YOUR SOUL AND MY SOUL
GOSPEL READING : Mark 8. 27-37

Knowing who Jesus is, is one thing. Accepting the mandate He has been entrusted as Jesus is another thing. Peter had the privilege to DISCOVER and KNOW who Jesus was: the CHRIST. He was prepared to accept everything about Him, powerful sermons, miracles, healings, crowds searching for Him, etc. But one thing he didn’t accept was that the Son of Man would suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of law, and be killed. This made Peter dare to rebuke The Master and try to convince Him of making a terrible mistake!
Most of the Christians will tell you Jesus is the Son of God but not all believe He died and rose and went back to the Father in heaven and that He will return to Earth and rapture the Believers. They’d rather prefer Karl Marx and Engels’ teachings than making “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life”(John 3:16) a vision and a rule for their life. They’d rather spend lots of money subscribing to 10 different newspapers and always observe the horoscope and quotes from well-known philosophers than buying a cheap Bible and meditate daily the Word of God that gives life to men. Yet, Jesus’ mandate to Earth was made clear since Isaiah’s days about 800 years before He was born: “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering…But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by his wounds we are healed…He was assigned a grave with the wicked…After the suffering of his soul, He will see the light of LIFE and be satisfied”(Isaiah 53:3, 4-5, 9, 11). Who then was right to rebuke the other? Was it Peter or Jesus? Who had his belief and feet correctly standing in the things of God? Of course, Satan didn’t want Jesus to bear men’s sins at the Cross and die and rise to life again to GRANT US ETERNAL LIFE.
“Peter! you must also die to your unbelief and sins, you must die to your pride and selfish, you must die to trusting your capacities and your reasoning, and then rise again to Eternal Life. That’s the requirements to be my follower.” I also believe that today many lives in this world would be changed IF PEOPLE COULD SIMPLY ACCEPT TO DIE WITH CHRIST.

In 1984, I was invited to preach at a remote parish of a Free Methodist Church in Kabezi about 15 km South of Bujumbura the capital of Burundi. The Pastor had told me that the congregation there was so terrified by a sorcerer, a witch doctor, member of his congregation who had made big fortunes from lying that he could heal various illnesses while people continued to die in his hands. I didn’t know that person before. But while I was preaching, a strong and tall man stood from the rear bench in the little chapel and begun to defy me. Suddenly, he flied slowly like a big eagle above the heads of people in the chapel and headed towards the pulpit. I was afraid but didn’t run away. He came and banged against the pulpit which was built with strong bricks and cement and fell down. I didn’t worry about him and continued with my sermon.

The congregation stood up as they thought he was dead and some ran out fearing vengeance from his evil spirits. As I concluded my sermon, the man woke up and sat down and watched the congregation around silently. He stood up and asked for prayer. I invited the congregation to join in prayer for him after what the sorcerer said: “I now understand that I have been wrong all my life long, lying, killing, stealing, and thinking I was a god. But Jesus is the only true God I want to serve.” Later I was told that he repaid everything he had taken from people and became poor and humble. Yes, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?”

May the peace of God be with you.

President,
CHRISTIANS STRENGTHENING CHRISTIANS
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