Introduction

Good morning, beloved. I trust that the Lord has kept you well and that you are eager, as I am, to delve into the richness of His Word today. I am grateful for your presence, whether in person or online, and I am confident that God has something special for each and every one of us today.

Our focus today is on Mark 8:31-38, a passage that beautifully illustrates the unpredictable path of God, His unforeseen plans, and His unfathomable power. But before we get there, I'd like to share a quote from the renowned Christian author, J.I. Packer. He once wrote, "The Christian's life in all its aspects - intellectual and ethical, devotional and relational, upsurging in worship and outgoing in witness - is supernatural; only the Spirit can initiate and sustain it. So apart from Him, not only will there be no lively believers and no lively congregations, there will be no believers and no congregations at all."

How true that is! We are utterly dependent on the Spirit of God for every aspect of our Christian walk. We cannot predict His path, we cannot foresee His plans, and we certainly cannot fathom His power. But we can trust Him. We can trust Him to guide us, to teach us, and to empower us for His glory.

God's Unpredictable Path

In the passage we just read, we see Jesus sharing with His disciples a revelation that was far from what they had anticipated. He speaks of suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection. This was not the path they had envisioned for their Messiah. They were looking for a triumphant king, not a suffering servant. Yet, this was the path that God had chosen. It was unpredictable, it was unexpected, but it was undeniably God's plan.

The first thing we notice in this passage is the necessity of suffering. Jesus says, "the Son of Man must suffer many things." This was not a possibility, it was a necessity. It was part of God's unpredictable path. We often associate suffering with punishment or consequence of sin. But here, we see that suffering was part of God's plan for His sinless Son. It's a reminder for us that suffering is not always indicative of God's displeasure or our disobedience. Sometimes, it's part of His unpredictable path.

The second thing we see is the inevitability of rejection. Jesus was to be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the law. These were the religious leaders of the day, the ones who were supposed to recognize and receive the Messiah. Yet, they were the ones who rejected Him. Again, this was not what the disciples had expected. But it was part of God's unpredictable path. And it serves as a reminder for us that acceptance by the world is not a measure of our faithfulness to God. In fact, if we are faithful to God and His Word, we can expect to face rejection from the world.

Thirdly is the reality of death. Jesus says that He must be killed. This was a shocking revelation for the disciples. They could not comprehend why their Messiah, the promised deliverer, had to die. But again, this was part of God's unpredictable path. It was through His death that Jesus would conquer sin and death once and for all. It's a reminder for us that death is not the end of our story. For those who are in Christ, death is but a doorway to eternal life.

Next is the promise of resurrection. Jesus says that after three days, He would rise again. This was the climax of God's unpredictable path. It was the ultimate victory over sin and death. It was the assurance of our hope and the foundation of our faith. It's a reminder for us that no matter how dark the night, joy comes in the morning. No matter how great the suffering, resurrection is coming. No matter how unpredictable the path, God is in control.

In all these, we see the unpredictable path of God. It's a path that often defies our expectations and challenges our understanding. But it's a path that leads to victory, to resurrection, to life. It's a path that requires faith, trust, and surrender.

Transition. And as we walk this unpredictable path, let's remember the words of Jesus in this passage: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." This is the call to discipleship. It's a call to deny ourselves, to take up our cross, to embrace the unpredictable path of God. It's a call to follow Jesus, not just in His resurrection, but also in His suffering, rejection, and death. It's a call to lose our life for His sake and for the gospel, knowing that in losing our life, we will find it.

God's Unforeseen Plans

As we continue to navigate the narrative of Mark 8:31-38, we find ourselves face to face with the unforeseen plans of God ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO