Waking up to the war

31 And 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.”

Mk 8:31-33

Are you asleep tonight?

Asleep to what? What does this video mean? Children in chains? A hero coming and calling out to us to wake up, to fight a war. A hero who suffers to wake us up and set us free. Are you awake?

And how does this video relate to this text? Is there sleeping in this text? Is there someone who needs to be awakened and fight a war?

Yes. This text is about war. This text is about Jesus fighting the war that He is here to fight, and Peter missing it.

What is the war?

I want you to see how this text in Mark speaks of a war, and calls us to wake up to it. But let me explain something first, follow me while I give you a lot of info before we get into this text.

There is a war. The Bible speaks of a war that is going on all the time. That is why we are called soldiers as Christians.

Listen, Christian, you are called a soldier, do you realize that? Your goal is fighting, and fighting well. Too often we spend too much time talking about how others like or don’t like us, how others are serving us poorly, all kinds of silly things. Our goal is war.

Twice in the bible Paul calls other believers “fellow soldiers” (Phil 2:25, philem 2)

Paul says to Timothy-

3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 2 Ti 2:3-4

We are soldiers. Why are we soldiers?

Soldiers are not needed in a time of peace, are they? You do not enlist soldiers for any reason but one- war.

And we are told we have an enemy. The bible speaks of an enemy, not an enemy of flesh and blood, but one that is unseen, but influencing the world around us, that in fact is called the “prince of the power of the air.” (eph 2:2) We need to realize there is an enemy that is wicked, and evil, and like a roaring lion, and we are to be taking up weapons against him.

This is the war I speak of, the war between God and the enemy.

The war is the enemy and his world system fighting to keep God from being loved, honored, and obeyed in you and those around you.

It is shocking to see how some believers live as if there is no enemy at all to be concerned about. The truth is, there is an enemy, and he is out to destroy you.

Jesus Christ came to destroy the works of the devil. That is what he was doing on earth, so says 1 john 3. He came to destroy the works of satan. You see, satan has been at work in the world to cause human beings to disbelieve God- to take their trust away from God, and place their trust instead in him, or in themselves. This would lead to the world being under the curse of death as a result of God’s wrath. Christ came to fight this war, to destroy the enemy, and he dealt the enemy a death blow at the Cross. The enemy was fatally wounded, and that is his condition now. But he is not yet dead. In the last gasps of breath he has before he dies he is still a powerful enemy against unaware Christians, and he is even more to those who are unbelievers, he is their father. Their slave owner. And we are here to continue the war that Christ started when he came to earth and lived and died and rose again.

Are you awake and involved in this war?

How much of your time do you spend on this war?

I will tell you now, you may not be awake, but you are involved. Your life is counting for one side of this battle, or the other. The enemy is working to dishonor God, and to kill those we love and bind them to hell forever, and you might be helping his cause. Are you awake?

Four things the enemy does not want you to know about the war

Let me share with you four things the enemy does not want you to know about this war.

And the first thing I want you to know, and the enemy doesn’t, is how you fight. And it relates to your heart, and all we have been talking about, concerning how your heart works. We have said that hearts do three things- they seek something of value, they give anything they can to get the thing of value that they see, and then they praise or make known the value of what they found. This, when done in relation to God, is what your heart is designed to do. It is also how you fight…

1- The way we fight the war is to live in such a way that we show off the value of Jesus Christ.

The first thing the enemy doesn’t want you to know how to do is how to fight. He wants you to get confused. He wants you to think that you fight by hating people. By just trying to follow rules. He has done this for years. Ever hear of the crusades? We are easily swayed into thinking that we can fight this war some other way then by showing the worth of Christ. But that is what we are called to do- you fight by showing off the worth of Christ. There is a word for this in the bible- it’s called be a “light.” We are to go into the world and show off the worth of Jesus to the world. That is light.

So how do we do that?

A- How do we show His worth? The way God has chosen to show off his worth is in the suffering of His children in His Name, for the world.

