Real Discipleship - Three Questions We All Must Answer, Part 1

There are three life-changing questions that Jesus asks all of us.

How we answer them will determine our future, both now and forever. You don't want to miss today's broadcast. Stay with me. Welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. I'm Dave Druey, and the mission of these daily programs is to intentionally disciple Christians through the Bible teaching of Chip Ingram. Thanks for joining us as we continue our series, Real Discipleship, How Jesus Chose to Change the World. Now, after the teaching, Chip will be back to share some really thought-provoking questions for us to consider, so be sure to stick around for that. A quick listener note before we begin. Chip taught this series several years ago, so this program is going to sound a little different.

If you have a Bible, open it to Mark Chapter 8. Let's join Chip for his message, Three Questions We All Must Answer. I'd like you to think back of the last time, might have been a couple days ago, couple months ago, of a major, major decision you had to make. Okay, you got it?

I mean big. It's what I call a loaded question. Can you think of the last time someone asked you a loaded question?

And they're loaded for this reason. How you answer it will significantly determine the entire outcome of your life. All of us answer some very, very big questions in life, and how we answer it will determine whether our life goes this way or that way. Sometimes as we look back, we've made some great decisions, and boy, I know I'd love to have a few decisions back, wouldn't you? Let me just give a couple questions that you've been asked, most of you or some of you.

What I'd like you to think about is not so much whether your answer was right or wrong, but think of the impact that it's had on your life. For some of you, someone asks you, will you marry me? Will you take this job? Will you relocate?

Should we have a baby or should we have another baby? Now think of how you answered that and the implications long term. For some, there was a question many years ago or last week where someone said, would you go to bed with me?

I really love you. Or you want to move in together? I mean, we love each other and it's cheaper. Or would you just look the other way? I'm not asking you to cheat or lie, but things are complex.

Just look the other way on this deal, okay? Or will you get high with us? I mean, just once.

I mean, just take a hit, right? Just once. How you answered those questions, profound implications. I had someone ask me a question when I was fairly young in my Christian life that I mean, shook me. I was really starting to grow and beginning to help lead a campus ministry that was growing rapidly, just a state school. He came to me at the little past the beginning of my junior year, third year of school. And he said, he was the leader of the campus ministry. He's the bricklayer I talk about a lot.

He said, Chip, I've really been praying about this. Things are growing like crazy. They don't need me around here. And there's a campus I've targeted that's about two hours away.

I'm going to move there with my wife, my four kids, change my business, go there and start another work. And I really believe God wants you to come with me. I'd like you to pray about leaving school and transferring. There's another state college there and starting with me. Now, I don't know if some of you remember what it's like to be 19. And at first I thought, are you on drugs? Because I mean, I came to school.

These are my friends. At the time I had a girlfriend that I really thought we would get married. I was on a basketball scholarship. This guy's asking me to leave my girlfriend, my friends, my scholarship, and maybe not have all my units even transfer.

And then he said it real calmly like, you know, why don't you think about it for the next six or eight months and we'll talk about it at the end of the year. And thanks, why don't you put this monkey on my back for the rest of the year. But let me tell you what happened.

You know what happened? I was forced into a situation that I'd never been in and that was, here's the real issue. Chip, is this relationship with God you have a passing youthful idealistic fantasy where when it's convenient and nice and fun and encouraging that you want to really walk with God and allow Jesus to be Lord? Or is this a life commitment that you're doing for good? And if it's for good, then is God more important than basketball? Is God more important than which school you graduate from? Is God more important? And all of a sudden what I realized, the real issue going on here wasn't where I lived but was the willingness of my heart to say, God you call the shots. And I'll share some time over a cup of coffee the decision I made.

It's one of those leave them hanging, right? But today as we walk through this passage of Scripture in Mark chapter 8, the Lord is going to ask you and I three big questions and how you answer them or how you have answered them will determine significantly the entire outcome of your life. Turn to Mark chapter 8 and we're going to be looking at verse 22 through the end of the chapter and as you turn there let me remind you the context. This section is the apex of the climax of this book. The first eight chapters have led up to this mountain peak and the disciples and the crowds are going to be called to move from spiritual, what I call courtship. You know they've been with Christ, they've seen the miracles, they've heard him teach, they've seen him walk on the water.

