Mark 8:27-35 - Easter Sunday 2026

Amen. Church. Let's just try it one more time. He has risen. Oh, that sounds beautiful. It's wonderful to see your faces this morning as we gather to worship the Lord. How about a round of applause for our music team leading us in worship? Appreciate all that. Thankful for them. And I'll tell you what, this one deserves an even bigger round of applause. We had a. We had a lot of volunteers put in a tremendous amount of effort to make sure we had this opportunity to gather together. How about a round of applause for all our volunteers serving us this weekend? Appreciate them very much. How about one more for those getting baptized today we have 25 people getting baptized. Thankful for that. Yeah. It's good. Good to celebrate what the Lord's doing in our lives. And you know, I know on an Easter Sunday, we have a mixed crowd here today from younger to, we'll say, wiser in years. And so I know I'm on borrowed time depending on our ages, but I do want to just recognize for us as we gather here, my remarks, I'm going to keep them under 20 minutes for us, if you can give me your attention. And just recognizing the importance of today, what this means for us, especially not knowing where everyone's at. I mean, this is this is the anthem of our faith. This is the reason we gather, even when I look at a room like this today, and I just consider the work that God's done, 20 years ago when I moved here to Utah, when I came to know the Lord, I was a pagan, wild child.

God radically transformed my life. I wanted to go to a place in this world where I felt like, God, you can just. I am just willing to lay my life down however you desire to do that. And just seeing the way that God has brought a community together, other people united and just saying the same thing to the Lord. If you'd asked me 20 years ago, like what are your expectations moving to Lehi, Utah to see what God could do? I don't know that I could have ever fathomed something like this. And just seeing a gathering and the way God has brought a community together. But here's one thing I just recognized in looking at a room like this today, man, if our hearts collectively were we're just sold out to Jesus and we could turn the world upside down for the glory of God. This is an incredible opportunity for us just to spend time in God's Word together, recognizing the significance of who he is. I mean, this today we're here to celebrate the greatest figure in all of history taking taking place in the in the greatest event of all time through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

And when I think about the different gospel writers and the way they introduce Jesus to us, the one that kind of captures my mind as I think about the significance of his identity and what this event means, is the writer of the gospel of Mark, Mark, and introducing us to the figure of Jesus. He does something rather unexpected in declaring us who Christ is. And what Mark does is it's somewhat shocking, a bit bewildering as he begins to unfold this gospel story. He. He starts to tell us not not just the things that Jesus did, but he. He spends really the first eight chapters of this gospel telling us who Christ is. But. But in every encounter, he's describing us about the Lord and the significant things that Christ is doing. He then tends to end those miracles with a common theme. And you see this addressed over and over as Jesus interacts with different people. And in Mark chapter one, when he talks to a leper, he after he heals him, he says, see that you say nothing to anyone or to the demons. He strictly ordered them not to make him known or even to raising a young girl from the dead. Jairus daughter, Jesus says he strictly charged them that no one should know this. And you just see that theme perpetuating as he heals a deaf man in Mark chapter seven, and again, a blind man in Mark chapter eight do not even enter the village, he tells them, after this miracle has taken place, which is a bit of a challenge when you think about the significance of who Jesus is.

I mean, I think in this room today, if we were in charge of Jesus's life and wanting to get that message out, you might think to Jesus, Jesus, I feel like this is a little bit counterintuitive to what you're about. If you're the most critical figure in all of human history and the greatest event is going to take place through you, we should probably let people know and maybe, maybe it just might be detrimental to our cause. If you just end every one of the miracles by telling people, stop telling people. Why? Why would Jesus do such incredible things? But then go to this extent that he would tell us, but don't say anything about this. What is. What is Jesus gaining out of these miracles? But then telling us to keep quiet? Well, as you read the gospel of Mark, you find that the hinge point of this story comes right in the middle of this gospel. In fact, it. The hinge point happens three times in the gospel of Mark. It's in the second half of chapter eight, and then in the middle of chapter nine and again in chapter ten.

