Going Places Week 4

[INTRODUCTION]

Welcome back to our final week of Going Places. We've been talking about how our friendships, like road trips, are a journey.

What are some takeaways you have from the last month?

What do you remember from this friendship theme?

What are some things that make a good friend?

[TRANSITION]

Jesus and Peter's friendship showed us what it looks like to be honest about what we believe. Just like them, we have to figure out how to move forward even though things might get awkward.

In the story we're about to read, many people were starting to believe that Jesus was sent by God, but others rejected that idea. His relationships were going places, but not always in the most positive direction.

Matthew 16:13–20 (CSB)

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

15 “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus responded, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he gave the disciples orders to tell no one that he was the Messiah.

Jesus took his closest friends to the district of Caesarea Philippi. This area, on the edge of Jewish territory, was quiet, green, and cool. Jesus intentionally chose to slow down and get away from the action of crowds to spend quality time with his friends.

Jesus made the time to have tough conversations with his friends. He asked, "Who do you believe I am?" and Peter answered correctly — Jesus was the Messiah.

Before bringing up this type of question to a friend, sit and think about how you would answer. You may not come up with a definitive answer, but the questions that pop up would be perfect conversation starters with a close friend. Discovering who Jesus is is an important part of your faith.

[TRANSITION]

Jesus' questions didn't end there, and it got a little awkward. Look what happened next.

Matthew 16:21–23 (CSB)

21 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. 22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, “Oh no, Lord! This will never happen to you!”

23 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.”

Jesus endured a lot of grief from the religious leaders of his day, the Pharisees. The way Jesus lived and taught undermined their conviction that keeping meticulous rules was the only way to live faithfully. The Pharisees didn't like Jesus and planned a way to execute him.

Jesus trusted his friends with the knowledge of who he was and his eventual persecution. The revelation was so huge that he swore his friends to secrecy and demanded honesty among the group. Peter had a strong reaction to the reality of Jesus' mission, which evoked an equally intense rebuttal from Jesus.

This conversation is key to who Jesus was. The word "Messiah" means savior, the one who will rescue God's people. This was the person the Jewish people had been waiting for.

Believing Jesus is the Messiah means we believe Jesus died on the cross to free us from everything that separates us from God. We are always putting up barriers between God and us, and Jesus knocks down those barriers.

Through Jesus, God does great work in the world. Because of God's love for us, Jesus died on the cross. When we trust and believe that truth, we can be a part of building God's kingdom here on Earth. When we realize that Jesus has defeated the scariest thing to us, death, we can have hope of a loving and just world.

That was why Jesus reacted so intensely with Peter. Jesus wanted Peter to understand the importance of his suffering and death for our sins. Peter correctly identified Jesus as the Messiah, and this is what saviors do — they save. Perhaps the reality of the inevitability and gruesomeness of Jesus' death was too much for Peter to handle, but Jesus wanted to assure Peter that he was on the right track.

[TRANSITION]

We know this experience impacted Peter in a big way because we read about his reaction in a letter he wrote later to a group of early churches.

1 Peter 3:15–16 (CSB)

15 but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. 16 Yet do this with gentleness and reverence, keeping a clear conscience, so that when you are accused, those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame.

This passage challenges us to be ready to share our stories and have conversations about our beliefs with each other. As Jesus transforms our lives, we want to share that goodness with those around us.

Peter also gave us tips on how to share what we believe and why that's so important. By this point, Peter had probably shared about the confrontation with Jesus a million times. He knew there were ways to share faith in loving and not-so-loving ways.

Sharing your beliefs is important, as is sincerely caring for your friends. We want to show gentleness and respect for the person we're talking to and for the message we're trying to convey.

Don't panic if you get some pushback from your friends. Remember to be gentle in your words and hold respect for the person you're talking to. In this way, we are following Jesus' example that friends aren't afraid to talk about what they believe.