Spiritual courtship which is involvement and learning to spiritual commitment which is a time of commitment of absolute loyalty to not only the person but the purposes of Christ as king of their life. And so the three questions he's going to ask first is who do you say that I am? And this is not an intellectual question. From your heart, in your life, from your value system, who do you really say that I am? Second he's going to ask the question do you know where I'm going? I mean really where I'm going? And then the third question which is I think the most penetrating paragraph in all of the New Testament, he will say with no holds barred, are you willing to follow me where I'm going? This is a picture of God taking all the information that you know, all the resources and taking all the chips of life and pushing them to the middle of the table and asking you to take all your chips, all your relationships, all your dreams, all your future and taking all the chips and you pushing him to the middle of the table and him saying, okay, ideal. Are you ready? This is for good. This is big. Are you in or are you out? And that's the picture of this passage. Let's look first at the first question.

Who do you think I am? The author starts with a point of transition and he's going to show us a miracle that's in no other gospel. Begin at verse 22, they came to Bethsaida and some people brought a blind man and they begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and he led him outside the village and when he spit on his eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, do you see anything? And he looked up and he said, I see people, they look like trees walking around. So he's got partial vision.

You know, I can see that there, I can see something but it's not very clear. Once more, Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes and his eyes were opened, his sight was restored and he saw everything clearly. And then in like fashion because of his popularity, Jesus sent him home saying, don't go into the village. Historical event, the only time of all the miracles where it's done in a process.

I'm not sure why. But the observation I'd like to make that I think the author is going to begin to help you and I deal with is that the man first of all was totally blind, then he was partially blind and then he could completely see. Now, the last time we saw the disciples in the boat, the disciples were spiritually blind still, weren't they?

You know, Jesus says, hey, beware of the loving of the Pharisees. And Peter says, hey, you got any bread? James, you got the bread? I forgot the bread.

Anybody got the bread? And God's saying, oh my gosh, these guys are not on first base. So they're spiritually blind still. Now, this little paragraph, the author gives us of this miracle and he's going to show us physically the process of coming to see and now in the next little paragraph, he's going to show us how spiritually we see. Pick it up with me, verse 27.

Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way, he asked them, walking down the road, who do people say that I am? They've seen the miracles. They've heard the teaching. They've been, you know, fed 4,000, fed 5,000. Who do they think I am now?

And the disciples replied, some say John the Baptist, obviously raised from the dead, others Elijah, and still others one of the prophets. See, they were spiritually blind. Now they partially see, well, the people understand you're special. You're from God. I mean, you've done miracles. You're a great preacher. They don't have it real clear yet, but they really have an idea of who you are.

They're moving the right direction. They see you, but it's foggy. And then he asked the penetrating question, who do you say that I am? Not just who do you think, but who do you say that I am? And see, what we speak is what we have deep-seated convictions about.

And we know the answer. Peter steps up and probably for the group, you are the Christ, the Christos. It's a great translation of the Old Testament word Messiah. You're the king. You're the deliverer. You're the awaited one.

All those hundreds of years and Old Testament patches and dreams and hopes of all of Israel, you're it. You're the ships come in. You're our hope. You're the redeemer.

All that is packed into this word. In other words, Peter is confessing with his mouth, you're God. You're what everyone has always waited for. And then in the other gospels, we learned that Jesus turns to Peter and says, you know, you didn't get that on your own, Peter, by flesh and blood. The Father has revealed it to you. See, the first step, the disciples are spiritually blind. Then they begin to see.

It's a process. And now they're answering the question, you are God. You are Messiah. You're the Christ.

First question I want to ask you before we move on. If Jesus somehow would manifest himself in a physical form and he looked you right in the eye, reached out his hand, shook it and said, who do you say that I am? Who do you say that I am? In the marketplace, among your family, by your lifestyle, who do you say that I am? Could you look him in the eye and say, you're the Christ. You're the son of the living God.

You're my savior. That's the first step. And how you answer that question will determine the great outcome of the rest of your life. He doesn't end it there. This whole book has been leading, right? It's been leading to who is he? Who is he? Who is he? And how many times has he done a healing and then said, don't tell anybody.

Don't tell anybody. Well, now the book is shifting and now the author is going to let us know, hey, he's going to talk plainly. No more parables with the disciples.

He's going to shoot it straight. Verse 31. The second question will be then, do you know where I'm going?

