"Jesus Calls Peter Satan"

Question for you: Has anyone ever call you a derogatory name?  When I was growing up I weighed 90 pounds soaking wet.  I had a small head and my ears seemed enormous.  An older man that often call me “lugs” once said that I look like a car going down the main street with both doors wide open.  “Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.” Ever hear that childhood saying. What derogatory name was forced upon you?  Well today once again we are going hear Jesus label someone with the worst of all derogatory names.   

According to the Gospel of Matthew this is the where Jesus begins to make reference about his journey to Jerusalem and to the Cross.   Jesus makes it very clear that following Him will require making sacrifices in their lives.  Going against what the world teaches is not an easy task folks.   Thus He tells his disciples and all those who would come after them, you must be willing to bear your cross to follow me a message that was also meant for us today.

We know the story but His followers back then would have no idea of what Jesus was really telling them, let alone accepting His words as fact.  In Matthew 16: 21 we hear Jesus tell them: “I must go to Jerusalem and suffer much from the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law. I will be put to death, but three days later I will be raised to life.”

Peter is the first to speak what most likely everyone was thinking and feeling.  “No way Jesus! this cannot happen to you.  We have made plans for the new Kingdom and it doesn’t include you dying before we get there.”  They were looking for a power filled ruler not a humble suffering sacrifice.  In the end, Jesus would willingly give up His human life in compliance with His Fathers will.    Now you think about this folks, Gods will for Jesus and for each and every one of us is the same.   We all must give over our physical body to the dust because it is mortal.  We were meant to live and then die.  That is the will of our heavenly parent.  How we live and die is partly up to us.  It can be a good life and a good death or it can be a chaotic miserable life and difficult death but there is a beginning and an ending for us all, and that included the physical Jesus.

Jesus once again uses another derogatory word to describe, not a Canaanite women, or the teachers of the law, but the man He just told moments ago, that he was to be the Rock that would lay down the foundation for a universal church.   I think this name Jesus lays upon Peter here is the most derogatory name of all names.  You could have called me a hypocrite, you can call me a dog, but not Satan Lord!  But that is exactly what Jesus does.  He says to Peter: “Get away from me Satan” imagine the downer, the shock, the impact that would have upon you, if you were to hear Jesus call you Satin.  We might think this name is fitting for a Hitler, Eddie Amin, Kim Jong-un of North Korea, but not Peter!  The one who will lay the foundation for the future Chruch!   Not you!! The one who will ------------------- and I leave that blank for you to fill in.

Folks I do not know when we are really going to get it, but our sin, any sin cannot keep God away from using anyone, including me and you, to fulfill His will in this world.  We all have a ministry to do, what is yours?  Fill in the blank.   In fact God “is” using you, as an example, even if you are a bad example.  Why then would anyone continue on the low wide road that leads to death?  We are called to surrender our will and take the narrower high road that leads to an eternal life that defeats fear and death.   Like Peter, nothing should discourage you from seeking Gods will for you. “Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.” Ever hear that childhood saying.    It was Peter’s arrogance that produced this name calling incident.    

May I suggest here that Jesus was trying to shock Peter and the disciples back into reality?  Even though we miss the mark, we have not been abandoned.  I will never forget you my people Isaiah: 49.

Gods plan does not win the world with anger and violence, but with a sacrifice that defeats the fear of insecurity and death.    Letting go of this world and letting God take control is the only way to our eternal life folks.  There is no other way because it is the way of the Christ and The Christ is universal.   

The assumptions being made by the disciples were way off base.  Jesus says to Peter in verse 23: “you are an obstacle in my way because your thoughts are not coming from God, they coming from man.”  They were all still thinking of the kingdom in worldly terms.  His words were about to come true.  Their ideas and assumptions would be put to the ultimate test.  What does all this mean for us today folks?  I guess some of questions we need to ask ourselves here today might be:

1.  What ministry are you offering to God in your daily walk?   What does bearing your cross look like for you, what sacrifice have you offered up.  

1. How am I personally doing when it comes to harsh words or violent outburst within my own life?  Am I humble enough to allow others to just to be who they are?

2. How am I doing at controlling my own ego or arrogance?   As with Peter these two culprits usually produces name calling or hurtful comments from us.    

3.  How am I doing at being humble and surrendering to the power of Gods will in my life?

These are all good question and I’m sure that you could add a few more to this list at home. 

Jesus said to his disciples and I am saying this to you today, that in order to follow Him we will have to give up some of what we think is pleasure and security found in the things of this world.  That what needs to die in our lives is our ego, our arrogance our thirst for materialism, and our search for money and power.  Jesus assures us that these are false illusions and that in perusing them, we can short change the life God has planned for us.     Click the blue link and listen! 
https://soundcloud.com/sim-rushtonuser-360084415/i-will-never-forget-you-my-people