Mark 9:30-32
30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.
Jesus has been dropping hints of what was going to happen to him throughout his three years of ministry with the disciples. On this occasion, after casting out some demon, they were somewhere in Galilee going to Capernaum when Jesus again told the disciples that He would have to be delivered to the hands of men and be crucified. But after three days of his death, He will rise again.
The importance of this statement cannot be overstated. The resurrection of Christ is the central message of the Scripture. All things hold together in Scripture because of the resurrection. If the resurrection did not happen, everything we believe in is a lie.
Jesus had to mention this because He was again redefining to the disciples that the way to lead is to serve and sacrifice. This was the kind of power He would display to his followers. What gets repeated in Scripture means there is something important being said. In fact, in the next verses after this text, the question of who among the disciples is the greatest would occur.
Lord, let me always live out a life that serves people. Just like your life, death and resurrection – I pray that I may be reminded every time that the way you led and the way you are leading is not like the way the world leads. Let me have a heart that serves no matter what.