You've grasped who I really am, but do you understand the game plan? That's what he's really saying. He then began a tense of the verb that means he began and kept on teaching over the several weeks and months until his death. He began to teach them that the son of man, that's another word for the Messiah. He drew a little phrase out of Daniel chapter 7, 13 and 14.

And it's interesting. He willfully chose this phrase son of man because, see, they have a real strong political notion of Messiah. They want him to come and crush the Romans and be the king and put down their enemies and make them healthy, wealthy and wise and all the rest.

And instead, Jesus takes this title son of man out of Daniel where it talks about he'll have all dominion and all rulership, but it doesn't have the political overtones because Jesus knows the real Messiah will not only be a ruling Messiah, but he'll also be the suffering servant. And he'll have to die on the cross and be raised from the dead first. And so he tells them, here's three things that must, very interesting word, it means a divine necessity.

It has to happen. It's the will of God. He begins to teach him. Notice the first three things that are negative. You want to know where I'm going? The son of man must suffer, that's the first thing, many things. Second, be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law.

And third, he must be killed. Now, you know, so far the story is not real good. I find, oh, you're the Christ, you're the Redeemer, hip, hip, hooray. Where are you going? Well, I'm going to suffer and then I'm going to be rejected and then I'm going to die.

But don't forget the last part. And after three days, the text says, rise again. Jesus is saying, I'm calling you, if you want to follow me, to a hard but glorious road because I'm going to come back. And when I come back, the same power that raised me from the dead can dwell in you. Now, I wonder what the response is going to be to where he's going.

Let's find out. Peter, I think, speaks for a lot of us. He spoke plainly, like I say, no more parables about this. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

It's a strong word. The same, Jesus uses this word in the Book of Mark when he silences demons. This is not Peter rubbing up against Christ and saying, excuse me, Jesus, you really don't want to say that stuff about the suffering and rejection, do you? This is Peter saying, hey, Jesus, that's the dumbest thing I ever heard. Now, don't talk like that. You dying and suffering and rejecting, you dying.

In no way, you're going to be our king and you're going to crush Rome. Now, let's find out how Jesus responds to being rebuked. I mean, Peter's major league out of line and he's going to get major league rebuked. But when Jesus turned, it's almost like he's teaching and he's got his back to him and Peter, you know, lays this stuff on him. Notice, he turns and he doesn't just look at Peter because I think the other disciples were thinking the same thing. Hey, we finally found out who you are and you're the real McCoy and you're saying instead of a party, we're going to suffer and rejection and they didn't hear much about the rise again.

They couldn't understand it apparently. And he looked at the disciples and he rebuked Peter, same word, just as strong. And then what's he say? Out of my sight, Satan. Boy, this would be a strong rebuke. But notice the reason. You do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men.

See, here's the temptation. Peter was being used by Satan to tempt Christ, to tempt Jesus to come up with a plan that would eliminate the cross. When's the last time that anyone offered Jesus the kingdom and followership minus the cross?

Do you remember when it happened? Satan did it. Remember he said, hey, look at all these kingdoms.

Tell you what, let's forget God's plan. You know, you dying, that's not really a good deal. I'll tell you what, I'll have them all worship you if you'll only do what? And Jesus said, no way.

I don't cut deals. See, if you really want to get down to how this affects us, you know what Peter really wanted? Peter had a true salvation knowledge of Christ. He knew who he was. And you know what he wanted? He wanted Jesus to now, as his new Savior, come in and fulfill Peter's agenda. Isn't that really what he's asking? What he wants is I want Jesus without the cross.

And trust me, it sells. See, I want you to make me a head honcho over the Romans. I want you to make my marriage work out. I want you to straighten out my struggling children. I want you to help me through these difficult issues. I want you to get my finances back in order.

I want you to make me happy and fulfilled. And Jesus says, you know, I've been God of the universe for some time now. And see, the way this works, Peter, is I say what happens and I tell you where I'm going and you get the choice of whether following me or not. And where I'm going, there's a cross. There's also crowns. But I'm not going to lie to you. To get to the crowns, you've got to go through the crosses.

They always go together. And what Peter basically was saying was, I want you, Jesus, but I don't want the road that has crosses and suffering and rejection and possibly death. I don't want that part of Christianity. And Jesus rebukes him with the hardest rebuke in the New Testament and says, there is no other Christianity, there's no other road, any place, that has to do with the real Jesus Christ that doesn't have crosses. And we would be good to hear that today.

