Dear Hope family,

Thought for the Week

Mark: Jesus who suffered
Mark 8v31 “The Son of Man must suffer many things … he must be killed and after three days rise again.”

Last week we looked at Jesus’ authority as King in Matthew’s gospel. Today, Mark’s gospel has the verse above right at its heart. A couple of verses before, Peter had said to Jesus, “You are the Christ.” The expectation of the disciples was for the kingship and authority of Jesus along the lines of Matthew’s emphasis. And so, Peter insisted that Jesus must be mistaken about having to suffer and die: Jesus had to correct them.

It is not that Jesus wanted to suffer, but he recognised that it the way things “must” be. The very purpose for which Jesus had come was to suffer. It was not to gain crowds, it was not to be popular or well thought of. His purpose was to suffer and die. This was a hard teaching for his disciples at the time, and it is hard for his disciples today to have a full appreciation of this. We need to meditate on this truth, and allow our hearts and minds to absorb it. Not just as a fact, but as a rock on which we stand: Jesus “must suffer many things”.

A full appreciation is life-changing. How can my heart not be grateful that the King of Kings came to earth to die for me. Why “must” it be this way? Because God so loved me. My sin, my tendency to do wrong in thought, word and deed, was separating me from God, my heavenly Father. He wanted to bring me back into his family. And so Jesus took my sin on his shoulders, he took the guilt, judgment and punishment that I deserved. How good is my God! Are you ready to receive more of this forgiveness and freedom today?

With love and blessing,

Roland