I CAN RELATE

Many of us have trouble relating to the apostle Paul--he was a bit intense and an overachiever.  But we can relate to Peter, who fluctuated in his faith throughout his early life with Jesus.  In Matthew 16:13-24, we find a couple of episodes illustrating this in Peter's life.

Jesus asks His disciples who people say He is.  They give standard responses of the time--John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or another prophet.  Responses that people still give today when they try to describe Jesus.

Then Jesus asks the important question, "But who do YOU say that I am?"  And that is still a or the important question people in our time must answer.  Because it doesn't matter who others "think" Jesus is, nor who others "believe" Jesus is, if I have not come to terms with the answer for myself.

Peter says, "You are the Christ (Messiah, Anointed One), the Son of the living God."  So he said, "You are the One sent from God but You are also Deity Yourself.

Jesus commends Peter, but tells him that this is not something people just come to; it must be revealed to them by God Himself.  It is a spiritual truth, but given by God not human beings.

Then from verse 21, when Jesus talks about the fact he would die and resurrect, that does not compute with the disciples nor their contemporaries.  They did not see the Messiah as a Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53) but as a conquering hero (Isaiah 9, 11), much like, but even better than King David.

So Peter steps up to the plate again and privately says to Jesus, "Never Lord!  This shall never happen to you."  Peter not only contradicts Jesus statement, he also rebukes the Messiah, the Son of the living God by saying this.

When any of us contradicts or rebukes God and His Son, we are wrong.  Because what God says is always truth.  Remember Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way and the truth and the life."  Go against the truth of God at your own peril, but you are in the wrong--sinning when you do so.

Jesus says that Peter is Satan (or a representative of Satan) and stumbling block to Jesus in this.  He also tells him that THIS statement of Peter's is NOT from God, like his earlier confession was.  He was looking at things from an earthly, limited viewpoint; not from God's perspective and Word.  Messiahs don't get themselves killed--they win battles as they free people.

And I think v. 24 is an important part of this passage also.  "If anyone would come aftyer me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."  Deny self--selfishness and thoughts of your way and earthly ways of thinking; Take up his cross--that was a humiliating instrument way of death and execution--carry it to your death so you can truly follow Jesus and live for Him and with a genuine knowledge of God and God's plan through Jesus.

Peter--from a Rock to Satan--from having something revealed to Him by God Himself to believing something from Satan and worldly ways of thinking.  (They had their prophecy wrong--do you?)  It can all happen so quickly and easily--we are still human and influenced by people more than God.  It is a maturing process.

So who is Jesus to YOU? 
Will you listen to Him or the teachings and philosophies of this earthly world?  In many ways, the lives of believers today are no different from those who do not follow Jesus.  Will you be sucked in to thinking like everyone else or be different and listen to God?

"Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus."  That's the way to prevent being fooled and being found on God's side rather than Satan's side.