Chip will be back in just a minute with his application. You've been listening to the first part of his message, three questions we all must answer, from his series, Real Discipleship. Now you may be asking yourself, what does it mean to be a disciple? As Chip walks through Mark chapter 6 through 10, he impacts this complex idea of discipleship by using the simple lessons Jesus taught his followers. Stay with us as we learn how commitment, evangelism, humility, and trust paint an accurate picture of what a genuine disciple of Jesus looks like. To learn more about this six-part series, Real Discipleship, or to catch up on past programs, visit LivingOnTheEdge.org.

Well, Chip's joined me in studio. And Chip, before we hear your final thoughts on this time, would you talk to a specific group of people right now? They were really motivated by this message to take their relationship with God to the next level, but are struggling to get into the Bible every day. What would you say to them? Well, what I would say is you're not alone.

Of all the things in my early Christian life, I so struggled to be able to meet with God daily. I intended to. I wanted to.

I would set my alarm back, and then I would go back to bed. But here's what I can tell you. We're in a very busy, busy world with a go-go mentality and invisible pressure that I think we put on ourselves. And what I learned is if you can literally start the habit of meeting with God first and do it on a daily basis, yes, it begins with duty, but please hear me, it will end in delight. What helped me the most was someone doing it with me, having that accountability.

And he didn't say this is what it says. He showed me how to read the Bible, how to study the Bible, how to hear God's voice. And that's what I want to do for you. In fact, one of the greatest things that came out of the pandemic was this idea of daily discipleship, of literally meeting with people one-on-one. It's called daily discipleship with Chip. And all I can tell you, the response has been beyond anything I ever imagined. It's not people telling me, oh, Chip, you're a good teacher, or now I just understand the passage.

I'm hearing people say, I know how to study the Bible. I'm hearing God's voice. God's changing my life. So let me tell you how this works. For each series, I begin with a short teaching video, no longer the 10 minutes. And then there's a little assignment that I'm going to ask you to take 10 minutes on your own and do some study.

And here's what I know. People that have done this with me, who make it a habit just to spend 20 minutes with me day after day for somewhere between 10 days to a couple of weeks, they learn to hear God's voice. They learn to discern the Spirit. God begins to change them from the inside out.

This is a habit that you cannot afford not to develop. Thanks, Chip. Well, if you're looking for a practical way to deepen your faith, let me encourage you to sign up for Daily Discipleship with Chip. This free video resource will really help you learn more about God and His Word. To sign up for any of our Daily Discipleship sessions, just go to livingontheedge.org. App listeners, tap Discipleship.

Well, with that, Chip, let's get to that application we promised. As we close today's program, I would like to go back to those two questions that Jesus asked those disciples, and that He's asking you and me as well. Question number one is, who do you say that I am? I mean, really, not just intellectually or what you've heard or what you've agreed intellectually about, but who do you believe Jesus to be? Is He the Savior of the world? Is He your Savior? Is He the Creator, the Sustainer, the All-Powerful One, the Good One? Is He the Messiah, the Hope?

Can you trust Him with all your heart? And the second question is, do you know where I'm going? And of course they didn't. They thought they were going to go to sit on a bunch of thrones and overrun Rome, and Jesus taught them as He's teaching us that, no, I'm going to go to the cross, that the pathway to the crown, the pathway to reward, involves suffering and rejection and challenges and a kingdom that's not of this world. And so I just want to ask you and me to really ponder, if you are honest in this moment, whose agenda are you following? Is it the comfort, no suffering, God make my life work out?

Or is it the Jesus agenda? If I need to sacrifice, deny myself, experience rejection, whatever it would take, you and your path are the only one to follow. Rather than making even a big decision today, I'd like to really let you sit with that. Would you ask the Lord, Holy Father, am I really committed to You? Does my life reflect that I'm really following You?

And I think as you listen, He'll make that clear. Well, just before we close, I want to quickly remind you about our mid-year match. If you're benefiting from the ministry of Living on the Edge, but aren't yet on the team, there's never been a better time because between now and July 7th, every gift we receive will be matched dollar for dollar. If today's your day to partner with us, go to livingontheedge.org or give us a call at 888-333-6003. That's 888-333-6003 or livingontheedge.org. App listeners, tap Donate. Thank you in advance for your generosity. Well, I hope you'll be with us again next time as Chip continues his series, Real Discipleship. But until then, this is Dave Drouy saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge.