Mark 8:27-38 (NRSV)
Read Mark 8:27-38 on biblegateway.com
Verse 31Then 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.
Verse 32He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
Verse 33But 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."
Verse 34He 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.
Verse 35For 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.
Verse 36For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?
Verse 37Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?
Verse 38Those 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."
Devotion
Keeping with our theme of teaching, one of Jesus' favorite teaching techniques is to ask questions. In our Gospel, He asks "Who do people say that I am?" That gives him the opportunity to praise and then correct one of his students, Peter. Questions invite response, invite rethinking, and ultimately can invite us into a new and deeper relationship. By asking a question, Jesus invited Peter and the others into an adventure with Him. What a gift!
It causes me to think about how often I ask questions. To be honest, I’m more apt to be always giving the answer, telling people what to think and believe, or spelling it all out for them with a three-point sermon.
Jesus invites all of us to consider another way of communicating His good news, ask a few questions. It is about loving the other person after all.
Prayer
Loving Jesus, teach me to ask good questions of all I meet. That they would understand I don't have all the answers, but I'm on the journey with them, and maybe together, with all our questions and answers, You will speak; in Jesus' name. Amen.