Matthew 16:21-28 "Being Mindful of the Things of God"

Matthew 16:21-28 "Being Mindful of the Things of God" Marc Transparenti / General The King's Road of Preparation / Mt 16:21-23 Good Morning Calvary Chapel Lake City! • Parents you may dismiss your kids! • If you don't have a Bible... • As a reminder, we are gathering on Friday's at 7pm for "Campfire Worship"...a time to pray, worship, share testimonies and fellowship. I hope you can join us this Friday! • If you are new to Calvary Chapel...I'm Pastor Marc, welcome! ------------------------------------------------------ Please turn in your Bibles to Matthew 16, we pick up in verse 21 today. Over the past couple weeks, we have been studying profound questions and statements of Jesus as He took His disciples some 30 miles north of the Sea of Galilee to Caesarea Philippi....an area known for pagan worship. In that area stood the Grotto of Pan, which possibly, could have been the backdrop when Jesus asked: • "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" Peter had a spiritual revelation and accurately responded, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." • Jesus complimented Peter... "You are Petros [a boulder of a man], and on the petra [this large mass of rock...this bedrock...Jesus Himself], I will build My church, and the gates of Hades [all the powers of hell] shall not prevail against it." Jesus indeed built His church, and despite many attempts over the ages to stop or dilute the church...persecutions, the church/state union, birds infiltrating the church...even today as many Pastors preach social issues versus teaching the Bible...even still... "the gates of hell shall not prevail." There will always be a remnant of true believers. And, 'the gates of hell'..."the powers of death shall not prevail" against any believer individually. The church is the people of Jesus Christ, and death is not our end. • 1 Cor 15:20-22 states, "But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive." • Jesus set forth the model of what happens at physical death...as the believer dies, he or she is made alive eternally...given a glorified body. • The gates of hell...the powers of death will not prevail against the church at large, nor against each believer personally. • It takes faith to believe these words....to trust God's plan... • Faith and trust, not doubting is a struggle that all people face at various times. And, we will see this struggle true with Peter, as Jesus prophecies of God's plan to redeem mankind, and Jesus' response as He prepares His disciples for true discipleship. The title of today's message is, "Being Mindful of the Things of God." Let's pray! Matt 16:21 "From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day." 1. In V21, we observe several interesting words and phrases... a. "From that time..." These words indicates a turning point. We see this phrase 5x in the New Testament and putting these 5 turning points together tell us the story of Jesus' ministry... i. In Matt 4:17 Jesus begins His ministry, "From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." ii. In Jn 6:66 Jesus' teaching that He is the bread of life is too much and He is rejected by many disciples, "From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more." iii. In Matt 16:21 Jesus prepares His disciples for His death and resurrection. iv. In Matt 26:16 Judas treacherously betrays Jesus, "So from that time he [Judas] sought opportunity to betray Him [Jesus]." v. And, in Heb 10:12 Jesus victoriously triumphs over sin redeeming mankind and waits for His future kingdom, "But this Man [Jesus], after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting [Jesus today is waiting] till His enemies are made His footstool." 1. That's the story of Jesus seen in the "from that time" phrases. Jesus began His ministry, was rejected, prepared His disciples, was betrayed by Judas, and in death defeated sin, sat down at the right hand of God, and presently waits till His enemies are made His footstool. a. Amen! 2. Some of you may be wondering why does He presently wait? 2 Pet 3:8-10 tells us..."But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. [Time in light of eternity is nothing]. The Lord is not slack [slow/delayed] concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night... a. He waits because He is patient...if you don't know Him...He waits for you. But, He won't wait forever. He is coming back! If you don't know Him...don't wait. The rest of us say, "Maranatha"... 'Lord come!' b. Matthew continues, "From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples..." i. "Jesus began to show..." ...indicating that Jesus had this conversation about His passion, death and resurrection repeatedly. This was the beginning of a conversation that would continue... ii. "Jesus began to show..." To show indicates Jesus is speaking plainly and unveiled...it is equivalent to the phrase in the parallel account Mark 8:32, "He spoke this word openly." 