The real road to glory

He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. — Mark 8:31

Knowing Jesus is God's Messiah is one thing. Following Jesus as our Lord is quite another. Getting our minds, hearts, and lives to all line up is always a challenge. Once Jesus' disciples confessed him as the Christ, he knew he had to teach them the real road to glory. Each of the Gospels reminds us that this road led to the cross of agony before it led to the crown of glory.

 The early church captured it in a song that reminded them that they, too, must walk that same road (see Philippians 2:5-11). We are a heaven-bound people, but we can be sure that we will encounter potholes and bumps along the road and even steep hills to climb as Satan tries to derail and defeat us. Our Savior, however, has already walked this road, and he is our great reminder that the path leads us to share in his glory, too.

Servant to Corruption

Luke 8:26-29

They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee.   When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs.   When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me,  Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg you, don’t torture me!”   

For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.

John 8:34

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

Acts 8:23

For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

[Message No: 8004]