The Road Less Traveled Series

Mark 8:27-33 [27] And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" [28] And they told him, "John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets." [29] And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Christ." [30] And he strictly charged them to tell no one about 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. [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. [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." (ESV)

Since the beginning of 2017, over 43,000 asylum seekers have arrived in Canada through unofficial entry points, like Roxham Road between Quebec and New York. Whether it is by covert border crossings, human smuggling, work, visitor visas, or refugee claimants, there are many ways people attempt to get into Canada. (https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/scheer-vows-to-end-illegal-border-crossings-as-part-of-immigration-plan)

When it comes to getting to God, many people believe there are also many ways to Him. The broad way is through a simple fact of good intentions. As long as we are good people, by our own definition, then God should understand and allow us to Him. The narrow way, the `Road Less Traveled` is to be a follower of Jesus, a disciple, to walk His path, His way.

Recorded in Mark 8, Jesus led his disciples some 25 miles north from Bethsaida (Ch. 8:22) to the district of Iturea distinguished by Caesarea Philippi, the residence of Herod Philip. The capital was located at the source of the Jordan River on the slopes of Mount Hermon in a region famed for its beauty and fertility. In this region, we hear both one of the most beautiful statements of who Jesus is, and a dangerous distraction from that beauty. (Lane, W. L. (1974). The Gospel of Mark. The New International Commentary on the New Testament (289). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.)

In order to follow Jesus, we must take the same road that He took. In Mark 8:27-38, we see who Jesus is and what it means to follow Him on the ``Road Less Traveled``. In this we see: 1) The Disciple's Confession (Mark 8:27-33) and 2) The Disciple's Lifestyle (Mark 8:34-38)

When following Jesus in taking the ``Road Less Traveled`` we must understand:

1) The Disciple's Confession (Mark 8:27-33)

Mark 8:27-33 [27] And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" [28] And they told him, "John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets." [29] And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Christ." [30] And he strictly charged them to tell no one about 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. [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." (ESV)

Here we see Jesus and His disciples were on the road somewhere among the tiny villages surrounding the city of Caesarea Philippi when He asked two questions. First: “‘Who do people say I am?’ Jesus is not asking for information on His own account. He wants the disciples to state the wrong opinions of people in order to set over against them their own correct conviction. These foolish opinions He does not care even to discuss; the disciples themselves will brush them aside (Lenski, R. C. H. (1961). The Interpretation of St. Mark's Gospel (334). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House.).