WE MAY HAVE HEARD THIS FAMILIAR SAYING: “THE ROAD TO HELL IS PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS.” AN INTENTION IS SIMPLY A PLAN OR GOAL WE HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH. IRONICALLY, INTENTIONS DON’T ACHIEVE ANYTHING. THEY ARE MERELY IDEAS AND DREAMS OF SPECIFIC THINGS THAT WE’D LIKE TO SEE DONE IN THE FUTURE.
HOWEVER, NOT ALL INTENTIONS ARE GOOD OR VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT. A LOT OF FAILURE HAS RESULTED FROM HASTY DECISIONS MADE FROM LIMITED INFORMATION. SELFISH MOTIVES AND THE LUST FOR SORDID GAIN HAVE LEAD TO THE DOWNFALL OF MANY GOVERNMENT AND CHURCH LEADERS.
WHEREVER THE POINT OF FAILURE OCCURRED, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN HARD TO SEE THE DEMISE OF A SITUATION WHERE THERE WERE GOOD INTENTIONS IN THE BEGINNING, BUT THROUGH MANY MISTAKES, ACTING TOO QUICKLY, AND BAD ADVICE OR COUNSEL, THE SITUATION DISMANTLED AND DISASTER ENSUED.
THANKFULLY, THAT ISN’T ALWAYS THE CASE. I HAVE LEARNED THAT NO MATTER WHAT THE SITUATION IS ABOUT, THERE IS ALWAYS AN EXCEPTION! I AM TALKING ABOUT THAT EXCEPTIONAL MOMENT WHEN SOMEONE WITH A MUCH CLEARER VISION AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE SITUATION COMES FORWARD TO INTERVENE WITH PREVENTIVE CORRECTION.
IN OUR SCRIPTURE TODAY, PETER, HAD SOME HOPEFUL INTENTIONS OF WHAT HE THOUGHT THE FUTURE WOULD LOOK LIKE WITH VICTORY OVER ROME AND JESUS AS THEIR RIGHTFUL KING.
PETER HAD INTENTIONS OF HAVING THE WEIGHT OF ROME FINALLY OFF THEIR BACKS AND TO BE THEIR OWN NATION! NO SLAVERY! NO BONDAGE! PLUS, HE HAD INTENTIONS OF BEING PROMOTED AND REWARDED WITH A PROMINENT POSITION OF AUTHORITY IN THE EARTHLY GOVERNMENT OF KING JESUS.
HOWEVER, THAT WASN’T THE INTENTIONS OF JESUS, BY ANY MEANS. JESUS, IN VERSE 31, STEPS IN TO INTERVENE WITH PREVENTIVE CORRECTION BY SAYING, “THAT THE SON OF MAN MUST SUFFER MANY THINGS AND BE REJECTED BY THE ELDERS, THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW, AND THAT HE MUST BE KILLED AND AFTER THREE DAYS RISE AGAIN.”
THEN, VERSE 32, SAYS THAT JESUS “…SPOKE PLAINLY ABOUT THIS…” TO INDICATE HE WAS DIRECT AND TO THE POINT. NO MORE PARABLES. NO MORE CODED SPEECH. JUST THE COMPLETE, HONEST FACTS. JESUS SPEAKS OPENLY NOT ONLY ABOUT HIS DEATH, BUT THE PROMISES OF VINDICATION FOR HIMSELF AND HIS FOLLOWERS.
PETER IS NOT HAVING ANY OF IT…THIS OUTCOME DOESN’T FIT HIS INTENTIONS FOR THE FUTURE. THIS IS NOT HOW THINGS ARE SUPPOSED TO GO. YOU DON’T QUIT OR TURN YOURSELF OVER TO YOUR ENEMIES!! PETER WILL NOT SUPPORT A LOSER. HE WANTS TO WIN, SO HE MAKES A RASH DECISION AND OPENLY REBUKES JESUS.
THE WORD “REBUKE” SHOWS US THAT PETER WAS VERY UPSET AND HARSH IN EXPRESSING HIS DISAPPROVAL OF THE PLANS JESUS HAD JUST REVEALED. PETER MAKES IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT HE DOESN’T WANT JESUS PUT TO DEATH. PETER, VERY UPSET, ACTS OUT IRRATIONALLY BECAUSE OF HIS DEEP LOVE FOR JESUS.
ALTHOUGH SOME OF PETER’S MOTIVE IS DUE TO HIS LOVE, IT IS HIS SELFISHNESS THAT EMPOWERS HIS REBUKE OF JESUS. JESUS QUICKLY RETURNS REBUKE FOR REBUKE OUT OF NOT ONLY LOVE, BUT DIVINE CORRECTION TO GUIDE HIM BACK TO GOD’S PLANS.
