Mark 8:34

“When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them ‘Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.’”

                I know the usual view of this Scripture is Jesus intently and sternly staring at the multitudes and He give this as a warning, like “Hey guys, if you’re going to follow me. You’re going to have to deny yourself and suffer. No cheap grace here!” But I see Jesus expounding these words in a gentle, promising tone like in Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy leaden, and I will give you rest.” This verse in Mark is not so much as a warning, but a compliment to the passage of Mathew 11:28-30.

                “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden” What are they laboring and so heavy laden for? Well it’s “self”; their own righteousness, their own reputation, their own worldly comforts, they all are heavy yokes upon their soul’s and they are exhausted trying to establish and maintain their “self” lives, and Jesus is beckoning them to deny that part of their life. “Let him deny himself” Jesus is not asking a person to do more teeth-gritting work, but He’s asking them let go of their “self” and live for the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

                “and take up his cross,” Jesus though doesn’t tell His disciples to just simply deny themselves, but once they unpack their needless and exhausting labor, Jesus then gives them their own crosses to bear. The cross is death, the cross is horrible, the cross is ugly, but Christ has given the cross a new meaning, and now to His disciples the cross is something that brings joy and rest. Take a look back at Matthew 11:29 “Take My yoke upon you,” What is Jesus’ yoke that he speaks of. Well, it’s the cross. Now though this cross seems to be the absolutely worse thing to bear, one may actually find strength and rest while bearing their cross “and you will find rest for your souls.”

                Lastly, Jesus told His disciples to “follow Me.” What does this mean to follow Him? Well the answer is found in Matthew 11:29. “Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me,” Well what should we learn from Him exactly? “For I am gentle and lowly in heart,” Jesus lives out His beatitude “Blessed are the poor in spirit… Blessed are the meek” (Matt 5:3, 5) and so we should follow. Hebrews 12 then gives us even more insight about how to follow Him “Look upon Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame,” So since Jesus bore the cross for the joy set before Him, we should likewise bear our cross for the joy set before us, which is the rest and fulfillment we find in God Himself within the eternal realm of heaven and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

Application: Christ is not striking me with a whip to deny myself and carry my cross, but He is beckoning my soul to the joyful rest in Himself, in which there is no room for any type of “self.” The cross is hell for my flesh, but rest for my soul. I don’t need to pout in the face of self-denial, but I need to joyfully take up my cross in which my Savior has commanded me to bear. I need not bear my “self” with exhaustion, but find rest while bearing my cross.

                “For My yoke is easy and my burden is light… and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matt 11:30, 29)

Acts 12:9

“So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.”

                God’s works are so beyond natural reason, so spectacular, so simple yet beautiful and powerful; that it does sometimes seems like just a dream. Peter was so sure about his coming future that he didn’t subscribe his mind that the angel of the Lord was leading him to a new future.

                From the point of where I am now in my faith, it amazes me how far I’ve come from my nominal Christian days where Jesus was only an ideal and radical, self-sacrificing faith seemed only possible with self-delusion. Answers to prayer, to me, were something other people enjoyed, and intimacy with God could only be imagined. But now I know with such assurance that I’m in God’s will and within God’s amazing grace. With being here at Potter’s Field Ranch, preparing to spend six months of missionary service in another country and with a calling to be a life-long minister of the gospel, it sometimes does feel unreal. A year ago, I would never imagine myself at this point in my faith, and it’s exciting to look forward for what God is going to make of me for Himself.

Application: Though my faith is alive right now, I hope that I don’t find myself at a point where I’m hibernating in my faith with the Lord and look back at these days as the “good old days.” Again I need to be like Peter and simply follow where God is calling me. The candle doesn’t keep itself on fire, but it’s always fed by the air and protected by the person who is holding the candle. God is the Person who is holding me, protecting me, and keeping me aflame.

“A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench.” Isaiah 42:3

Acts 12:8

“Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him “Put on your garment and follow me.””

                Deliverance doesn’t end at “his chains fell off his hands” nor does the Christian life end at “since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” There’s always a response that the Lord asks us to do so that we may receive His full blessing and deliverance.

                “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals” for it would be unwise for Peter to simply run off just to stumble and injure himself on the sharp rocks of Israel. “Put your garments” for it would be in vain to escape and be ensnared by the guards again because Peter still looked like a prisoner. “Follow me” for Peter is still recovering from his sleep and uncomfortable imprisonment.

