Hills and Valleys of LifeMark 8:27-33

Mark 8:27-3027 Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, "Who do men say that I am?" 28 So they answered, "John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets." 29 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered and said to Him, "You are the Christ." 30 Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.

Mark 8:31-3331 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke this word openly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

Hill and Valley

• Peter is on the hill– He confesses the Jesus is the

Christ– He did something right

• Then comes the valley– He is called “Satan”– Jesus rebukes him

Syrian Thinking

• 1 Kings 20• Great slaughter – v. 21 • Second army – v. 25 • 127,000 killed in one day• Plan for second attempt • What went so wrong?

Syrian Thinking

1 Kings 20:23 Then the servants of the king of Syria said to him, "Their gods are gods of the hills. Therefore they were stronger than we; but if we fight against them in the plain, surely we will be stronger than they.

Elijah – Mt. Carmel

• 1 Kings 18-19• On Mt. Carmel• Baal – God of lightning• Prayed all day – no fire from

heaven• Elijah's turn – 12 barrels of water• Prayed – fire bured offering, wood,

stones, and water in trench

Elijah – Valley of Jezreel

• 1 Kings 18-19• Threatened with his life• Ran 18 miles; servant quit• He ran another 20 miles• He hid in a cave ready to die• “What are you doing here?”

John the Baptizer

Matthew 3:5-7 5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

John the Baptizer

John 1:36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"

Matthew 11:2-3 2 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples 3 and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"

Peter – on the mountain

• Transfiguration – Matthew 17:1-2

1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

Peter – in the valley

• Denied Christ – Matthew 26:74-75

74 Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I do not know the Man!" Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." So he went out and wept bitterly.

Job – from hill to valley

• Blessed by God – Had everything

• Lost it all in one day– Family– Home– Possessions– Income

Jesus – from hill to valley

• Triumphant Entry– Palm leaves– People saying, Hosana

• One week later– “Crucify Him!”

Us – from hill to valley• Life is full of ups and downs• Jesus is always present– At the high spots of life– AND in the deepest valley– Acts 17:27 so that they should

seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.