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A Tale of Two Crosses

 

Jesus went out with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the road he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They answered him, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, one of the prophets.” “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” And he strictly warned them to tell no one about him.
Mark 8:27–30
 

Then he began to teach them that it was necessary for the Son of Man to suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and rise after three days. He spoke openly about this…
Mark 8:31–32
 

“God, within Himself, has had all the love, all the blessing, all the fulfillment, all the joy He could possibly want. Why did He create us when He doesn’t need us a bit? Why is He redeeming us at great cost, even though He doesn’t need us a bit? He’s doing it because He loves us. He wants our joy more than He wants His own. He doesn’t need us, but He loves us. That’s perfect love. That’s unconditional love. That’s absolutely, radically vulnerable love.”

 

…Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
Mark 8:32
 

But turning around and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! You are not thinking about God’s concerns but human concerns.”
Mark 8:33
 

You are not thinking about God’s concerns but human concerns.

 

So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Colossians 3:1
 

Calling the crowd along with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it. For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his life? What can anyone give in exchange for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Mark 8:34–38
 

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will
save it.

 

For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his life? What can anyone give in
exchange for his life?

 

For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful. generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

 

Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
Matthew 10:34–35
 

“You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you, don’t resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
Matthew 5:38–39
 

“Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.
Matthew 7:13–14
 

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6
 

He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. Also, if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”
Mark 10:11–12
 

If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.

 

We’re heading to Cancún, Mexico to spend a week with our partners at Back2Back Ministries. If you’re excited about the idea of hanging out with kiddos while serving and encouraging the staff there, we’d love for you to sign up and join the team! If you’re looking for more info before signing up, you can email [email protected].

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