Our Lives Do Not Always Go According to Our Plans based on Matthew 16:21-28

I. Life does not always go the way we plan.

II. Peter’s plans for Jesus were not working out either. Matthew 16:22 tells us, “22 And Peter took (Jesus) aside and began to rebuke him, saying, ‘Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.’ Peter did not seem to hear the last part of Jesus’ prediction that He would be raised from the dead on the third day. Matthew 16:23 continues, “But (Jesus) 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.’”

III. Thinking about the things of man. Jesus puts things in the form of two important questions in Matthew 16:26, “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?”

IV. Jesus knew that there was a better way for us. Jesus knew about the things of God. Jesus informed His disciples then and now about the things of God, “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” (Matthew 16:21).

V. Thinking about the things of God.

VI. Life as forgiven sons and daughters of God will not always be easy. Matthew 16:24-25 tells us, “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.’”

VII. Even though Christians are not promised a trouble-free life, looking to the things of God is far greater than looking to the things of men. The things of men will come and go. The things of God, such as, love, peace, and joy will last forever. The good news for every person who has been brought to faith in Jesus by God’s Holy Spirit is that Jesus is with us always, to the end of the age. Jesus helps us to serve Him. Jesus forgives us when we fail Him and ask for His pardon. Jesus strengthens us through His Word, the Holy Bible, through our remembering our Baptism, and as we receive the Lord’s Supper in faith. No matter what problems come our way, the good news is that Jesus died for us, was raised for us, ascended to heaven for us, and will return with His holy angels to deliver us once and for all on the Last Day. Amen.