Jesus does something significant in these portions of the gospel of Mark. And as you look at Mark chapter eight, verse 26, when he tells the blind man, do not even enter the village, he then takes this moment to turn to his disciples and give them a little bit of lesson into his own identity. And he does it this way, the way, the way that Jesus does this in verse 27, I think is paramount not only in the first century, but especially for us here in the 21st century. And Jesus does this. 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. And then as I begin to answer him, and it says. And they told him, some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others one of the prophets. And then Jesus asked him the most important question who do you say that I am? And the story goes on. Peter answered him, you are the Christ. And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him. We start to discover within the context of the story why Jesus was repeating this statement over and over again. And the reason Jesus is driving to it at this particular passage is because while people are certainly seeing the things that they did, their picture of who Jesus is warped.

They have this understanding or thought as to who the Messiah should be, but it's not truly who the Messiah is. Guys, can I just tell you one of the greatest theological challenges in our lives that's not just in an intellectual understanding. I understand that theology is an important thing. Who God is defining that in our lives, but our theology drives what we do. Everything you do in this world is determined by a belief. And can I tell you one of the greatest challenges we have as people? I've seen this over and over again. As a pastor, I can almost tell you, every one of us in this room struggles with this. It's that our tendency is to think too much of ourselves and too little of our God. Our struggle as human beings is to think too much of who we are, and even the battles we might face, and too little of the greatness of the glory of our God over us. Because if we really believed what scripture said, then when we leave from this place, we would live in such a way that it would not only transform the lives of the people around us, but we would see the glory of God made known through the state. And this is exactly what Jesus is saying in this passage. He's driving them to the most central question they could ask in all of their hearts. Jesus, who are you to me? Lord, who are you? Peter, in these moments gives the profound statement you are the Christ, the Messiah, the promised one, the Anointed one.

And we might look at this and think, at this moment how wonderful that Peter. Peter gives this answer, and Jesus seems to be satisfied with his answer. But shortly. Right, right after this, you find in this passage that it's Peter himself who just after these moments says it like this. Jesus began to teach them, The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed. And three days later rise again. And he said this plainly. I mean, Jesus didn't want any mistake in his identity. He's trying to communicate this clearly that the way to victory for their lives is through his suffering. And the hearts of the disciples could not fathom this. I mean, Jesus, you're the king. You're the Messiah, you're the anointed one. You're the path of victory. You're the one that we've waited for. What are you talking about? The end of your life. And then, and then Peter comes to Jesus and says, he says to him, and he began to teach them that the Son of God must suffer many things. And it goes down in verse, end of verse 32. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 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.

Even though Peter had a concept of what the Christ was about, he missed the beautiful story of which Jesus came to fulfill. He. He didn't fully grasp the significance of who Christ was, and because of that, even Peter's own heart was lacking in these moments. And then Jesus says something interesting, something I think is critical for all of us to understand that unless you take this particular path Jesus is about to pronounce for us, there is no real life in Christ. There is no true understanding in what Jesus has done for you and for me. And so these very next words are significant as he's told. Peter, look, Peter, you may have said with your mouth who you think I am, but your heart hasn't truly embraced it. And then Jesus gives this statement not only not only just for his disciples in the first century, but this is a particular statement to echo throughout the centuries and understanding the significance of Christ in our life. He says this, I'm 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. For ever would save his life will lose it.

But whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. Jesus is saying that the path to really walk with him, the path to know him, the path to find life in him, is about surrendering all that you are to all that he is, because Christ is surrendering his life for you. What Jesus is describing for us is the way to relationship with the Lord, a way to intimacy. You know, it's unique for us as human beings, the way that God has crafted us. As you know, God said in the beginning when he created you, he made you in his image. That makes you distinct than any other creature God made in this world. You alone are crafted in the image of God, which says you were created intentionally for a relationship with your creator. But the problem for all of us is that sin has separated us from the Lord. But because of what Jesus has done for us, the king has come for his people, and he has given his life so that we might find freedom in him. You know, one of the things I think is important to remember regarding this Easter celebration, Resurrection Sunday, is that when Jesus went to the cross guys, he didn't go as a victim. He went as a victor. As a substitute for your life and for mine, so that we could find freedom in him. And Jesus is inviting us into the intimacy of a relationship with the Lord because of the sufficiency of his sacrifice for our lives.

