Pentecost 14a

Intro

I lost a job once. I was working in a factory and i kept trying to anticipate my supoervisors needs and get ahead of what she wanted, among other things, She hated my initiative, then she hated me, then she showed me the door. Dont worry Peter, I get it, trying to do the right thing and making problems…at least you get to keep your job.

The Text

Matthew 16:21–26 “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.

So last week Jesus is celebrating Peter for the revelation that Jesus is the Son of God, Messiah or anointed one in the Line of anointed king David. So what will become of our anointed king and is entourage. Will they all get great jobs in the new Davidic Kingdom. Peter you get to be Cheif of staff, John and James secretaries of Defense and state. Judas will give you something without a lot of responsibility, and well the Vice presidents dont do much until they have too. And Thomas, you are skeptical and investigative, CIA director. The conquering kind and his staff…

Well actually…the political center from where a king reigns will become the place where I am executed, its leadership, and not just killed but to suffer.

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

Now Peter is having a good day. He was just celebrated for the divine insights he was given. He was given a place of leadership in the group. He is feeling pretty good, and its time to take this new Role of Rock of the church out for a spin. Jesus, this is not gonna happen, this is not how power is exercised, not to mention you dying does nothing for our prospects of political leadership in this new kingdom…so we are thinking a hard pass on suffering and dying.

Now one thing I will note is that Peter does not do this rebuke publically and there is something to that. I think in leadership and friendship waiting for the right moment matters. Yes sometimes people need to see you deal with a situation in public, but often people are more receptive if you can remove the sting of public embarrassment.

So what kind of reception will Peters wise words and wise tactic get?

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.”

Not what he was thinking was going to happen next. Get behind me satan.

Now first of all, the word Satan means opposer or adversary. We are not saying Peter is the great Satan cast into the lake of fire at the end of scripture, we are saying he is doing the opposers work for him. He is a stumbling block for Jesus. Jesus has some truly human feelings about going to the cross. He will be the perfect man for doing God’s bidding even though it has the worst consequence. But he will also sweat blood. And Peter is offering a Triumphal alternative where the king of the universe can have a Royal reception, just like Satan in the dessert offers. So he rebukes the stumbling block.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.

The cross was Rome's un-human-ing tool. It did not merely kill you; it stripped you of dignity, exposed you to shame, and displayed you as defeated and powerless. And Jesus says, “Take up your cross and follow me.” Following Jesus will sometimes put our loyalties against the powers and priorities of this world. Jesus does not promise us cushy political power. He does not promise that following him will secure our comfort, reputation, influence, or success. He gives us a cross. Our allegiance is first to a King whose throne looked like an instrument of execution and whose crown was made of thorns.

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it.

It is interesting the research being done on retired folks. They break into two categories, the ones who see themselves as already having invested in the future generations, kids, nephews, mentoring, and from there circle the wagons and spend retirement in self gratification ofter report discouragement on the state of things and a lack of satisfaction. And those who spend retirement building up the next generation are far more optimistic and satisfied by what is going on in the world. Evey time one of you tell me a story of watching grandkids while a kid is at work, or so they can have date nite, I smile. You know the joy of giving family every chance to thrive even after you are gone. It fits the model Jesus give us, setting aside self means finding our selves.

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?”

Applications

Following Jesus is not going to bring you greatness and fame on its own. Yes there are famous saints, Martin Luther, Billy Graham, Deitrick Bonhoffer, These men did not set out for Glory, all of them walked through hardship. Maybe one of us in hear is secretly famous, but the truth is that none of us will get Dolly Parton press when we die. One Theologian said his goal in like was to preach the Gospel, then die , then be forgotten. It is okay if you spiritual journey has led to small faithfulness that has gone unnoticed, years on the missions board, the trustees, youth volunteer. At the end of all things you will stand before Jesus and he, the most popular thing in the whole universe will say before every one, “well done good and faithful servant.” he will say it not because you are great, but he is great, and by faith you are now seen as one of his. The small Christian life is the glory of God.

Isaiah, confessing the sin of Israel, says that even their righteous acts had become like filthy rags. And Peter shows us something similar here. Sometimes we can set out to do something with the noblest of intentions and discover that we are actually opposing God. Peter is trying to save Jesus! What could be more noble than that? And Jesus says, “Get behind me, Satan.” That is why our confidence before God cannot rest in our greatest moments or our best works. Faith is what makes us right with God because faith receives what Christ has done for us. And even our worst moments reveal the greatness of God's mercy. Even there, Christ has not ceased to be our Savior.

The theology of Glory, in a Lutheran view. Our tradition reminds us that Jesus most glorious act was the defeat of sin and death not by violently suppressing it, but allowing the violence of the cross to pour our on him, tried in injustice, beaten mercilously, dressed like a king and mocked. Carries his cross, hand and feet peirced, a spear in his side. He wears a crown, not of jewels, but of thorns. You may choose to bow before kings, you may choose to pay homage to the rulers of our day. Homage will be for him that wears a crown of thorns. (walk to back of the sanctuary, and prostrate before the crown of thorns…let silence drag).

Conclusion

Friends, remember how the prediction began. It does not end with Jesus dead. Jesus said that he would suffer, that he would be killed—and that on the third day he would be raised. The resurrection is not merely proof that the cross worked. It is the beginning of the new creation. Paul calls Jesus the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. Because he lives forever, so will we. Because the Crucified One has been raised bodily, these bodies will be raised. His glory will become our glory.His glory will be our glory. And this king with his crown of thorns will have a wedding feast as he brings the church to himself. The great banquet at the end of all things. Today we are going to fortaste that banquet. We are going to eat at his table, this rich food, his body and his blood, broken for us shed for us. Come to the table sit with the king.