11th Sunday After Pentecost
Matthew 16:21-28 (NRSV)
The rebuke to Peter
From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you." But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."
Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?
"For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."
From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you." But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."
Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?
"For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."
Reflection
The good and the bad of Peter- After having just stating the revelation given to him by God that Jesus is the Messiah, Peter is referred to as Satan by Jesus. Jesus has just given Peter the authority to do God's work, now, Peter is falling back into human standards.
It's something we all bumble and stumble around with, one moment we got it, we know what God wants, the next moment we let our selfish, prideful, sinful selves get in the way of the work that God wishes to accomplish.
But the attitude of a disciple of Christ must be like the attitude of Christ. The attitude is to deny self and follow God's plan in spite of our self-seeking ways. In our faith in Christ, what we are becomes what we do. Our focus on Jesus and the mission and plan and way of God comes through faith. What we do comes from our belief in the grace of God and the command to take up the cross and follow in love for God and each other.
Prayer
Lord, I believe. Forgive my selfishness in sin. Forgive my sin and build on the grace you have given to me through Jesus. Teach me to follow and to not get in the way of your plan for your kingdom. Make my attitude like the attitude of Jesus... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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