Help or Hindrance

Introduction:

Who wants to earn $10? (jump over a dollar game)

expound

Today I’d like to share two unique passages of Scripture that involve the same man, but in two totally different lights. In one of the passages, he hinders God’s purposes. In the other, he helps it. Today I want you to think about which one describes your life.

Prayer

Scripture:

Matthew 16:21–23 CSB

From then on Jesus began to point out to his disciples that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, “Oh no, Lord! This will never happen to you!” Jesus turned and told Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns but human concerns.”

Acts 11:15–17 CSB

“As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came down on them, just as on us at the beginning. I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If, then, God gave them the same gift that he also gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I possibly hinder God?”

Context:

Matthew 16:21-23 - Peter just confessed that Jesus is Messiah

Acts 11:15-17 - Peter, now leading the charge in spreading the gospel

Main Point: “Every single aspect of your life is either helping God’s purposes or hindering God’s purposes.”

expound on why I wanted to share this topic

The big question, we must ask is, “how can we know which one describes us?”

We’re going to answer by looking at the two examples of Peter

First Point: Peter as a hindrance to God’s purposes

What do you think of when you think of the term, “hindrance?” What does that mean?

Dictionary definition: “a thing that provides resistance, delay, or obstruction to something or someone.”

Like a speed bump (Antigua to BV illustration) - God’s purposes are still going to happen - expound

Again… I don’t want to suggest that we can stop God - we most definitely cannot - we can, however become a stumbling block for ourselves and those around us

The Greek word for hindrance is “skandalon” - what does that sound like? scandalous right?

Literally translate to mean “trap” or “stick trap”

Alone illustration - we essentially build a stick trap for ourselves

The root word for skandalon is “kampto”

It literally means “to bow”

We are either bowing to God or we are bowing to the enemy - these are the only two options

That’s why Jesus responds so harshly - He called Peter Satan for bowing to the enemy and putting his own desires above Gods

expound

Now… here is the encouragement - this is where Peter was, but not where Peter ended up

Second Point: Peter as a help to God’s purposes

Acts 11 is a huge transition passage in Scripture

Jesus already died, rose, ascended, and made His purpose crystal clear

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.””

God’s purpose is for people to know His name and worship Him from all nations

People from Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria already had heard - but Peter now ushers in the gospel to the Gentiles - the uttermost parts of the world

expound on why this was difficult

Acts 11:16-17 “I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If, then, God gave them the same gift that he also gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I possibly hinder God?””

Peter went from a place of hindering God’s purpose to helping God’s purpose - which leaves us with one final big question, “how?”

Third Point: What changed for Peter can change for you

A lot changed for Peter, but I want to highlight a couple things

Look at Jesus response to Peter’s hindrance later in Matthew 16:24-26 “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it. For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life?”

The only way to not hinder Jesus is to follow Jesus - expound

To follow Jesus means to deny ourselves and what we want - and instead seek what God wants

Matthew 16:23 “You are a hindrance to me because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns but human concerns.””

Acts 11:17 “...how could I possibly hinder God?””

Peter changed his focus from His concerns to God’s concerns - but what allowed him to do this?

Peter had an encounter with the risen King - Jesus

And you can today too...