Matthew 16:21-28
The Gospel in a Postmodern World
From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
"For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? "For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. "Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."
Introduction – Oprah is described by Christianity Today as one of the most influential spiritual leaders in America today – perhaps even all over the western world where her program is shown. This ex-Baptist now espouses the view that “one of the biggest mistakes we make is to believe there is only one way. There are many diverse paths leading to God.” She is described as a ‘postmodern priestess – an icon of church free spirituality’. And her tribe is growing. Oprah embodies the values of the new age and people like what she is saying.
We live in a world that wants to have everything in life as Burger King states, “Have it your way.” Jesus is more interested in your relationship with Him than the wealth you may or may not own.
If you listen to some of the popular preaching on the radio and television, you might think that God wants you to be healthy, wealthy and wise everyday. The scripture says that God’s ways are not our ways.
We find that Peter has completed a statement under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus commended him for this statement but also noted that it was not in his own intelligence which led him to this conclusion.
Jesus begins at this point to emphasize His impending death and resurrection. He wanted his disciples to prepare for these events and be ready for the kingdom work they would undertake.
Let’s examine first…
The MINISTRY of Jesus in verses 21-23.
In these verses we see Jesus teaching His disciples. His REVELATION to them was the Father’s plan for the redemption of mankind through His sacrifice. He had a purpose to fulfill at Jerusalem. The disciples believed much like others that the Messiah would come to restore the kingdom of David. They were anticipating on being a part of the earthly kingdom.
His words to them communicated His REJECTION by the spiritual leaders. He was to suffer in humiliation, die a violent death but be raised on the third day. All of these were foretold in the Book of Daniel in Daniel 7:13-14 and 9:26-27.
Although He specifically told them about His RESURRECTION, they had tuned His words out at His suffering and death. They could not believe what He was telling them. It was impossible.
This may be why Peter’s REACTION was so emphatic! “No way, Lord! We won’t let it happen!” Peter’s ways weren’t God’s ways. The words that Peter may have voiced sounded plausible, really only doomed him to eternity! Jesus must go to Jerusalem; He must suffer and die! But He will be resurrected on the third day!
Jesus rebuked Peter because Peter was considering himself wiser than the Father. Without the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, man remains dead in his wickedness. We have no hope without Him! Peter considered it distasteful for the Messiah to sacrifice Himself. Peter did not have the mind of Christ.
In a recent article entitled “God Wants Me to be Rich”, Joel Osteen oozes a popular modern day gospel which the world loves to hear. Listen to the tone of these excerpts in an article written by Karl Taro Greenfeld about Osteen.
Illustration – Dr Feel-good
Who will save us? Who will lift us up from crushing credit-card debt and resetting mortgage payments and impending foreclosure, from increasing gas prices and decreasing health-insurance coverage? We are a nation stumbling through our worst financial crisis in a generation and our worst housing market in a lifetime. And so we come, seeking gentle salvation, inspiring prayers, steadying words, soothing notions, and calming thoughts that will allow us to become, in Joel Osteen’s words, “victors, not victims.”
Osteen is one of a new breed of televangelists—Joyce Meyer, T.D. Jakes, and Creflo Dollar are also rising stars—who are preaching a less sanctimonious, more inclusive message. His church is in that part of the economy that thrives in troubled times, that can count on full pews when wallets are empty and an ever more receptive audience if we do go into a full-on recession.
Osteen hasn’t necessarily tailored his message for the downturn. Instead, he has continued his feel-good preaching, his exhortations to focus on the positive and banish negative thoughts, his reminders that God wants you to have a good job, a beautiful home, and decent cash flow. His vast ministry has become, in effect, shelter from the storm. “God wants you to have a big life,” Osteen reminds his flock. “That is his blessing. God has a big dream for your life.”
Osteen dismisses the notion that he has watered down the Scriptures to win over worshippers. “It’s who we are,” he says. “The accessibility of my message doesn’t bother me a bit. Look, we deal with people who are fighting cancer, fighting to save their marriages, dealing with the death of loved ones. I don’t think they need to be beaten down. And I think the success of the message in the marketplace is because we are optimistic, encouraging.”
Source: God Wants Me to Be Rich
by Karl Taro Greenfeld August 2008 Issue
Portfolio.com © 2008 Condé Nast Inc
God wants more than happiness and prosperity for you! He wants an eternal relationship with you so you may enjoy His Presence!