1. Previously, Jesus spoke to His disciples with allusions of His death such as... a. "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." John 2:19 b. "...as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up..." John 3:14 c. "...the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away..." Matt 9:15 d. "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Matt 12:40 2. Many allusions... c. But, now... Jesus speaks openly and the statement is very clear... "He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day." No allusions. i. Today, God speaks to us in various ways as well. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Heb 13:8 1. God may speak to you in a veiled way...causing you to search for the deeper meaning. 2. God may be completely silent...indicating you should wait until He speaks. 3. God may say, "No" perhaps as people speak truth in love, even when you don't want to hear it. 4. God may speak as you are reading His word and a verse will jump off the page. Or, maybe you will hear the same verse repeatedly throughout the day or week. 5. God can come in a dream, in a vision, He can send an angel,.... 6. And, sometimes, God will stop you dead in your tracks with His still small voice. It's that whisper in your mind guiding you to holiness...steering you in the right direction. a. Many people deny this voice. Rom 1:18-21 accounts for this, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened." i. Those people not only deny His voice, but they deny Him altogether...completely shutting Him out. b. Paul warned Timothy that even amongst believers this will become the case...1 Tim 4:1-2 "Now the Spirit expressly say that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron..." i. They will sear Gk. kaustēriazō, "to brand, to cauterize." What happens when nerve endings are cauterized? They become numb. 1. One method of the "ablation" medical procedure is cauterizing nerves that are causing pain...so that nerve will stop sending pain signals to the brain. a. When you sin, the Holy Spirit is just like the nerve...sending messages of conviction...you feel these convictions in your gut and hear them in your brain. And, if you love sin, these messages are painful, because truth...even in love...hurts. b. And, people indeed love sin...Jn 3:19 states "...men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil..." That's the sad state of mankind...an agape form of love for sin. 2. The person who self-sacrificially loves their sin, and suppresses truth in unrighteousness... will in time cauterize their conscience so those painful messages are blocked. a. They will no longer hear the still small voice of God, and their foolish hearts will be darkened...and they become agents of darkness. b. Don't be a fool. Ps 53:1 "The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." ii. Hear His voice and obey. James 1:22 states, "...be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." iii. Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." Jn 10:27 1. When your Shepherd speaks to you... hear Him, and follow Him. 2. Jesus said, "I know them, and they follow Me." Does He know you? Are you following Him? Are you a doer of the word? Are you mindful of the things of God? 3. If you are, praise God that He is speaking to you and showing you, just as He showed the disciples. iv. Back to Matthew. d. Notice also in V21 that Jesus says He "must go" to Jerusalem...similar to when "He needed to go through Samaria." John 4:4 i. Not out of compulsion or self-determination, but out of obedience to the Father's will. In Samaria, Jesus said, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work." John 4:34 1. Jesus was fully one with the Father, but Jesus also submitted to the Father's will. How much more important for us to submit to the Father's will? e. And, the reason Jesus "must go to Jerusalem" is to "suffer many things [beatings while blind folded, mockings, being spit upon] from the elders and chief priests and scribes [these were the key Jewish religious leader who made up the Jewish High Council...the Sanhedrin...the people who knew the scriptures, but denied their Messiah], and be killed [a very strong word in Gk...meaning "to slay"...a murderous death by the most brutal method- crucifixion], and be raised the third day [resurrection]. i. This is a lot to take in! Let me remind you, this is on the tail end of Jesus taking His disciples to Caesarea Philippi where Jesus said, "...on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." ii. And, now He is saying He is going to suffer, die, and rise again. And, out of His death...the church was birthed. 1. Still, for the disciples, in this moment... How do you respond to Jesus' statements? No one is brutally tortured, killed and then comes back to life. All this was too much for the disciples to grasp. iii. Even post-resurrection, with testimonies that He was raised again... Thomas still couldn't believe without some tangible proof. So, Jesus appeared to Thomas... and we read in Jn 20:27-29 "Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." 28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" [Amen...no one dies like Jesus died and rises again unless they are God]. 29 Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." 