Gaining What You Cannot Lose

Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ is the pivotal point in Mark's gospel. Coupled with Peter's incredible confession is the Lord's plain but shocking word to the disciples that the Son of Man must suffer and be rejected and rise on the third day. From this point in this gospel everything is on a collision course with the cross.

Believing that Christ can secure God's kingdom without suffering is the lie of the evil one. The truth is that if there is no cross there is no life or glory either for the Son of Man or for those who follow Him. Jesus made it perfectly clear that is better to suffer loss in this life and live eternally than be free from loss now and suffer eternal loss. If this world is gained and the next lost, where is the profit? 'He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose' (Jim Elliot).