Get Thee Behind Me

Peter Rebukes Christ

Matthew 16:21–23 “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.”

Jesus declares his plan to die and rise again

Peter Rebukes Jesus and says that won’t happen

Jesus calls Peter Satan and explains why:

Peter is focused on what he wants rather than what God the Father wanted.

Jesus Teaches about Discipleship

Matthew 16:24 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

A disciple is simply a follower of one’s teaching.

If a person is a follower of Jesus (a Disciple)

If we are to be a disciple of Jesus then we must do what he says.

Deny Himself

We must give up what we want. Peter wanted Jesus to live and not die. Jesus said that he was acting like Satan; putting his desires before the will of God.

Jesus is telling us that in order to be a follower of his we must deny ourselves what we want in order for the will of God to be performed in our lives.

Sacrifice Himself

We must not only deny ourselves what we want in favor of what Christ wants, but we must be willing to sacrifice in order to follow Christ. We must be willing to die to ourselves to follow Christ. Paul said, “I die daily”

Jesus used Peter’s stunning rebuke to teach all of his disciples about what true discipleship looks like. It means we always live for the Lord and what he wants. We do not try to do things our way or have it our way. We are willing to lay down our lives so that the will of God can be accomplished through our lives.

Jesus Teaches about Value

Matthew 16:25–26 “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

If you live your life for yourself then you lose the life that God has for you.

If you live your life for God then you have the best life you could have lived.

Which life has more value? Of course, Jesus was teaching that our lives in the hand of God is more valuable than our lives lived for what we want and desire.

What are you willing to give in order to have the best life you could ever have? In order to have the best life you have to live the life of a disciple. So, your life has more value when lived as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Teaches about Reward

Matthew 16:27–28 “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.”