And he's telling us, the only way to truly discover this is to lay your life down, vulnerable. The only way to true intimacy is through vulnerability. And I understand in life that sometimes we go through experiences where we might have entrusted ourselves to something, and in entrusting ourselves to something, it's burned us on the back end. And we try to wise up to that and say things like, well, I'm never going to entrust this again. I'm going to guard my heart and protect myself because I don't want I don't want to experience that pain. And I think rightfully so, there can be some wisdom in that. Proverbs tells us to guard our hearts because in. It is the wellspring of life. But when it comes to relationship with the Lord, there is no true relationship with Christ until you lay your life down. And sometimes we might think, well, I don't want to get burned again, and we want to, we want to guard our heart. But, in guarding your heart, what ultimately ends up happening is while you may keep your heart distant, your heart over time becomes hardened. And the only way to true intimacy is vulnerability and trusting myself and the way to find that heart will not get trampled is to find that the one you're entrusting in is worthy of the trust for which you might give him.

This is why it becomes important for us to consider what is it? I think of Christ. Who is this? Jesus? Has my heart completely given over to him? Have I discovered the reason for which I was created? And have I found my life renewed in the one who gave his life for me? If I'm going to entrust myself to anything, why not entrust myself to the King of Kings who became the servant of servants, that my life might find new life in him? Peter, we find in this passage miss this moment. But, guys, having seen the resurrection of Christ, Peter then goes on to pen the letter of first and second Peter. And if you were to take the time to just read through the letters that Peter write, you would. You would. Or Peter wrote, excuse me, you would find at the beginning of first Peter chapter one, Peter says it like this. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Out of this moment in Peter's life where he missed that understanding of who Christ is. Now, having seen the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, he understands the significance of what Christ has accomplished for you and for me.

And as he begins to pin his letter to the church in the first century, he reminds us and invites us to continue to find our souls renewed and the richness of who Christ is to stop thinking greatly of who I am and the struggles I might face and start to think about the greatness of a God who conquered it all, that my soul can rest in him as he invites me to entrust myself to his glory. And Peter says it like this blessed meaning. It's a word of worship. He's acknowledging that you as a human being, you were created for the purpose of worship. And what greater thing could you worship? But the one who has given his life for you. Blessed be this God. And then he goes on and says, according to his great mercy, Received the idea of his great mercy is this if I gave this maybe an illustration to concisely help us think through it? It's as if you were in a courtroom and that courtroom, everyone knows you're guilty. And the judge delivers the verdict and the verdict before a holy God is death. And as the judge declares your verdict, entering into the courtroom is one who comes before you and says, even though they're guilty, I'm going to stand in their place. Mercy is withholding from you what you truly deserve, and this is what Jesus accomplished for you on the cross.

It is finished. Jesus is more than enough. And as Peter describes this according to his great mercy, the. That should encourage our souls to worship this great God. He says he has caused us to be born again to a living hope. You know, one of the things I think is wonderful about a day like today is we get to acknowledge 2000 years ago, there was one who hung on the cross in your place and mine, and that's wonderful. But I don't just want to stop with it as an idea that happened in history. I think it's important to recognize that this is an event that continues to happen in our hearts every day. This is why Peter chose this term a living hope. He's acknowledging for all of us that your life is renewed in Jesus every moment of every day that this promise delivers to you both now and for all of eternity. That what you have in Christ will never end. This is a hope that goes on forever because of the sufficiency of what Christ has done. And then he acknowledges it through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This is the event that helps me discover who I am because of who he is and everything that he's done for me. Theologians refer to this as the great exchange.