                With Jesus bearing the cross for my eternal life, and Him leading me on the secure bridge that leads to my heavenly home, all I need to do is walk by faith. He hasn’t left me to sub my toe on the narrow way to the Father, but He has provided me sandals for me so that I can traverse such a road. He hasn’t left me to become sick from under the cold rain or burn under the harsh raze of the sun, but He has given me a garment of righteousness that covers and comforts me through every and any season. With my chains broken off my wrists and my Enemies disposed of by Christ, I may gird myself and follow Jesus in becoming a holy, living sacrifice for God. I just need to be like Peter and not dwell in my chains nor slumber back into my sleep, but just obey and utilize the gifts and tools that has been provided for me  to be advance His Kingdom and glorify His name.

Acts 12:7

“Now behold, and angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying ‘Arise quickly!’ And his chains fell off his hands.”

                Deliverance has come for Peter! The requests of the church have been answered. No longer was Peter to die by the hands of Herod; but instead, the Lord was to use Peter to write epistles, minister and strengthen the church of Jesus Christ. Though he was sound asleep, content with his perceived future of death, he still complied wit ht he angel of the Lord and his chains fell off of him for his escape.

                Though I’ve never seen or heard of an angelic visitation in my lifetime, I’ve definitely have had “light shone in the prison” type of experiences, particularly when I first believed I was saved. When the light of the Lord engulfs the room, and the peace and joy of the Lord flooded my soul, I could proclaim with full assurance that “there’s no condemnation for those who are in Jesus Christ!”

                When the Lord delivered Peter out from his prison, the prison was no longer a prison, but a fresh turning point of his walk with the Lord. What’s interesting about this passage was that it says nothing about the guards that were in the prison. Were they blinded? Were they knocked out by the angel? Were they on their midnight break? Well there was nothing to be said about them like how the adulteress suddenly had no accusers present after Jesus entered the scene. What mattered was that Peter was delivered; his past bondage was no more, “his chains fell off his hands.”  And now he can go out and do the works that God will have him to do.

                Application: When the Lord comes to deliver me from a particular sin or bondage, I can remember that the condemners that used to tear me down have fled from the Lord. Not only that but my chains are gone, I don’t have to look back at my chains and tangle myself in them again; the Lord has freed me and has a new direction for me in my faith. I can always remember of my past bondage of doubt, lust, and other types of sins that the Lord has freed me from and hasn’t come back to master me; and use that to reassure myself that I will be delivered from my sin.

“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. –John 8:36

Acts 12:6

“And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.”

                The world might view this picture with a pity for Apostle Peter, for there’s no way in human strength or wit that he could deliver himself from those chains. The guards around him had steel weapons, prison bars, they had chains and whips, money, the law, a possible reward from King Herod, they had food, and drink, they had stone walls, they had the government on their side, they had their homes and families; but Peter had the LORD God Almighty who was and is and is to come.

                Despite how I was trapped between the two chains of my sin and flesh, guarded between the world and Satan; I had the prayers of the saints and the saving power of Jesus Christ to set me free.

                Oh how I don’t have to stand by helpless and weeping at the bondage set by the Enemy around my brothers and sisters in Christ. When I see the army of Satan advancing again on Christ’s church, I can blow the horn of prayer to call the Lord of Calvary to defeat the forces of the Enemy who has been ultimately defeated at the cross and made a public spectacle of them by the resurrection.

Application: Whether I myself am in chains, or I witness my brother in such imprisonment, there’s no need to fear or dwell, but to fight on my knees in prayer and see my God triumph once again over the principalities of the world and the ruler of the air and finally see the chains falling from His church’s hands.

Acts 12:5

“Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.”

                This just shows the love that the body of Christ has for one another. Peter not only had his Savior interceding for him at the right hand of God, but the army of the Redeemed were bowing before the Lord, requesting comfort, strength, and deliverance for their apostle. The church wasn’t just satisfied with offering a tiny, five minute bucket of intercession just to damp Peter’s brow, but they opened a “constant” channel of intercession where Peter’s discouragement, hopelessness, and weaknesses were washed away by the prayers of the saints.

                Even while I’m writing this, I have an abundance of brothers and sisters who are forming scars on their knees, praying to God that He may use me to batter the gates of hell. While I’m trapped in my flesh like Peter was trapped in jail, fellow saints are interceding that I may walk in the Spirit with all His comforts, gifts, and fruit. Even men and women that I don’t know are now sitting at the mercy seat of Yahweh so that Christ’s kingdom would come and His will would be done in my life.

Application: I feel humbled and totally undeserving of such intercession from the church, and I feel convicted to at least mention their names in my silent prayer throughout the day. At every blessing from the Lord, I should thank Him first and ask Him to bless those who prayed for this blessing to be lavished upon me. May the Father delight in His children’s intercession for each other!