Saving by Losing

Mark 8:27-38  (NKJV)

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?”

So they answered, “John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.”

Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him. And He began to teach them the the Son of Man must suffer many things,  and be rejected by the elders & chief priests & scribes,  and be killed, and after three days rise again.  He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.   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.”

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. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, & loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 

 For whoever is ashamed of Me & My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”