Matthew 16, Part 3
Notes
Transcript
If we remember back to last week, Jesus has been asked to perform miracles so that the Pharisees and Sadducees could bring charges against Him. His response was for them to beware of the leavening - the sin that had crept into the temple THROUGH the leaders. While the disciples were thinking of the bread that had been fed to the multitudes, Jesus was describing something totally different. Not to beware of bread but the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Shortly after, Jesus asked the disciples who the people thought He was, and then directly who the disciples thought He was. Again Jesus is asking for their undivided spiritual attention. He wanted them to understand who He was, and who had sent Him. And Peter…dear old Peter… You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Why would Jesus ask these questions? As a way to prepare the disciples for what was to come - Him upcoming death, burial, and most importantly resurrection. But Jesus implored them to tell no one that He was Christ. Again, His time had not yet come for this revealing. It should be a natural drawing, a spiritual awakening, that drew people to understand who He was NOT some chaos like an Elvis sighting.
As Jesus and the disciples move forward from this point, their relationship changes. Jesus’ motivation stays the same, but becomes more intense. He knows His time is drawing near and He must teach them all He can before then.
Jesus Tells of Death and Resurrection
Jesus Tells of Death and Resurrection
21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”
23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
Jesus’ mission never changed, but His urgency did. He bore down on what He had to do from that time forward. Discussed with them the type of hardship and suffering he would have to endure. All coming from the church leadership. Never had anything like this happened, history would be made, the leaders were going to see that God’s own Son was put to death.
This was not new to the disciples, as Jesus had been telling them all along that He would have to die but would be resurrected. Like many of us, I think we hear those words, but don’t understand fully. The disciples were with Jesus daily, they saw the physical man, they were learning what He taught, but they still didn’t fully grasp the idea of what level suffering He, and later on they, would have to endure. But as the time of His death was getting closer, there was a switch in how Jesus was preparing His disciples for His death. He no longer spoke to them in pictures and symbols as he had before.
19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
Now Jesus was speaking in plain words. He would die, and He would be raised again (resurrected) for the sins of the world. He had come NOT to be a conquering warrior, but as a meek and gentle Savior who would suffer for our sins. He wanted then to see through peace, he would bring peace, even to a group of people who hated Him.
He was plainly and clearly articulating to them that the only real way to heaven was through His death, sacrifice, and self-denial and that they were to follow His example. Even with His explanation, the disciples were still slow to grasp what He was saying and truthfully they never would fully understand until after the resurrection.
Why? They hadn’t been there, or done that before. It was a learning experience for them. It wasn’t something they could fully comprehend because they had never been there before. It’s kind of like someone who has studied farming, but never had a plow stuck in the ground turning a furrow. They have head knowledge but no practical knowledge. The disciples did not have practical knowledge of the sacrifice Jesus was making. You see, Jesus’ death required total commitment on His part. He “must go” - this word dei translates to NECESSARY. His death was NECESSARY or REQUIRED so WE might have the opportunity to live.
He had no choice. His death, burial, and resurrection had been set aside by God throughout eternity. His resurrection was also necessary. The thoughts of this brought Peter to the point of defiant anger. He was not rebelling against Jesus, but against the though or idea that God’s Son would be required to die so that the sins of the world could be forgiven.
24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
He impulsively grabbed Jesus “took him” and reprimanded Him. He was taking Him out for a “one on one” man talk. Stop this foolish talk, this can’t happen to you, I (and God) forbid it. In SW Va terms, it ain’t gonna happen. Isn’t it nice to see someone standing up so firmly for Jesus? Except for one small problem…Peter’s way was not God’s way. You see, Peter was wanting Jesus to follow man’s way, and as such was tempting Christ just like Satan had during the 40 days. He had not yet looked at the whole picture and could/did not see the picture of redemption. Such behavior is the way of the world. It is the natural, carnal mind. Man rebels and recoils against the idea of a suffering Savior who had to die for the sins of the world—a Savior who demands the same sacrifice and denial of His followers. Such an idea is unacceptable and repulsive. Yet from the beginning to sin, blood sacrifice was required to cover the stain of sin. From the first animal being killed to clothe Adam and Eve…blood was required. For us to have the opportunity of eternal salvation and for our sins to be washed away completely, never to be seen by God again.
18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
Jesus then rebuked Peter. “Get behind me Satan”. You are being an adversary of the will of God. While this tone may seem harsh, it was necessary. Again, Peter was tempting Jesus in the same manner Jesus had been tempted by Satan. It was a plea of worldliness, and when man’s will tries to supersede God’s will…then he becomes an adversary to God. In essence, what Peter was saying was that he knows what is best; that he is wiser than God. Christ abruptly turned to Peter before Peter could say anything else and stopped him in his tracks. He charged Peter with being Satan, with being under the authority of Satan, with speaking as Satan. He had become as Satan, an adversary to God and God’s plan for His Son and for the salvation of the world.
