OCR Text |
Show FACING THE CROSS International Sunday School Lesson for April 3, 19-49 Memory Selection: "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." (Mark 8:34) Lesson Text Mark 8:27-34; Luke 9:28-35, 51 Six months before his crucifixion Jesus led his disciples once again away from the crowd and, anxious to ascertain ascer-tain the fruit of his associations with them, asked as he walked along the roadside, ""Who do men say I am?'' Peter, the impulsive leader of the group, made his great confession of faith. ' : later identified as Mt. Hermon. Here occurred his transfiguration. transfigura-tion. Jesus experienced a unique spiritual blessing, probably an encouragement for him, to sustain sus-tain him during the persecution and suffering which he would soon undergo. The three chosen disciples recognized the presence of Moses and Elijah, two great Old Testament leaders, but what impressed them more was the striking change in the appearance ap-pearance of Jesus himself. His face and body testified to the great spiritual emotion which had possessed him. The disciples dis-ciples heard a voice out of the cloud testifyinug to the divinity divin-ity of Jesus and admonished them to hear him. "Communion with' God issues ever in transfigured life," said Rev. G. Campbell Morgan. "It was when Christ was praying that he was transfigured. When the disciples pray as he prayed, they also will be transfigured as he was transfigured. This will not be until salvation is completed. com-pleted. While there lurk within with-in possibilities of unbelief, fellowship fel-lowship is not perfected, and final transfiguration cannot be. And yet, the measure of fellowship fellow-ship is the measure of transfiguration, transfig-uration, even here and now. "How often, even amid the shadows of the little while, the faces of the saints are seen lit with the light of the inward glory. Those who, indeed, would shine amid the darkness of the world, must be transformed and transfigured by union with God. May the communion of the saints with the Son be such, that in some measure, upon all of them may rest the light and glory of the holy mount." "It was a divine revelation to Peter, in a flash of intuition, which drew into itself the best thoughts, feelings and expressions expres-sions of the past two years," says William A. Grist. "The lowly origin of the Carpenter, the familiarity fam-iliarity of daily intercourse, the shocks of disapproval, the delay of hopes making the heart sick, the haughty repudiation of Jesus by the authorized teachers of Israel, and the ebbing tide of his popularity in Galilee, might have almost justified a fisherman's fisher-man's inability to decide this momentous question. But, in spite of all doubts and dreadful uncertainties, there was that in Simon's soul which leapt up in answer to the Master's word wholeheartedness and a sudden sense of the greatness of the Reality in Jesus impelled by this spirit, he trampled down all doubts, and burst out in enthusiastic enthusi-astic confession of faith and loyalty." Following Peter's outspoken recognition of his divinity, Jesus then began to explain to his disciples how it would be necessary for him to die, also prophesying his resurrection three days afterwards. The prophecy of so shameful a death was beyond the understanding of the disciples. Peter, again the impulsive spokesman, probably encouraged encour-aged to speak by the recognition given his confession of faith, took Jesus aside and boldly rebuked re-buked him. Without realizing it, Peter was bringing back to his master the same temptation presented by the devil during to rebuke Peter, intimating that he was serving Satan in such advice ad-vice and was unmindful of the things of God. "The words of Jesus opened up a strange path," says Francis J. McConnell. "Peter was not ordinarily averse to strange paths, but this was too strange. If George Washington had told the assembled army at Cambridge Cam-bridge in 1775 that it was necessary neces-sary for him to die on the gallows gal-lows before the American cause could be won, the astonishment could hardly have been greater than when Jesus said that he must be crucified. Of course, I know that the situation of Washington Wash-ington was not at all parallel to that of Jesus, but I am speaking of ideals of leadership. "The Jews thought of the Messiah Mes-siah as acting much like any national leader. It was strange, doctrine to hear that the Messiah must suffer, and the disciples were horrified by the Master's words. We may learn then from this scene as Caesarea Philippi that the instinctive revulsion re-vulsion against the new and strange may be of that part of our nature which fears the truth." Following up his rebuke of Peter, Jesus told his disciples the demands of discipleship. He laid down the doctrine of self-denial, and following his e'.smple by bearing the cross. A few days after Peter's great confession Jesus withdrew from the multitude which usually usu-ally surrounded him and, taking tak-ing with him Peter, James and John, sought seclusion for med- :t.i: u;l |