HE QUICKLY RETORTS, “GET BEHIND ME SATAN!” JESUS IS NOT CALLING PETER “SATAN” AS IF PETER HAS ALLOWED HIMSELF TO BECOME A DEMON POSSESSED TRAITOR. JESUS IS MAKING IT KNOWN THAT BECAUSE HIS DEATH IS SACRIFICIAL AND ALL PART OF GOD’S DIVINE PLAN IT WILL NOT BE STOPPED FOR ANY REASON.
JESUS, BY REBUKING PETER, WAS LETTING EVERYONE KNOW THAT WHOEVER OPPOSES HIS DEATH WAS, DELIBERATELY OR NOT, ADVOCATING SATAN’S WORK. JESUS GAVE A STERN WARNING TO PETER TO DECIDE WHOES SIDE HE WAS REALLY ON.
PREVENTING THE DEATH OF JESUS WOULD BE SATAN’S ULTIMATE VICTORY. ALLOWING THE DEATH OF CHRIST WOULD BE, INSTEAD, SATAN’S GREATEST DEFEAT. JESUS HAD TO DIE TO CONQUER SIN AND DEATH WHICH WAS HIS PLAN ALL ALONG.
THE CHALLENGE FOR US TODAY IS NO DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS FOR PETER. WE MUST DETERMINE, ONCE AND FOR ALL, WHOSE SIDE WE ARE GOING TO BE ON AND THEN COVENANT TO STAY THERE.
JOSHUA 24:15, “BUT IF YOU REFUSE TO SERVE THE LORD, THEN CHOOSE TODAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE. WOULD YOU PREFER THE GODS YOUR ANCESTORS SERVED BEYOND THE EUPHRATES? OR WILL IT BE THE GODS OF THE AMORITES IN WHOSE LAND YOU NOW LIVE? BUT AS FOR ME AND MY FAMILY, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.”
THE LESSON FOR US TODAY IS THAT JESUS, IN ADDITION TO THE REBUKE, EXPOSES THE CAUSE OF THEIR FAILURE. VERSE 33, JESUS SAID “YOU DO NOT HAVE IN MIND THE CONCERNS OF GOD, BUT MERELY HUMAN CONCERNS.” THE GOAL OF TRUE DISCIPLESHIP IS COMPLETE CONFORMITY TO THE DIVINE.
THE GREEK WORD FOR “MIND” MEANS “TO HAVE A MENTAL DISPOSITION FOR.” WE CAN ALSO USE THE WORDS, “LIKEMINDED,” “TO BE OF THE SAME MIND,” “TO AGREE,” “TO CHERISH THE SAME VIEWS,” AND “TO BE HARMONIOUS.”
ROMANS 12:2, “DO NOT CONFORM TO THE PATTERN OF THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND.” WE MUST WEAN OURSELVES OFF THE WORLD AND RADICALLY ABANDON OURSELVES TO THE WAYS OF GOD. WE DO THIS, AS JESUS SAID, BY SETTING OUR MINDS ON THE THINGS OF GOD.
WHEN WE SET OUR MINDS ON THE THINGS OF GOD AND ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO PRUNE, GROW AND MATURE US, WE FIND THAT WE BECOME MORE LIKEMINDED, IN AGREEMENT, AND HARMONIOUS WITH THE WAYS OF GOD AND OF JESUS CHRIST.
JESUS GAVE THE SANCTIFYING PROCESS OF HOW TO DEVELOP A MIND THAT IS STAYED UPON THE THINGS OF GOD: DENY YOURSELF; PICK UP YOUR CROSS; FOLLOW JESUS; LET GO OF YOUR LIFE AND NEVER BE ASHAMED OF HIM. THIS FORMULA OF HOLY LIVING IS CRUCIAL FOR OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. THESE STEPS ARE THE JOURNEY WE REFER TO AS SANCTIFICATION: GOING ON TOWARDS HOLINESS.
FIRST, WE MUST DENY OURSELVES! I THINK IT IS INTENTIONAL THAT THIS IS MENTIONED FIRST. DENIAL IS A CALL FOR US TO BE WILLING TO LOSE IT ALL FOR JESUS. IT IS AN ONGOING AND DAILY SURRENDER OF THOSE THINGS THAT GET IN THE WAY OF JESUS.
HEBREWS 12:1, “LET US STRIP OFF EVERY WEIGHT THAT SLOWS US DOWN, ESPECIALLY THE SIN THAT SO EASILY TRIPS US UP. AND LET US RUN WITH ENDURANCE THE RACE GOD HAS SET BEFORE US.”
WE SAY “NO” TO SELFISH INTERESTS AND EVERY EARTHLY SECURITY. WE STRIVE TO TURN SELF-CENTEREDNESS INTO “GOD-CENTEREDNESS.” 1 PETER 5:6, “HUMBLE YOURSELVES, THEREFORE, UNDER GOD’S MIGHTY HAND, THAT HE MAY LIFT YOU UP IN DUE TIME.”
