The first eight chapters of Mark establish Christ’s authority, while the last eight chapters illustrate how that authority is challenged as He endures suffering all the way to the cross. So, what serves as the bridge between these two sections?
How does one recognize Christ’s authority and then suddenly prepare to follow Him on a path that leads directly to suffering? This is where we find ourselves in the text this morning. The bridge, which we have been examining, is complete and utter dependence on Christ, who is the only one capable of faithfully enduring suffering to save us.
Let us never forget how dependent we must be on Christ. He is both our Savior and Sustainer. In these passages, Mark shows us that complete humility is the only way to follow the suffering Son and to receive His saving grace. In a few weeks, we will explore the story of blind Bartimaeus, who perfectly exemplifies what full surrender looks like from a position of complete humility and dependence. We will witness how he turns around and follows Christ.
Today, we will begin to unpack the upside-down Kingdom of God, better understanding both the posture of entry into the Kingdom and the community of the Kingdom.
We will find encouragement in knowing that Christ is both the saving grace needed for entry and the sustaining power of the community once we have entered.