How do we do this? More about what this really looks like in real life in a bit, but for now, just understand that the means that God has chosen to fight this war, for us, is to suffer. The way we bring Christ to the world is to suffer in Christ’s name for the world.

How does suffering show Christ’s worth?

First of all, this should be easy to see. The things we suffer for are the things we love. Think about it- what have you suffered for? The best example I have of this is playing hockey when I was younger. We would play brutal games of hockey, and get tired and beat up and love every second of it. Suffering in that fashion was joyful, it was showing the worth of something- to me, hockey. Well, maybe more it was winning. But in any case, you see my point- we do suffer for what we treasure, and we do it with joy, and it shows the worth of that thing to us. So when we suffer for Christ, we display His worth.

There’s something more to it, too. Let me explain.

Paul says something really weird in Colossians. He says this-

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, Col 1:24

That sounds almost like blasphemy. What is lacking in Christ’s afflictions? And how does Paul think he can fix that? Well, it certainly isn’t that Christ’s sufferings lacked in that they were not enough. They were enough. So how do they lack?

The answer is found in Philippians, when Paul says the same thing about “completing what is lacking” in another context. He is talking about Epaphroditus, this guy who was bringing a gift from the Philippians to Paul. And Paul says that when he arrived, he completed what was lacking in the Philippians service to Paul. He says this-

25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, 26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, 30 for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.Php 2:25-30

What was lacking about the Philippians gift to Paul before Epaphroditus took it? Yes, only the presentation of it. He completed it by presenting it.

That is exactly how Paul was filling up what was lacking in Christ’s suffering. He was showing it to the world. The world has not seen the worth of Christ that you have seen, in that you know that Christ suffered for you. They don’t know it, they need to see it, and they will see it as WE suffer for them in His Name, they will see it in our persecutions and sacrifices. Understand, Christian, life on this earth will be suffering. It is the means by which God has chosen to show His worth. When others see us suffer for Christ, they will think “what is this Jesus that makes Him so beautiful to them, that they are willing to suffer for him?” And when we suffer for others, they will think “what drives this person to love like this?”

But why will our suffering for Christ bring war?

B- This will bring war because the enemy and his world system will always war against that which shows the worth of Christ.

While some will see our suffering and in that see the worth of Christ, most will see us showing off Christ and hate it. When we display Christ’s worth to the world, when we show He is more valuable to us than anything else, the world hates this.

Think- does the world hate this in you?

Remember I said that we are called to be lights?

20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. Jn 3:20

The world hates light because the world wants to forget about God, they don’t want to see His worth, they want you to join them in showing off the worth of the world.

Our tendency is to want to do this another way. Why suffer? Cant we do it some other way? No, it must be this way- we will have to show how much Christ is worth to us through our suffering. This must be because if we ever show off Christ’s worth- which is what we long to do, we will face persecution. Just imagine you fall in love with someone who everyone around you hates. Now, you have two choices- you can keep quiet about them, and never talk about them or show that you love them- which really wouldn’t be love, would it? Or you can express your joy in them and suffer for it. And then imagine you get together with them and they ask “why do you do this? It brings you such pain to talk about me and tell others you love me.” And you say, “but that even makes it more beautiful to do for you.” You see?

So, as long as we long to show off Christ, we will suffer, because the world will come against that, and try and keep it quiet.

But this works for our good- because as they try and keep us quiet about it, and we refuse, we will suffer more, and will be given by their refusal even more of a chance to show them Christ’s worth! This is just like the cross! Our refusal to honor Him gives him the chance to show off His worth even more!

Now, ask yourself- Is the enemy keeping you quiet? Are you showing off the worth of Christ?

2- The enemy wants you out of the war, and He will do that by leading you to set your minds on the things of men, and keep them off of the things of God.

This is what is happening in our text today. Peter is being pushed out of the war, and is even trying to push Jesus out of the war, by having his mind set on the things of men, and not the things of God.

