Self-Denial, Submission and Shame Mark 8:31-38

1. Self-Denial, Submission and Shame Mark 8:31-38

2. 31And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man." 34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

3. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." (Mark 8:31-38; ESV)

4. This pericope follows immediately after Peter’s declaration that Jesus is the Messiah (Christ) (8:29) • Jesus understood his messianic vocation was different than the popular understanding • He was calling his disciples to follow his way

5. Jesus’ way is the way of self-denial • Jesus ‘denied’ himself • And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup from me; but not what I want, but what you want.” (Mark 14:36; cf. also Matt 26:39//Luke 22:42)

6. Jesus’ way is the way of self-denial • Peter fails to understand this • He rebukes Jesus • Jesus rebukes Peter • "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.“ (v33)

7. Jesus’ way is the way of self-denial • Jesus requires others to deny themselves (vv 34-36) • Self-denial is not self-loathing • Self-denial is setting aside one’s own ambitions and goals to follow Jesus’ way • Fitting our lives into the gospel, rather than trying to fit the gospel into our lives

8. Jesus’ way is the way of submission • Jesus continually faced a choice: • the Father’s way, or • the wrong way

9. Jesus’ way is the way of submission • Jesus calls his followers to submit • to his way of being human • to his way of being the people of God

10. Jesus’ way is the way of shame “First-century Mediterranean people were oriented from early childhood to seek honor and avoid disgrace [shame], meaning that they would be sensitive to public recognition or reproach….Honor is essentially the affirmation of one’s worth by one’s peers and society, awarded on the basis of the individual’s ability to embody the virtues and attributes that his or her society values….Dishonor [shame] represents a group’s disapproval of a member based on his or her lack of conformity with those values deemed essential for the group’s continued existence.” (deSilva, 518-519)

11. Jesus’ way is the way of shame • Jesus called his disciples to adopt a new paradigm of ‘honor and shame’ • “Honor is depicted in the NT as the result of a life of loyalty to Jesus and obedience to his teachings and example….The approval of God and God’s Messiah, typically announced at the last judgment but also affirmed in the present by early Christian authors, alone matters for the establishment of one’s honor.” (deSilva, 521)

12. Jesus’ way is the way of shame When Jesus warned against ‘being ashamed’ he challenged the disciples and the crowd to consider carefully whose approval they sought

13. Jesus’ way is the way of shame • To be ‘ashamed’ meant • to reject Jesus’ way of being Messiah • cf. Peter’s initial response to Jesus’ messianic understanding

14. Jesus’ way is the way of shame • To be ‘ashamed’ meant • to reject Jesus’ way of being the people of God • Jesus refers to his contemporaries as ‘this adulterous and sinful generation’

15. Jesus’ way is the way of shame • To be ‘ashamed’ meant • to prefer one’s own way or the popular way • trying to ‘save’ one’s life by rejecting Jesus’ way

16. Jesus’ way is the way of shame • What does this look like today? • Do we try to redefine Jesus? • Do we try to use Jesus for our own ambitions?

17. Jesus’ way is the way of shame • Lent is a good time to reflect on • our failure to deny ourselves • our failure to submit to God’s way for us • our failure to seek approval from the right person(s)

18. And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we pray: Our Father in heaven,hallowed be your Name,your kingdom come,your will be done, on earth as in heaven.

19. Give us today our daily bread.Forgive us our sinsas we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial,and deliver us from evil.

20. For the kingdom, the power,and the glory are yours,now and for ever. Amen.