So we move from the ministry of Jesus to the MASTERY of Jesus in verse 24.
In very concise terms, Jesus describes what it means to be His disciple! A disciple is a follower of Jesus! Matthew records the words which challenges each of us concerning our walk with Him!
First we see a passionate DESIRE in 24a. This desire is a spiritual desire not unlike our physical desire for food and water when we are hungry and thirsty. It is a desire that we may seek His kingdom first. It is a love to know Him because He loved us first.
He then tells us to willingly deny ourselves. He challenges us to make a public DISPOSAL in 24b. The word deny means to disown or abandon completely. To do this we must refuse to acknowledge or accommodate the old self! we are to leave the old man behind!
Then He informs us of a possible DEATH in 24c. To take up a cross meant death! It was the most painful and public of all deaths. The Romans made a public spectacle of a crucifixion. It was not held in a room with privacy like today’s executions. It was on the side of a road for all to see as a warning not to commit a crime. For the believer, we must be willing to walk the road that Jesus walked. A cross is not an unbelieving spouse or a lousy job. It is the willingness to go where He wants us to without moanin’ and a groanin’! A spiritual believer will not say, “No, Lord.” A backslidden believer will. Which are you?
Then in 24d, He informs us that it is a continual personal DECISION. We must choose to follow Him daily. It is not just a one-time-I-profess-Him statement. It is a daily walk. It is loving Him more than I do anything else in this world.
Illustration – Making the right decision
Making decisions in the dark can lead to some regrettable consequences. Back in the days before electricity, a tightfisted old farmer was taking his hired man to task for carrying a lighted lantern when he went to call on his best girl. “Why,” he exclaimed, “when I went a-courtin’ I never carried one of them things. I always went in the dark.” “Yes,” the hired man said wryly, “and look what you got!” Source Unknown
Making the right decision means having Jesus as our master. He gives the right directions and purpose for our lives…if we listen to Him. We have seen both the ministry and mastery of Jesus, let us consider next…
The MYSTERY of Jesus in verses 25-28. He illustrates for us the apprehension we have for desiring, denying, dying and deciding if we should follow Him.
He shows us first the PARADOX in verse 25. Whoever wants to save their life will lose it. But the one who desires to lose their life in Christ will save it. The world does not understand this because they are pursuing the worlds pleasures and possessions and will actually lose their life.
Then Jesus asks the question about the PRICE of a soul in verse 26. What is the worth of a soul? Some will not find out until it is too late. Some pursue the wrong things and waste their life thinking they will eventually find happiness in stuff.
Third, Jesus gives us the PROMISE in verses 27-28. He tells us He will return. He will give reward those who faithfully follow Him. There is no reward for those who reject Him.
Verse 28 is a difficult verse. Several different commentators had various views regarding this verse. In examining the text, it appears that Jesus is making a reference that some of them would not die to self until they witness His coming into His kingdom. The word “coming” is not the Greek word “parousia” but rather a word which means “to appear, make ones appearance or to come before the public”. This appearance is illustrated in chapter 17 at the transfiguration of Jesus in His Shekinah glory. Three of His disciples witnessed this event and saw the heralding in of the Kingdom of God. Jesus was headed towards Jerusalem to sacrifice Himself for the sins of mankind.
Illustration- Lost Postcard
OBERLIN, Kan.—A postcard featuring a color drawing of Santa Claus and a young girl was mailed in 1914, but its journey was slower than Christmas. It just arrived in northwest Kansas.
The Christmas card was dated Dec. 23, 1914, and mailed to Ethel Martin of Oberlin, apparently from her cousins in Alma, Neb.
It’s a mystery where it spent most of the last century, Oberlin Postmaster Steve Schultz said. "It’s surprising that it never got thrown away," he said. "How someone found it, I don’t know."
The card was placed inside another envelope with modern postage for the trip to Oberlin—the one-cent postage of the early 20th century wouldn’t have covered it, Martin said.
There are some things in life that are too great for our minds to comprehend. Like that card from 1914, we are hopelessly lost until we have been found, delivered and redeemed for a price. Jesus paid that price that we might understand the mystery which has been revealed to us. Glory, what a Savior!