What does that mean? One commentary suggests that this could be translated as ‘you are not concerned with what God wants but with what men want’ or ‘you are not thinking as God thinks, but as men think.’^[1]

This is helpful. Let me explain.

Peter here has just heard Jesus say that he will suffer at the hands of the leaders of the day, the very leaders he was challenging. And he says that they will kill him.

31 And 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. Mk 8:31

This death of suffering seemed, at best, well, undignified. Why would Jesus say this about himself? Surely he would never let such a dishonoring thing happen to himself, certainly he would not allow himself to suffer at the hands of men. God would never chose to forward his purposes through the suffering of the son, right?

32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. Mk 8:32

This is man’s way of thinking. Even worse, it is satan inspired thinking. From the beginning the enemy was trying to get Jesus to give up his plan to suffer to save the world. That is not wise from our perspective, we want to avoid suffering at all costs. So the enemy says to Jesus from the beginning- “don’t suffer. Just use your power and do it differently. Just worship me and avoid the pain. Avoid the humiliation.”

This humiliation, this is what Peter wants to avoid. He would be ashamed to suffer like that, he does not want Christ to suffer like that.

And Jesus rebukes Peter harshly, and then he explains-

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 he called to him the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 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 life? 37 For what can a man give in return for his life? 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.”

Mk 8:33-38

Thinking the way God thinks leads us away from wanting to just make friends with the world, but instead leads us to want to suffer to show off the worth of Christ. It leads us to do what would lead us to be mocked by the world, and humiliated.

Would you be willing, right now, to be humiliated in order to show Christ’s worth? The enemy wants to inspire you to think “no way”, but God’s way of thinking says “yes, that is the perfect way to show it.”

Man thinks this- “do nothing to lose the applause of the world. Do nothing to lose it’s friendship. Seek to be served, seek to be exalted.”

God thinks this- “cut yourself off from this world, and it’s friendship. Die to it. Live as a stranger here. Serve them, suffer for them, and show them how beautiful Jesus is.”

Will we seek to preserve our comfort and life, or will we spend ourselves for Christ?

The enemy would love to make you say “forget all this, let’s just relax and enjoy the world.” Or,
“let’s somehow find a way to show off Christ’s worth that will not cost us anything at all. Do I really have to do something difficult?”

Do you think that way? Do you seek to find a way to follow Christ without having to really suffer? Do you feel ashamed of Christ? Or do you embrace that shame, and wear it with honor?

3- You will not fight to show off the worth of Christ unless you see the worth of Christ.

How can you think that way? How can you change and want to suffer to show the worth of Christ?

The cool thing is you will want to do what is difficult to show off the worth of Christ if you really see the worth of Christ. It comes back to that heart change we have been talking about, it comes back to those three things that hearts do.

True love always lays down it’s life for the object of it’s love.

You need to understand that fighting this war without loving Christ most is not what is wanted today. Do you know what a mercenary is? It is a soldier who fights the war not because they believe in the cause of the war, but because they are hired to do it. They have no heart in it, they have no real desire to see one side win, they only want to be paid. Some of you may be like that, you are in this war, knowing you are supposed to be showing off Christ’s worth, but man, it’s hard to do because you don’t see His worth. You do it though because you want something from God. Or because you feel it the right thing to do. This will not work.
You must see the beauty and worth of Jesus Christ if you are going to join the war to fight back all the forces that seek to dishonor Him, and if you are going to live a life that shows His value to the world.

And now, what will I tell you you should do if you want to see His worth? Yes, you should know this by now. I will tell you to run to the Cross of Jesus Christ, and upon that Cross look to the one who suffered so shamefully for you. Look at Him there, dishonored, rejected by men, twisting on the cross in agony, cut off from the Father, bearing shame and sin, think of Him there in all his loneliness. How lonely the cross was, it is the most lonely place in the universe. There are none with him, none for him. He is alone, forsaken. He is forsaken for us, He is cut off for us. Go to the cross and see the Jesus who loved you while you hated Him, see the love that forgives those who persecute Him, see the Jesus who longs to bring you underserved mercy. See the Jesus who longs to remove all anger, so that you might be comforted.

