Blocker Or Bearer

Matthew 16:21-28

Jesus Predicts His Death

21From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

22Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!"

23Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."

24Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 27For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. 28I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

When it comes to the Kingdom of God what is your role in it? From this scripture we see two separate roles that a person in the family of God can take on. The first is the Block, who Peter plays the part of in this passage. Webster’s Dictionary describes a block in the verb form as:

to make unsuitable for passage or progress by obstruction b archaic : BLOCKADE c : to hinder the passage, progress, or accomplishment of by or as if by interposing an obstruction d : to shut off from view e : to interfere usually legitimately with (as an opponent) in various games or sports f : to prevent normal functioning or action of.

The second role described in this passage is that of the bearer. Webster’s definition of this is:

to move while holding up and supporting.

Let us look at these two roles and figure out what role you are playing and how to change to the right one.

In 2005 I went on my first missions trip. This trip was to New York City. We traveled down in two fifteen passenger vans and had a small moving van with all of our luggage in it. We followed in a line for the whole trip, talking back and forth on walkie talkies while on the busy interstates to make sure that we never lost site of the other vehicles in our convoy. The moving truck was in the middle of the two vans and with perfect synchronization we were able to move from lane to lane in a tight group, never allowing other vehicles to get between us, we moved as one.

Then we were entering into New York City. We were coming into a toll bridge, and just like the rest of the trip we were all together in one lane. Then the lead van realized that we were in the wrong lane and cut across three lanes on the bridge. So we followed. At this point there are two fifteen passenger vans and a moving truck taking up four lanes. This causes quite a large traffic jam on the bridge. Cars are backed up in all four lanes and people are honking and screaming at us. We became a block to these people. Where they wanted to go we were blocking there entrance to get there. We were stopping them from completing their trip. Until we moved and cleared up those four lanes many peoples lives were put on hold.

Matthew 16

21From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 22Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" 23Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."

For three years Peter followed Jesus around and stuck close to Him. He never let others get between them. They were in constant communication and were together very often. Then when Jesus needed to get somewhere Peter became a block to Him. Peter tells Jesus that the awful things that are predicted will not happen. Peter is trying to put a block between Jesus and His final destination. As Peter does this Jesus makes it clear that these words are of Satan and He will not have them being said. God’s will was not being thought of but only mans.