Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay
Today’s Bible Reading:
Genesis 50:1-26; Exodus 1:1-2:10; Matthew 16:13-17:9; Psalm 21:1-13; Proverbs 5:1-6
In one wonderful moment Peter acknowledges Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. In the next Jesus is rebuking him and telling him, “Get behind me Satan.” The conversation that led to this rebuke is one that I never just casually read over and occurs in Matthew 16:21-28. The disciples now recognize Jesus is the Messiah and He begins to tell them that He will go to Jerusalem where He will suffer and die and then be raised up on the third day. It is at this point that Peter jumps in again, “Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.’” Jesus response to Peter is one that requires my close attention.
But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds. (Matthew 16:23-27, emphasis mine)
I cannot be too hard on Peter. I do the same thing. In one moment I call on Him as my Lord and Savior and in the next I cling to my ways instead of God’s, especially when He sets my feet on a road that is difficult. It is not at all surprising that a gospel that promises peace and prosperity and ease is popular, but that is not The Gospel. Jesus says oh so clearly that I must deny myself and take up my cross if I am to be His follower. That is not a life that sounds attractive or easy. And yet, Jesus points out that a self-serving life is not really life at all but ultimately leads to death. Oh, the wonderful paradox that exists in laying down one’s life in this world to gain what God has promised us in the next. Jesus has shown us what it looks like to take up our cross. I pray that He gives me the strength and desire to do so. In His death and resurrection He showed us how in laying down our lives we gain what we can never lose. Death no more has any power over us. Once again I reminded of the importance of daily turning my eyes upon Jesus so the things of earth lose their grip on me and I see the marvelous, matchless light of God’s glory and grace. We sang this praise song yesterday in our worship service and as I type my thoughts this morning I find myself once again singing these words from that song, but with even more conviction than I did yesterday.
One thing I ask and I would seek
To see Your beauty
To find You in the place Your glory dwells
One thing I ask and I would seek
To see Your beauty
To find You in the place Your glory dwells
Better is one day in Your courts
Better is one day in Your house
Better is one day in Your courts
Than thousands elsewhere
But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds. (Matthew 16:23-27, emphasis mine)
I cannot be too hard on Peter. I do the same thing. In one moment I call on Him as my Lord and Savior and in the next I cling to my ways instead of God’s, especially when He sets my feet on a road that is difficult. It is not at all surprising that a gospel that promises peace and prosperity and ease is popular, but that is not The Gospel. Jesus says oh so clearly that I must deny myself and take up my cross if I am to be His follower. That is not a life that sounds attractive or easy. And yet, Jesus points out that a self-serving life is not really life at all but ultimately leads to death. Oh, the wonderful paradox that exists in laying down one’s life in this world to gain what God has promised us in the next. Jesus has shown us what it looks like to take up our cross. I pray that He gives me the strength and desire to do so. In His death and resurrection He showed us how in laying down our lives we gain what we can never lose. Death no more has any power over us. Once again I reminded of the importance of daily turning my eyes upon Jesus so the things of earth lose their grip on me and I see the marvelous, matchless light of God’s glory and grace. We sang this praise song yesterday in our worship service and as I type my thoughts this morning I find myself once again singing these words from that song, but with even more conviction than I did yesterday.
One thing I ask and I would seek
To see Your beauty
To find You in the place Your glory dwells
One thing I ask and I would seek
To see Your beauty
To find You in the place Your glory dwells
Better is one day in Your courts
Better is one day in Your house
Better is one day in Your courts
Than thousands elsewhere
May grace, peace, and mercy abound,
RSS Feed