Just Die Already, Matthew 16:13-23

We often think we know and embrace who Jesus is, but then we are confronted with suffering we aren't ok with.

The very minute the Peter understands who Jesus is, Jesus tells him what He is going to do to overcome the evils of our broken world and rescue humanity from itself, “I’m going to have to suffer, I’m going to have to be rejected, I’m going to have to die.”

- Satan had already issued to Jesus the promise of the kingdoms of this earth so long as Jesus would bow down and worship him (Matthew 4).

- The Father’s way entails that Jesus must endure defeat, shame, and suffering, whereas Satan proposed to give this to Jesus through worldly honor and worldly achievement.

- Like Satan’s proposal, Peter’s own ideas of victory and greatness had no room for suffering, humility, or any measure of personal unhappiness/discomfort.

- Peter at this stage could not reason (let along imagine) alongside the Father, with “the mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16; Phil. 2:5–8), and therefore sets his personal beliefs and desires above and in front of that of Jesus.

- SO... Peter was not prepared for God’s kingdom to move through him in the same way it did with Jesus, remaining indestructible no matter what difficulty comes his way.

- To the extent that we, too, insist that our lives should not be going this or that way, we are subject to the same rebuke.

BIG IDEA: LET JESUS EXPOSE YOUR DESIRES AND PUT THEM IN CHECK.

Just die already;). Die to the ways of the world. Live for Jesus' eternal kingdom.

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