Unless you see Him there, in all His beauty, dying in your place, unless you see that He is the truest desire of your heart, you will not live a life that shows his worth no matter how hard you try.

The enemy wants you to try and live a life displaying his worth but never really believing in it, because you will be a hypocrite, and you will drive many away. The enemy wants you to be frustrated, and follow rules, and try and act the part, but never really see Jesus.

4- you will always be missing the war unless you train your mind to see it.

Even when we see His worth, we will need to train ourselves to be fighting this war. It is just too easy to miss where the war is being fought, because it is unseen.

So let’s ask- what does it look like to show off the worth of Christ? Because that is what fighting is, right? So how can we do it, how can we see chances for it? What does this mean in real life?

What does the enemy want you to avoid doing?

What can we be looking for in order to see the war, and fight?

1- If you see people in need, serve them.

Friends, look for the needs around you. You can look for the needs around you, and then sacrifice of yourself to go and help. For instance, when was the last time you talked to someone at Impact that you didn’t know that well? Do you know how often you simply go to the person you want attention from and talk to them? Have you ever thought of how you can show off Christ by sacrificing what you want and helping someone else?
Or what about those in your life who are lonely? Or oppressed? Where is there injustice in your life? People being picked on? Prejudice? How can you step in and help? Let your heart break for those who are in need, and then go and help them. The problem is your mind is so trained to only be concerned for yourself, and so you miss the war. You could show Christ’s love by showing mercy to those in need around you. Do you want Him to be seen?

The amazing thing about our God is that he has called us to show Him to the world, and to fight this war, not by hating and harming, but by loving and serving. The way to fight the enemy and to win the battle is not to argue with every non Christian you see, but to love them enough to suffer with them, and then to share with them the hope that you have.

2- Do not be entertained by what Christ died to set you free from.

Christ died to set you free from lust, and profanity, and all sort of evil. Do you have places in your life where movies and songs and shows use such things to entertain, and you are entertained by them? How can you be entertained by the things Christ died for? How does that show His worth? It does not, it dishonors Him. When the world sees you avoid evil, you will suffer for it, but you will be able to tell them why.

But for many of you the world has trained you to think wrongly. You just accept evil, you think it’s ok to be close to it. You think it’s not a problem to love what the world loves. You need to repent of this, and use this as a chance to show Him off! Are you repelled by the things that dishonor God?

3- Fight sin with all your might.

You do not show Christ’s worth when you chose sin over Him. Remember, we sin when we believe that the pleasure of the sin is greater than the reward of obedience. And the reward of obedience is Christ! So when we obey we are saying “ I believe Christ is worth more than that pleasure, I believe He is more pleasurable. I believe He is more satisfying.” And in that we show His worth.

4- Seek after Him with all your might.

Remember, our hearts give up everything to get what we treasure most. Do your hearts do that? Does the world see you desperate to get to know God more? Does the majority of your time look like time that is spent seeking Him and His glory, or your own? Listen, just ask this question of what you are doing- “How does this show off the how much God is worth to me?” If you can not answer that about what you do, why are you doing it? Seek help to find a way to make it honor Him! But first, ask why you have done it. What has been the motive?

The way we fight the war is to live in such a way that we show off the value of Jesus Christ and His gospel.

Do you see it? You need to look at the chains the enemy is binding you with, and then turn and see Jesus, laying, bleeding, dying for you, and fall in love with Him, and grab the chains and pull them off, and fight! Are you willing to fight for His worth?

Are you ok living in a world that mocks Him? Will you join them, and mock Him as well, being entertained by what he died for, by showing off the worth of the same things that they live for?

Are you willing to lay down your life and fight for the cause of Jesus Christ?

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^[1]Bratcher, R. G., & Nida, E. A. (1993], c1961). A handbook on the Gospel of Mark. Originally published: A translator's handbook on the Gospel of Mark, 1961. UBS handbook series; Helps for translators (265). New York: United Bible Societies.