dearly loved his wife except, in one area, she regularly and constantly exasperated him. Sometimes she returned from a shopping expedition and, rather sheepishly, carry the bags into the Vicarage. “What’s in the big bag,” asked the minister. “Oh… well… there was this gorgeous dress just asking to be bought.” “But darling wife,” pleaded the minister, “we’ve talked about this before… we can’t afford these dresses…” “Oh, I try… I really try but the devil tempts me and I can’t resist.” “Next time,” says the minister a little too piously, “next time say… get behind me Satan”. Weeks pass without event but then, one day, she returns with a new dress feeling embarrassed. “Didn’t you tell Satan to get behind you?” asked the husband. “Yes, I did… but then he said, ‘It looks rather good from the back as well’”.

Imagine the shock and horror that Peter felt (Peter this dear, dear friend of Jesus; Peter this strong man and leader of the disciple band) – imagine the shock and horror when Jesus said to Peter (loud enough, present enough for the disciples to hear) “Get behind me Satan”.

Last week we were thinking about the name and work of Satan as the one who accuses, belittles, demeans the Christian; but this week this demonic, diabolical work is expressed in Peter.

One commentator writes that in these verses of Mark “the eternal Christ is peeping out for a moment from behind the human Jesus” and beholds the manner of his death. Centuries of art and worship has anesthetized that acute pain; but, when the NT was being written, it was a slave’s death, a sharp and fresh embarrassment.

Peter is wanting to assure Jesus that his mission will not fail in death, and certainly not death on the most cursed and damned of all instruments – a cross (In Galatians 3:13 Paul asks “Do you remember the Scripture that says, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”? That is what happened when Jesus was nailed to the cross: He became a curse…”).

Maybe a little out of self-interest but surely mostly out of love for Jesus and commitment to the mission, Peter physically, metaphorically takes Jesus by the arm to hold him back. And for this… he receives one of the unkindest cuts of all… “Get behind me, Satan.” Not advised as the way to win arguments in Vestry discussion and conversation!

Today’s Gospel begins with these words, “Jesus began to teach his disciples…”. The word Mark uses for “begin” does not only mean to commence but also to rule, to outline definitive and life-changing requirements. And note, Jesus asks this of “his disciples”; he asks these things of those who have chosen to belong to him (are somehow “his” by choice), any who think of themselves and name themselves as disciples… to them Jesus begins to teach with authority the most challenging of lessons… the call to discipleship, the call to follow Jesus.

In most translations, verse 34 speaks twice of followers but really the word only appears at the end of verse 34…

At the beginning of the verse, Jesus speaks of those somewhat inclined, from time to time, as weather permits (you get the point) to come after Jesus. Only at the end of verse 34 is the word “follow” used with all its profound meaning of being attendant upon, waiting upon, accompanying. When Mark uses this word for follow, he tells us that to follow Jesus we are to “walk the same road as Jesus, to cleave steadfastly to his pattern, to conform wholly to his example.”

If I, if you, are intent on following Jesus then that is an intention to follow him as he lived, as he loved, as he prayed and as he died – how’s it going? It is not an easy commitment but it is made possible by the power of the Holy Spirit received deeply into our lives and allowed to work in our lives.

Later in this Gospel passage Jesus speaks of those who are ashamed of him… and the word “ashamed” means to reckon that confidence and trust has been misplaced, given to the wrong person.

Friends, forgive me… only a fool or a demon could ever come to believe that their trust in Jesus was misplaced, erroneous, redundant or misdirected.

The more profound and challenging question for me is this… do I ever cause Jesus to think that His trust in me is misplaced, something of which He would be ashamed. The answer… probably yes but his grace is always larger than my failures.

“If you think your mess-up is bigger than God’s grace, that’s your second mistake” – Bob Goff.

Thank you Jesus. Amen