Death does funny things to us. None of us want to truly dwell on our death. None of us want to contemplate the death of our loved ones. Even though we know it’s coming, unless we tarry until the return of Christ. The thought of God’s Son having to die and shed His blood for the sins of the world was something Peter did not want to think about. But he was thinking in the worldly mindset, and not thinking of the spiritual necessity for Jesus to face death.
Notice who was trying to put Jesus to death. The elders: these were the older and most respected men of a community. The elders were judges of the civil courts and of temporal affairs. The chief priests: these were primarily the leaders among the Sadducees. They held most of the high offices of Jewish government under Roman rule. The chief priests were judges of religious affairs. The Scribes: these were primarily Pharisees who held the teaching positions of the nation. The ones who were religious rulers, educated in scripture, and ones who SHOULD have been able to recognize the Messiah.
What do WE do today that goes against the Will of God? Do we idolize our worship service, song format, translation of scripture, the list can go on and on and on of worldly things we hold tight to that have no eternal value. A better question yet is this, what has Jesus had to look at US for and say “get behind me satan”? Do we need to be reminded that we are not of “THIS” world, and shouldn’t be holding too tightly to things that have no value to God? Because the same commitment Jesus made is required of us today. A total commitment to follow the Will of God.
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
We must fully, wholly, totally commit to God. A person must make the decision to follow Christ. The word would (thelei) means to desire, wish, design, purpose, resolve, determine. It is a deliberate willing, a deliberate choice, a determined resolve to follow Christ. Notice four things Christ points out to the disciples:
A person must deny self. The word deny (aparnesastho) means to disown, disregard, forsake, renounce, reject, refuse, restrain, disclaim, do without. It means to subdue, to disregard one’s self and one’s interest.
A person must take up the cross.
A person must follow Jesus. The word follow (akoloothei) means to be a follower or companion, to be a disciple. It has the idea of seeking to be in union with and in the likeness of. It is following Christ, seeking to be just like Him. Again, this is not a passive behavior but an active commitment and walk. It is energy and effort, action and work. It is going after Christ with zeal and energy, struggling and seeking to follow in His footsteps, no matter the cost
An abandonment of this life saves a person. What does it mean when Scripture says that a person saves his life by losing it and loses his life by finding it? The key is in the words “for my sake.” Christ says that “whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” The person who abandons this life—who sacrifices and gives all that he is and has for Christ—shall save his life. But the person who keeps his life and what he has and seeks more and more of this life, shall lose his life completely and eternally.
A man’s soul is worth more than the whole world. The word soul is the same word translated life (v.25). Christ uses the word life in two senses. There are two stages, two beings, two existences to the same life: the life that exists on this earth and the life that shall exist beyond this life. Once a person (life) is born into this world, he shall exist forever. It is just a matter of where he goes after this world: to be with God or to be apart from God.
No man can gain the whole world, but what if he could? All the pleasure and wealth and power and fame are nothing compared with his soul. There are four primary reasons why the soul is far superior to the things of this earth.
Everything fades and passes away. A person possesses something only for a short time.
Everything cannot be used all at once. Everything sits and remains unused most of the time.
The human soul is eternal. The soul never dies and never ceases to exist. It shall live forever either with God or apart from God.
The human soul is of more value than the whole world.
Once a man has lost his soul, it is lost. It cannot be bought back. The man forfeits and suffers the loss of it forever.
25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?
A day of judgment is coming. When Christ returns, the true value of sacrifice vs. self-satisfaction will be clearly seen. Sacrifice for Christ will be abundantly rewarded; self-satisfaction will be condemned. Man is to be judged according to his works. The word “works” means doing, working, acting. It is not isolated acts, but continuous behavior.
A promise is given—a promise of never having to taste death. Not physical death of this body, but the spiritual separation from our Creator, our Sustainer, our Savior, our God.
Folks, if this does not put things into perspective WHY we need to be active in evangelizing to a lost and dying world, I don’t know what else will. To think, and to KNOW, that those dying without Jesus have lost their SOUL to hell, where:
41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers,
42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Hell is real. It is a conscious torment. Think back to Lazarus and the rich man, where the rich man PLEADS to send Lazarus back to tell his family about this tormentous place called hell - a place of constant torment where :
9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,
But, because of the sacrifice Jesus was willing to make, if we choose Him we have an opportunity for a different eternity.
Matthew 25:46a (ESV)
46 And these will go away into eternal punishment
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Matthew 25:46b (ESV)
46 but the righteous into eternal life.”
Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 1996. Matthew: Chapters 16:13–28:20. Vol. II. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.