1. At some point in your life it will be difficult to comprehend Jesus. His teachings through scripture may leave you perplexed...His leading in your life...a calling may be difficult to comprehend... It may not add up, and you may fight against it, disagree with Him, run from Him, even doubt or deny Him. a. Jesus said, "Do not be unbelieving, but believing." b. 2 Cor 5:7 "For we walk by faith, not by sight." c. You can't add faith up on a calculator. It doesn't compute. When God called me to quit my successful insurance career and go to Bible College...at age 35...father of 4 kids...to move away from family...to move from Maryland to California...it didn't compute. We had to take a step of faith. We didn't know how God was going to work things out...But, we believed, and He was with us every step of the way. i. I remember when we arrived in California we were having trouble finding a home to rent. We applied to rent, and doors were closing. We didn't know what we were going to do...where we were going to live. 1. As we looked, we stayed at a church in Lake Arrowhead / SoCal ...a few days...a friend put us up in a hotel a few days... 2. One day...Amanda and I were at a park in Murrieta... letting our kids play, and we looked at each other and said, "We're officially homeless." But, there wasn't panic...there was peace. We knew God was going to work it out. ii. I remember looking at homes to rent... Amanda, almost prophetically, said several times, "I just want to rent from someone who is excited about what God is doing." It turned out the only couple that were excited and ultimately rented to us were Aahzi and Moji...a Muslim couple. A Muslim couple who we were able to witness to on several occasions. d. We walk by faith, not by sight. e. And the Apostles would all get there, but at this time Jesus' statements about His suffering, death, and resurrection...it was just too much. So, Peter responds... Matt 16:22 "Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" 1. I truly think Peter had good intentions here. He loved Jesus, and the thought of a brutal and murderous death at the hands of the religious leaders is not something he can accept. I'm not even sure he heard Jesus say He would be resurrected, because Peter doesn't acknowledge the resurrection...He only rebukes the suffering and death. a. Have you ever had a friend who encourages you the best they know how? But, you know their encouragement is counter to God's call on your life? i. When we were in the Philippines, I would send out newsletters once a month, or so, and occasionally my Dad's late cousin, Romie, would send a response back "encouraging" us to come home... 1. One time he wrote warning us about all the terrorist attacks in the Philippines and that we should come home. Another time he wrote about a woman who were helping medically and that she would soon be in a better place, so we should come home [she is still alive to this day...he was definitely wrong there]... 2. But one of my favorites was when there was a new Filipino President...Duterte (who is rather unhinged)...Romie wrote (in all Caps...), "GET THE H*** OUT OF THERE...THAT MAN IS CRAZY AND JUST MIGHT DECIDE TO RID HIMSELF OF ALL CHRISTIANS. YOU'RE NO GOOD TO EITHER MAN OR GOD WHEN YOU'RE DEAD... WE HAVE ENOUGH MARTYRS ...... COME HOME!!!! [4 explanation points] AND SAVE YOURSELF TO SAVE OTHERS!!!~!!!" [6 explanation points] 3. To say the lease, these were not the most encouraging email responses to our newsletters. Romie had good intentions...his method could use some polishing...but, in his own way, he was expressing that he didn't want harm to befall our family... a. But, what was God's will? That's where we wanted to be centered. We were not making decisions based on human logic, nor human fear. We were waiting on the Lord and being led by Him... b. So, Peter may have had good intentions, but like Romie, his advice centered on human logic and human fear...it was of the flesh and not of the Spirit. c. Jesus said to Peter, "you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." i. 'Peter, you're not understanding...you're not wise to the things of God, but the things of men." ii. The NASB states, "you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's." iii. God was interested in redeeming mankind from sin eternally, and this would take a perfect, sinless sacrifice. Peter's thoughts were temporal...he didn't want his Lord to die. Peter couldn't bear the thought. 2. And, despite good intentions, Peter is grossly in error here. Not so long ago, Peter confessed, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." a. And, now He is going to take Messiah God aside and rebuke Him? A rebuke is a sharp charge, warning or forbidding. Peter doesn't have the knowledge or authority to speak to Jesus about these eternal matters. He's out of his lane. 3. Interesting, Peter takes Jesus aside... a private conversation...one-on-one...man-to-man...truly man-to-God, and I love this detail in Mark 8:33 "But when He [Jesus] had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan!" a. Peter takes Jesus aside, and before Jesus sets Peter straight, Jesus turns around and looks at His disciples... b. What was this look? i. Was this a look like, "unbelievable?!" Did Jesus roll His eyes here? What was the look?!? ii. Was this an "Oh no...them are fighting words" look? Or, was it something else? iii. I would love to have seen Jesus' non-verbals here to get the full picture. 