When the King of all glory became the servant of servants, so the servant can be treated like royalty. Every one of us this morning has either received that gift or has the opportunity to receive that gift. Not because we've impressed God with who we are, but because our life has the opportunity to be impressed with who he is. Look, sometimes we may think about the significance of the cross and say to ourselves like, but doesn't God know who I am? Doesn't know the struggles I face. I've got to fix this up first before I come to Jesus. And let me let me just tell you that if you struggle in that way. Once again, you're thinking too much of yourself and not enough of your God. Don't you understand the value for which Christ has placed on you with his own life? There's nothing more that you can add to the cross of Christ than what Jesus has already done for you. This is why the Bible calls it grace that it's free. Now, don't get me wrong, it doesn't mean it's cheap because it cost God everything. But it's free for all of us. It's not just it's not just for those that may not know Jesus this morning, it's for the church. And recognizing there is a God who loves me. There is a God who's given everything for me. There is an opportunity for me to find freedom in Christ every day.

This is my hope and it's a living hope that endures forever. Church. This is why we worship. This is why we gather on a day like today. This is why as people, we don't even let it stop with us. But we make sure as God's people that we proclaim it to the hilt and we share it with others because of the goodness for which Christ has given us in him. When we were unworthy, there was one who was worthy. And today he sits on his throne, ruling and reigning, giving us a living hope to rest in his promises forever. So here's what I want to do. Church, I'm going to invite you to stand with us, and in just a moment, we're going to sing a couple more songs together. But I want to invite our missions team from going to Asia to go ahead and come forward. Before our services end today and in the middle of baptisms, our team going to Asia, they're going to be taking that living hope halfway around the world. And they're going to continue to proclaim the goodness of who God is. But Lord, this becomes a demonstration for us as a as a congregation and the greatness of God. By the way, family and friends, if you want to come up with them, you can and pray. Man, if you want to go come up, you can as well.

But we're going to take time together as a church, just recognizing the greatness of who God is. Thankful that we have freedom in Jesus and we even have the privilege of representing this great God as we serve this world sitting in front of us now as our team heading to heading to Asia to continue to serve the Lord. But Easter is not an event that stops after, after today. I mean, Easter is an event that happens every day because of the resurrection of Christ and the new life that we have in him. So I'm going to pray for us. We're going to sing a couple more songs in worship. And let me just encourage you as we sing these last songs together. If you would like someone to pray with you, if you would like someone to encourage you in the Lord, if you're wondering, how can I know this Jesus? In the back of the room, we're going to have prayer team leaders. They're going to have lanyards on that are blue lanyards that say prayer team on them. If you would like someone just to pray with you as we sing these last songs in worship, please feel free to go to the back of the room during our time of music and just let the our prayer team just join with you and encourage you in lifting up before the Lord.

If you're getting baptized, as we get ready to sing these last couple songs, those getting baptized, I want you to go ahead and dismiss yourselves and you can get ready. And we're going to meet outside together as soon as our songs are completed and we're going to partake of baptisms and celebration. But let me lead us in a word of prayer. Lord, we love you, God. Thank you for the living hope that we have in you. The beauty of the gift of today, the opportunity it gives us as a people to know you intimately. God. To ask in our own hearts, Lord, who do we say that you are? And God, in realizing as you've given your life for us, God that we would give our life to you in response. Because there's no one worthy. Not compared to you, Lord. So Jesus, help our hearts to rest in you, to find the joy for which we are created as we find new life in you. And God, may you be glorified through your people. Today we want to pray for our team headed to Asia, or that you be with them in this journey. That they would be a light and encouragement to those that they seek to partner with. Lord, that they would minister your love around this world. And so, God, we thank you for our time together. We pray all this in Christ's name. Amen. But a round of applause for our team heading to Asia. Appreciate these guys