Today we are reading from Mark 10: 32-34:

32 They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him, 33 saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; 34 they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again.”

The last two days we saw Jesus talk about how following Him will have challenges. First to the rich young man, who was unwilling to sell what he had and follow Jesus. Then yesterday we saw Peter say, we walked away from everything. What is there for us?  Jesus assures them that God will take care of all who follow Him. 

Today, we see Jesus tell them that He too will suffer. He will go to Jerusalem. There He will be condemned, mocked, beaten, and eventually killed. But, His death is not the end, but in fact, His death upon the cross will forever atone for sin, and His being raised from the dead will forever destroy death. 

The next parts of the story will not be fun. But they are necessary, for they lead to life. 

Jesus shows us in His life that it is not just talk.  He walks the walk. And He shows us the path that must follow Him in. We must take up our cross and we must die to ourselves. For just as His death on the cross purchased our lives, so does our dying to ourselves give us a life truly worth living.  

Jesus showed us the cross.  That cross, as horrific as it was, was our path to life. 

And Jesus’ love for us was not just talk. It was action.  It was dedication.  It was sacrifice.  

Today may we follow Him. And may our love for Him be not just talk.  As He laid down His life for us, may we lay down our lives for Him. 

And in doing that, we find true life.  

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