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.”
Mark 8:33
We have all done it at one time or another. We have sung songs declaring our total surrender to Jesus Christ. Perhaps it was, “I surrender all…” or “Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord to thee…” or “The Cross has the final word….” But did we really mean it? Was it all about total surrender or was it the catchy tune and the atmosphere of believers worshipping together that merely gripped us for a moment? Total surrender means complete acceptance of everything that comes with believing in Jesus.
When Jesus was going about his earthly ministry, it seemed as though the disciples were willing to surrender to him. They were willing to leave everything, including their fishing boats and families to be with Jesus. But then in Mark 8: 31, Jesus reveals that he is about to undergo, great suffering, rejection, and death…. At this point, Peter will have none of it. Peter seems to say, “I am cool with teaching, healing, and all kinds of miracles but I am not cool with suffering, rejection and dying (32b).” To this Jesus responds, “Get behind me, Satan… (vs. 33).” Imagine hearing that from your pastor in this day and age!
It can be tempting to judge Peter, but are we not like him? How often do we embrace the notion of a triumphant Savior, and yet reject the idea of a suffering King, because it suggests that we too are chosen to suffer, be rejected, and killed? Jesus makes it clear, that being a true disciple is not about belonging to a group or wearing symbols of the faith on our wrists, necks or ears. Being a disciple means:
• Denying self by putting away all those things that separate us from God and from each other. It means being willing to put God and others first.
• Taking up the Cross: The cross is a symbol of death and of victory through Jesus Christ. We must be willing to die to every form of lust, so that we can be raised victorious through Jesus Christ.
• Following Jesus: This is not an invitation to join a queue. It is an intimate and personal invitation to live as Jesus lived, suffer like he suffered and be willing to die like he died. Losing our lives in this way is the only way to assure life everlasting (vs 35).
During Lent, the Holy Spirit invites us to explore whether we are following Jesus, or whether we are following a fad. If Jesus were to speak to you today, would he say, “Well done!” or would he say, “Get behind me, Satan!”?
Dear Lord, teach me to live a life that is completely surrendered to you. Give me the strength, to relinquish control in every sphere of my life. AMEN!