Trinity 13

Readings:

• Romans 12.9-end
• Matthew 16.21-end

Sermon:

The gospel reading, taken from Matthew 16:21-28, is a passage often repeated – In part for the “get behind me, satan” comment towards Peter, also “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” and finally “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”.

They’re quite memorable quotations, you might not put “Get Behind Me, Satan” on a motivational flash card if you are looking for encouraging verses, but it certainly stands out as it seems quite a shocking thing to say.

Could you imagine saying that line to somebody else, not in a joking fashion, and it not being an incredibly harsh and hurtful statement?

Yet, it is what Jesus chose to use to Peter, one of his “inner-circle” of disciples.

Jesus says this, because he tells Peter he is being a stumbling block – maybe tempting Jesus to not give his life on the cross to save the elect but to consider his own life and avoid suffering.

And he continues to tell Peter that he is setting his mind on human things rather than heavenly things.

And this rebuke of Peter, seems to directly relate to the teaching point in verses 24-26 that Jesus gives, saying his followers need to deny themselves and take up their cross Those who want life need to lose their life.

Jesus through all of this is shifting the disciples minds away from the things of this world and towards the things of heaven.

He wants them to have a new perspective. What this world says is the way, isn’t necessarily the way.

Our world teaches us to avoid suffering, to do what’s best for oneself and especially in modern society to do what we can to enjoy our life – and sadly that usually comes at the expense of another.

Recently I’ve read about a missionary called Hudson Taylor, who when he decided he was called to go on mission to China, faced a lot of opposition to going from friends and family and even other missionaries.

Some were concerned for his safety, some were concerned about his methods such as the fact he opted to embrace the culture, wear their clothes and more and in those days that was not done – and there were other concerns. However, he felt strongly that this was God’s call on his ministry, and despite opposition, he had a huge impact as a missionary with over 20,000 chinese converts linked to his work and the missionary organisation he set up. He is even credited with transforming how many organisations approached missionary work.

The world’s concerns and expectations, didn’t align with the calling of God for Hudson Taylor, and in our passage they didn’t align with Jesus’ purpose which was to die on the cross and rise again for the salvation from sin and to defeat the powers of evil and death. Jesus had his eyes fixed upon the things of God, the things of heaven and Jesus is asking his followers to fix their eyes upon exactly the same things as him.

Questions:

• Are your eyes fixed upon the things of heaven or the things of earth?
• What things in your life are a distraction from the things of heaven, or a stumbling block to you following the way of heaven in your life?