4. Peter took Jesus aside privately, but in V23, Jesus now rebukes Peter openly by telling him... Matt 16:23 "But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." 1. Peter was an offense to Jesus. "Offense" Gk. skandalŏn by def. "a snare, a stumblingblock, a hindrance, an offense." (root word for our English word 'scandal'). a. Peter was a stumblingblock to Jesus because he was not mindful of the things of God...Peter was thinking in human terms...his thoughts were counter to the divine will of God. Just as Satan was always counter to God's will...thus the rebuke, "Get behind Me, Satan!" 2. Now, what does Jesus mean by, "Get behind Me, Satan!" a. Is Jesus calling Peter Satan? Or, is Jesus saying Peter is possessed by Satan? No...not specifically...more-so Jesus is rebuking the influence of Satan. b. By definition, Satan in Gk. Satanas literally means "adversary." In Hebrew, sâṭân by def. means "to oppose, obstruct, or accuse." i. And, at various times in the Bible this word is used to describe a human opponent. ii. 1 Kgs 5:4... King Solomon spoke about being able to build the temple because there was no "adversary" or sâṭân... Solomon said, "But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary [sâṭân] nor evil occurrence." iii. In 2 Sam 19:22...King David uses the same word to speak about Abishai as an adversary or opponent. c. And, in this moment with Peter has become a human opponent to Jesus... Peter is telling Jesus the Cross will not happen to Him. i. "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" 'Save Yourself!' ii. Peter's message to Jesus was just like that email I received from Romie. "YOU'RE NO GOOD TO EITHER MAN OR GOD WHEN YOU'RE DEAD... WE HAVE ENOUGH MARTYRS ...... COME HOME!!!! AND SAVE YOURSELF TO SAVE OTHERS!!!" iii. It would have been conceptually appropriate (though relationally offensive) if I wrote back to Romie, "Get behind me Satan!" 1. Anyone speaking from the flesh and against God's will is heralding the message from the enemy...even if they are doing it unknowingly. d. Peter's message was similar to Satan's third temptation, in Matt 4:8-10 "Again, the devil took Him [Jesus] up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me."10 Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! [Get behind Me, Satan!] For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.' " i. Satan tempted by offering Him all the kingdoms of the world...bypassing the cross. Definitely not God's will. ii. The easy road is often not God's road. In Matt 7:14 Jesus said, "Because narrow is the gate and... difficult is the way... which leads to life, and there are few who find it." iii. And, that is a great segue to V24...If you want to be mindful of the things of God...pay attention... Matt 16:24 "Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." 1. Notice... "Jesus said to His disciples"...His pupils or learners. If you consider yourself a student of Jesus, this message is for you. 2. "If" - if is conditional...you do -or- you don't. If you desire to come after Me...if it is your will...your wish...your heart's desire to be His disciple, Jesus lays out the mark of a true disciple by these three things: Deny yourself...take up your cross and follow Him. a. Deny yourself- this means to forget one's self, lose sight of one's self and one's own interests. This is deeper than self-denial...this is total surrender of one's life to God. Simple right? Have I lost anyone thus far? i. I'm not sure what prosperity doctrine teachers do with verses like this. ...they probably skip them. b. Take up his cross- This does not mean to buy a cross necklace and flaunt it. The cross was the electric chair...lethal injection...only 100x worse. This is a death sentence. If you want to be Jesus' disciple, you must die. i. It is not God's will to avoid the cross. It was not the Father's will for His Son to avoid the cross, and it is not His will for you. ii. For disciples in persecuted countries, the perception of this verse is very literal. iii. One scholar wrote, "In the Roman Empire a convicted criminal, when taken to be crucified, was forced to carry his own cross. This showed publicly that he was then under and submissive to the rule he had been opposing. Likewise Jesus' disciples must demonstrate their submission to the One against whom they had rebelled." -BKC iv. And, that's the heart of this phrase "take up your cross"...it means submission to Jesus. And, submitting to Jesus means to die to sin, to self and to the world. 1. Don't live carnally. Tear down high places. Are their things you love more than God? Tear them down and live for the living God. 2. Col 3:2-10 reads, "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. 5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him..." c. Lastly, Jesus says, "Follow Me."- This is dedication. Don't follow your career, money, and nest egg. Don't follow your favorite sports team. Don't follow what's happening on social media. Be aware of these things...enjoy these things, but follow Jesus...be dedicated to Jesus. i. If you are following a leader, you are walking after or pursuing that person. Are you following Jesus? Are you pursuing Him or is He is the rear view mirror? 1. Deut 6:4-9 states, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." a. That's a follower of Jesus. 