Image from agnusday.org
Hear the devotional read here: https://bit.ly/2EsQFP8
21 Then Jesus made it clear to his disciples that it was now necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, submit to an ordeal of suffering at the hands of the religious leaders, be killed, and then on the third day be raised up alive. 22 Peter took him in hand, protesting, "Impossible, Master! That can never be!" 23 But Jesus didn't swerve. "Peter, get out of my way. Satan, get lost. You have no idea how God works." 24 Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. 25 Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. 26 What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for? 27 "Don't be in such a hurry to go into business for yourself. Before you know it the Son of Man will arrive with all the splendor of his Father, accompanied by an army of angels. You'll get everything you have coming to you, a personal gift. 28 This isn't pie in the sky by and by. Some of you standing here are going to see it take place, see the Son of Man in kingdom glory." (Matthew 16:21-28 The Message)
May a marvelous Monday be yours, dear Friend! May all of God's blessings surprise us all with His love and peace!
Few among us are those who take bad news in a good way. The disciples were no exception. News from Jesus about His upcoming death were met with normal human responses, with Peter being the one to voice what everyone else was feeling; "Impossible, Master! That can never be!" The traditional response from Jesus, from other versions, reads, "Get thee behind me, Satan!" (Much like many of us say to chocolate cake, and it does!). This modern version has Jesus saying, "Peter, get out of my way. Satan, get lost. You have no idea how God works." Indeed. Peter voiced his anger/fear much like we do. Jesus counters with the truth; because we do not know how God works, we usually say things we don't really mean. Here, as the sheep above said, we find Peter, who last Sunday was called the Rock on which the Church would be built, is now ranked right there with Satan. In a very real sense, from hero to zero. Have you been here before?
The disciples then heard Jesus speak to them as well. "If you're in this for the long haul, and you're truly committed to my work, then let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am." How true that is for most people that know how to drive. One of the first times I felt that was when I flew in an airplane for the first time in my life. The scariest thing was that I had absolutely no control on the direction, speed, altitude, etc. of that plane. And I feel the same thing every time I strap myself into a roller coaster. And I also think back to when I taught three of our daughters how to drive and the thing I kept saying or thinking, "If I only had a brake!" Peter voiced that in his own way, but reflected what the other 11 were thinking, "Let's put the brakes on this ride called death of our leader!" Hear the next words of Jesus, "Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self." One of the things that I have noticed through the years is that self-help continues to be a best-selling topic in books; the notion is that if we know what to say to ourselves and at the right time, all will be right with us. Jesus counters by saying to find our true self we have to deny ourselves and embrace self-sacrifice, the kind that hurts, and hurts bad. He was, after all, preparing for the most painful death of all, death on a cross for a majority of people that would not care at all. And, right next to the self-help section is the genre of getting rich. Jesus to this said, "What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for? Many have tried, and legend says some have in fact, sold their souls for temporal gain, only to find they missed out on the things that really matter, the eternal things of God.
Jesus ends this passage with His words on what would come soon; Himself, "with all the splendor of His Father, accompanied by an army of angels. You'll get everything you have coming to you, a personal gift." And that gift is eternal life. Jesus even said to His disciples that "Some of you standing here are going to see it take place, see the Son of Man in Kingdom glory."
Friends, we have heard the gospel message. The things that really matter are discounted by the world; the things of God are laughed at by those who do not know God nor His love. You and I know, or should know. better. The things of God may not matter to some now, but the day is coming when those who have walked away or rejected Him will cry out in hopes of getting in. Just today I heard a preacher say their sign for this week in front of their church read, "Pray like the Third Monkey on the Ark!"
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we have heard You speak Your truth through Your Son, Jesus in this passage; may what we have heard serve us in a mighty way of being obedient and faithful. Bless the needs we bring in our hearts and minds, and in all things be glorified; this we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Live a life that is a sermon to someone who needs to hear it.
Receive my blessings of joy and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
