Mark 8:27-38 (NLT)

²⁷ Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

²⁸ “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets.”

²⁹ Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.”

³⁰ But Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

³¹ Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead. ³² As he talked about this openly with his disciples, Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things.

³³ Jesus turned around and looked at his disciples, then reprimanded Peter. “Get away from me, Satan!” he said. “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

³⁴ Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. ³⁵ If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. ³⁶ And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? ³⁷ Is anything worth more than your soul? ³⁸ If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Aligning our lives with Jesus as the Messiah

“But who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.”

Implication #1: Embrace Jesus’ death and resurrection

[Jesus] would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead.

“The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.” And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: ⁹ If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. Romans 10:8–10 (NLT)

Implication #2: Take up our cross and follow Jesus

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.”

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. ⁶ Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 

⁷ Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, ⁸ he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. ⁹ Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5–11 (NLT)

What is your “way” that needs to be given up? Your “cross” that needs to be taken up? Where is Jesus asking you to follow him?

◾ Establishing and nurturing a relationship with God through Jesus.

God, thank you for showing yourself to me. Jesus, I turn to you, admit I need you, and ask you to enter my heart by faith. By your Spirit, restore my heart with your forgiveness; help me to hear your voice and know your love. Gather me with others to worship and serve you; to nurture our faith and shine your light in the world. Thank you for calling me your child. Amen.

For next week: Read Mark 9 and journal on the transfiguration in Mark 9:2–13. Follow the format of Observation, Reflection and Prayer as outlined on the Come With Me card and using your Mark journal. Download the Filament App for Mark as you study the passage in your time alone with God each day.

REFLECT TOGETHER ON SUNDAY’S MESSAGE

• Gather together with prayer and time of conversation, sharing, or even an ice-breaker.
• Review the main points from the sermon outline.
• Share with one another as a whole group or in smaller groups, using these prompts only as suggestions: 
• How did the message and passage teach you, renew you, or change your perspective?
• What part of the message is most deeply connected to your own life right now?

CONNECT WITH GOD (Try the below practice or choose a practice from a previous week.)

• Centering Prayer

This is a simple practice that helps you become more attentive to God’s activity in your life. In this practice we quiet our minds, cease striving and make room for God’s deep work in us. We invite the Holy Spirit to work unhindered by our distractions and efforts, giving consent to God’s healing and inspiring work in our innermost selves. We trust that God knows us better than we know ourselves and can be at work in the unconscious and unknown parts of us, bringing healing and transformation. 

• Take a moment to breathe, slow down and be attentive.
• Choose a sacred focus for your prayer time. This could be a name for God or simply “Lord, I am Yours.” Or you can choose an image to hold in your mind’s eye like Jesus’ loving look or Jesus calming the sea. Or you can focus with your breath, paying attention to your inhalations and exhalations.
• Using your sacred focus, quiet your mind. When your mind wanders, return to your sacred focus, trusting that the Holy Spirit is at work in you.
• After the allotted time, thank the Holy Spirit for working in you and ask that this work be sealed and protected.

CONNECT WITH SCRIPTURE (As a reminder: this is the Bible passage for Sunday, April 21.)

• Read together: Mark 9:2-13 and use the “Come with Me” card, along with your Mark Bible Journal to engage with the Scripture passage for the coming week. 
• Observe. 
• Meditate: Slow down. Journal. 
• Pray: What prayer of praise, gratitude, or confession arises from your heart and mind as you meditate on this passage? 
• Reflect together (in pairs): Spend time sharing your reactions and reflections of Mark 9:2-13 using this prompt as a guide.
• How are you personally responding to this passage today? 

DIG DEEPER  (Select 1-2 questions or customize the questions for your group.) 

• Who appears with Jesus at the transfiguration (v.4)?
• How do you imagine this moment felt for the disciples?
• Why do you think Jesus was transfigured at this point in his ministry?
• Why is Jesus still telling the disciples to be silent about what they’ve seen and heard?
• Why do you think the disciples and Jesus discuss Elijah’s return in verses 11-13 (v.9)?
• What is your challenge in this passage?

NEXT STEPS 

• Follow along with the “Weekly Readings” guide in the front pages of your Mark journal over the coming weeks.

PRAYER 

This spring session, we will spend time praying for our co-pastor nominating committee and our whole church in the midst of big transitions.

For the CPNC: Pray for discernment, mutual forbearance, and wisdom. Pray that the whole process be further evidence of God’s movement among us. Pray that Jesus is at the center of each conversation, each question asked and all decisions made throughout the process.

For SBPC: Pray for the Holy Spirit to infuse hope, energy, and love throughout this transitional journey. Pray for us to move as one people, becoming witnesses of God’s love in times of both clarity and uncertainty. Pray that we witness to the risen Christ as His body in the world.