2. Ps 1:1-2 states, "Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night." a. That's a follower of Jesus. 3. Pro 31:30 states, "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears [reveres] the LORD, she shall be praised." a. That's a follower of Jesus. ii. Surrender, Submission, and Dedication. Those are marks Jesus' true disciples. 3. In V25, Jesus makes a few paradoxical statements... Matt 16:25 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." 1. If your will is to live for your life, your will, your dreams, your passions...if it's all about you...is there room for God in your heart? a. The phrase "selfish ambition" is used 4x in the NT...all in the negative...twice paired in a list of sinful behaviors. b. If you want to save your physical life and preserve your will... and shut God out...in eternity He will honor that, but eternity will consist of eternal separation from God...eternal death. c. But, in this lifetime...these vapor of 70 some years...if you sacrifice your life...if you turn your life over to God...surrender to Jesus...if you live for the Spirit now...losing your life for Jesus's sake...you will find eternal life. d. Life and death in God's economy goes way beyond physical life and death...eternity is the big picture. If all you think about is this lifetime, you're a small picture thinker. e. Lose your life for Jesus and find it now and eternally. 2. And, then Jesus poses twin rhetorical questions...V26 Matt 16:26 "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" 1. "What profit is it?" There's no profit. If you gain all in this lifetime, but lose all in eternity...that's a bad deal. a. There is a saying, "You can't take it with you." All the wealth you amass in this lifetime, doesn't travel with you into eternity. Egyptians believed it did, but they were wrong. It belongs to museums. i. In Ecc 2:18, Solomon wrote, "Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me." ii. Remember the Parable of the Rich Fool in Luke 12 who thought he'd just kick back and live for himself after he amassed wealth? God said, "'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'" 1. The wealth would be someone else's. Imagine if that man lived for God? Using unrighteous mammon for God's glory? Storing up treasures in heaven. Gaining eternal rewards. Crowns of righteousness. 2. The second question is, "What will a man give in exchange for his soul?" All the treasures of the world. a. Do you remember how desperate the rich man was as he was tormented by flame in hell? Even a drop of water from Lazarus seemed amazing to him. 3. The word "soul" in this verse, is the same word as the word "life" in V25. The word in Gk. is psychē (psoo-khay; same as and spelled like the psychology term "psyche."). By def. "breath" as in the 'breath of life.' But also, the soul... "the seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions...the rational and immortal soul." a. We are all a trinity...body, soul and spirit. The soul and spirit are eternal...and are not worth trading for the physical. 4. And, with eternity in mind, Jesus continues... Matt 16:27-28 "For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. 28 Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." 1. Jesus told His disciples of His upcoming suffering, death, and resurrection...and now He speaks of His second coming. a. First suffering, then glory. b. When Jesus comes His second time, He promises judgment... i. The Bema Seat Judgment rewarding the works of believers...those who live for the spirit. ii. And, the Great White Throne Judgment condemning the works of unbelievers...those who live for the physical...the flesh. iii. "He will reward each according to his works." 2. V28 is an enigmatic verse and highly debated. a. Contextually, appears that this could be looking forward to Matt 17 where Peter, James, and John get a glimpse of Jesus' glory at the Transfiguration. b. But this may also be a more general statement of all the various ways Jesus' disciples would see the kingdom coming after Jesus' resurrection and ascension...the miracles of the early church in the Book of Acts, and how the gates of Hades would not prevail against the church. c. But, within the context today, (and we will wrap up here), I like how Calvary Chapel Pastor- David Guzik interprets V28. He said, "Walking with Jesus doesn't just mean a life of death and crosses. It also means a life of the power and glory of the kingdom of God. Jesus promised some of His disciples glimpses of that power and glory." Let's pray! Jesus is honest about the expectations of true discipleship...and He extends promises of blessing and reward to those who faithfully follow Him. If you are here today, and you believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, but as you reflect on these verses today... you know there is a disconnect. You're not that man in Psalm 1 or that woman in Pro 31. Your life does not reflect a person who is truly mindful of God. If that's you, I'd like to pray for you today. That was me for many years, and God changed my heart. We serve a big God that loves you and wants to empower you to live as a true disciple...as one who is mindful of the things of God. Page . Exported from Logos Bible Software, 9:37 PM July 10, 2021.