Mark 8:31-34, ‘Are You a Disciple?’(Rev. Myung Suh)

Mark 8:31-34, ‘Are You a Disciple?’((Rev. Myung Suh)

Mark 8:31-34,
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."
34.Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

Discernment Between Truth and Falsehood
 Just as there are luxury goods and counterfeits in the world, truth and falsehood exist in the spiritual realm. Just as the idols of Egypt and Dagon of the Philistines crumbled before God's plagues, the only true God is Jehovah. Today, we must ask ourselves: ‘Am I a true disciple who pleases the Lord, or a counterfeit believer in name only?’

Human Things vs. God's Things
When Jesus first foretold His suffering, death, and resurrection, Peter rebuked the Lord and tried to stop Him. Although Peter’s confession was great, his heart remained focused on ‘human things’—political glory through a Messiah and personal gain. We must be wary that if we prioritize our own comfort and instincts over God's will, we can become tools of Satan at any time.   
 
The Core of Discipleship: Deny Yourself and Take Up Your Cross   
The Lord commands three things for the path of a true disciple: 

Deny Yourself: This means changing your values from a self-centered life to a God-centered life. It is a life of crucifying human lusts and desires and living by relying on the Holy Spirit.   
 
Take Up Your Cross: This is a life of sacrifice for Christ and the Gospel, rather than seeking one's own benefit. Taking up the cross means willingly fulfilling the mission given to each individual.    

Follow to the End: Denying oneself and taking up the cross must begin "right now" (Aorist  Imperative) and must continue in obedience until the day we stand before the Lord (Present Imperative).   
 
The Paradox and Victory of the Cross
 Those who lose their lives for the sake of the Lord and the Gospel will instead gain life. Without the cross, there is neither life nor a crown. A true disciple's life is one that discards the ‘old self’ in the field of daily life and fulfills the perfect will of God.   

Prayer/
 In the New Year, we must continue the race of faith. I hope we become true disciples who cast off heavy sins, look only to Jesus, and follow the Lord to the end while carrying the cross given to us. Amen.