Text: Matthew 16:21-28
21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!"
23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." 24. Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. 28 I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."
Prayer:
Lord, let us not be a stumbling block for you, or for anyone else this morning. Help us understand what you have done to save us. Teach us what it means to bear the cross, and follow you. Keep our minds focused on you, and not on the things of this world. Grant us grace as we listen to your word this morning, your Word is truth. Amen.
Part of the 'teacher rescue' life saving course involves simulations of real life emergencies. One situation has an unconscious patient with suspected spinal injury, floating face down in the water. As an added pressure, one of the group gets to act out the role of a "helpful idiot!" Well-meaning, but really a nuisance, especially in a life-and-death situation.
In a few verses, the apostle Peter went from being the rock on which Jesus said he would build his Church, to a helpful idiot. He had just confessed Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus blessed him, and pointed out that God the Father had given him this insight as a special revelation. But today's passage shocks our ears with a sharp rebuke from the Lord. One moment Peter is a splendid example of rock solid faith, the next moment he is linked to God's archenemy, Satan. What happened?
Jesus had begun to explain to his disciples that he had to go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things at the hands of his enemies. He would be killed, and on the third day, be raised to life. There was no other road for the Messiah, because this was the way he would defeat evil, and rescue the lost. This is what had to happen, but Peter didn't think so. He began to rebuke the Lord! Of course he was motivated by deep concern, even love for his Master. But he had no idea what God had planned to do. Jesus' suffering and death were God's way of rescuing an unconscious world, crippled by sin, and floating in a pool of spiritual death. He plunged into our world, denying himself, took up his cross, and gave up his life for us.
Peter didn't understand this. He wanted to stop Jesus: "Never Lord, this should never happen to you!" He meant well, but by trying to avoid the cross, he became an unhelpful idiot, and was getting in the way of God's rescue plan.
"No suffering, please!" This is our human demand. We shrink from pain, we hate the thought of death. To mask these deep and morbid issues, we surround ourselves with more and more entertainment, and keep ourselves busy. Our focus is on the things of this world, as if possessions, achievements, social acclaim or special experiences really matter. Jesus asked his disciples, "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?" He asks us the same question: "What good will it do you, to gain all those things you're working so hard for, if you lose your soul?"
Are you trying to secure yourself? Through money? Property? Family? Health? Jesus did not save himself. He gladly went the way of the cross, which meant pain, ridicule, suffering, and death. Why? To secure us! He lost his life in this world, so that we wouldn't lose ours in the next!
It wasn't only suffering and death that Jesus talked about with his disciples. He also spoke of being raised to life. Romans 6 tells us that when we were baptised, we were buried with Christ into his death, not to stay dead, but to rise with him in newness of life! Jesus has new life to share with us today. But it comes to us in a hidden way, through the simple means of baptism, the Word of forgiveness, and the Lord's Supper. He has promised new life to all who rely on him.
Because he does the saving, we don't have to. We are free to follow him in giving our lives in loving service to God and those around us. We can say 'no' to ourselves, in order to say 'yes' to others. Even if it means giving up certain rights or privileges we think we have earned, or are entitled to. Now this is not easy. We can't do this by ourselves. We need the Spirit of Christ to fill us, and give us a sense of God's immense love and provision. The Holy Spirit will use God's Word to assure us that He has saved us and will keep us secure in this life, and for all eternity. Thus we won't fear the crosses God calls us to bear. We will be able to say with St Paul in 2 Corinthians 4 verses 7 to 11,
"...we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body."When Paul first heard the message of the cross, he rejected it, saying, in effect, "Never, Lord!" But God rescued him. He was baptised, buried with Christ and raised to new life. By grace he was able to say, "Yes, Lord!" to the message of the cross, and to God's call to him, to take up his cross in sacrificial service. In our text, Peter was graciously corrected by Jesus. "Never, Lord!" was changed to "Yes, Lord!" as he went on to proclaim the good news of Jesus' death and resurrection, as the means by which our sins are forgiven, and we are made secure forever.
What about us? Do we say, "never, Lord!" to God's free gift of salvation, bought for us by the cross of Christ? Are we saying "Never, Lord" to his call for us to take up the way of the cross, in selfless, loving service? If we have ever said this, let's receive Christ's rebuke, and then his forgiveness. Then in glad faith, let's respond to his grace, and say, this day and hereafter, "Yes, Lord!" Amen.
The peace of God which is beyond all human understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, Amen.