SECONDLY, WE PICK UP OUR CROSS AND FOLLOW JESUS. WE ARE AWAKENED TO THE REALITY THAT ACCEPTING JESUS IS NOT JUST A DECISION WE MAKE FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF GOING TO HEAVEN. ACCEPTING JESUS ALSO REQUIRES SURRENDER TO AND HUMILITY TOWARDS GOD’S WILL AND GOD’S WAY.
WE SUBMIT TO THE TRUTH THAT OUR LIFE IS BY WAY OF THE CROSS! OUR LIVES BECOME AN OUTWARD EXPRESSION THAT WE ARE MAKING SOLID, MOMENT-BY-MOMENT DECSIONS TO LIVE IN RADICAL OBEDIENCE TO GOD SO THAT WE ARE IDENTIFYING WITH AND SUBMITTING TO THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS CHRIST.
GALATIANS 2:20, “MY OLD SELF HAS BEEN CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST. IT IS NO LONGER I WHO LIVE, BUT CHRIST LIVES IN ME. SO I LIVE IN THIS EARTHLY BODY BY TRUSTING IN THE SON OF GOD, WHO LOVED ME AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME.”
THIRD, WE MUST LET GO OF YOUR LIFE FOR JESUS AND FOR THE GOSPEL. WE MUST BE WILLING TO RISK ALL AND GIVE OUR ALL TO JESUS AND TO PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL TO OTHERS. MISSIONARY JIM ELLIOTT ONCE WROTE, “HE IS NO FOOL WHO GIVES WHAT HE CANNOT KEEP TO GAIN THAT WHICH HE CANNOT LOSE."
PHILIPPIANS 3:8, “…I THINK OF EVERYTHING AS WORTH NOTHING. IT IS SO MUCH BETTER TO KNOW CHRIST JESUS MY LORD. I HAVE LOST EVERYTHING FOR HIM. AND I THINK OF THESE THINGS AS WORTH NOTHING SO THAT I CAN HAVE CHRIST.”
WE MUST COMMIT TO AN UNWAVERING LOYALTY TO JESUS AND THE GOSPEL. WE MUST NEVER BOW TO THE WORLD OR EVER ALLOW OURSEVLES TO BECOME INTIMIDATED INTO RENOUNCING JESUS OR TONING DOWN THE GOSPEL. WE MUST BE WILLING TO GIVE UP EVERYTHING FOR JESUS TO THE POINT OF EVEN BEING WILLING TO DIE FOR HIM. THERE IS NO EARTHLY PLEASURE OR POSSESSION THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE OF GREATER WORTH THAN KNOWING AND LIVING FOR JESUS. MAY WE GIVE EVERYTHING TO JESUS.
FINALLY, WE CANNOT BE ASHAMED OF JESUS OR HIS WORDS. THIS IS MORE THAN JUST BEING UNCOMFORTABLE TALKING TO OTHERS ABOUT JESUS OR EVEN BEING TOO EMBARRASSED WITH SHARING THE GOSPEL. THE WORD “ASHAMED” MEANS REJECTION.
WE REJECT CHRIST WHEN WE CHASE AFTER WHAT THE WORLD OFFERS. WE REJECT CHRIST WHEN WE PRIVATIZE OUR FAITH BY REMAINING SILENT AND KEEP IT TO OURSELVES. WE REJECT CHRIST WHEN WE LET THE NOISE OF THE WORLD TRAMPLE OUR FAITH AND TO BULLY AND INTIMIDATE US INTO KEEPING QUIET.
IN THIS NEW ERA OF “CANCEL CULTURE,” IT IS EASY TO BE A "CLOSET CHRISTIAN" AND NEVER SAY OR DO ANYTHING TO SHOW OURSELVES AS BELIEVERS OR TO STAND UP FOR OUR LORD. WE MUST NOT COWER IN FEAR NOR REMAIN SILENT. THE GOSPEL IS A SHARING FAITH. THE GOSPEL IS NOT TO BE HOARDED, BUT HERALDED. LET US NOT BE ASHAMED OF JESUS OR HIS WORD.
THE TIME HAS COME FOR THE CHURCH TO ARISE AND FOR HER PEOPLE TO DETERMINE, ONCE AND FOR ALL, WHOES SIDE THEY ARE GOING TO BE ON AND THEN COVENANT TO STAY THERE.
I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT SOME OF THE REASON BEHIND THE PERSECUTION AND DEPRAVITY WE SEE IN THE WORLD TODAY IS THE RESULT OF TOO MANY CHRISTIANS UNABLE TO DECIDE WHOES SIDE THEY REALLY WANT TO BE ON.
INDIFFERENCE AND INDECISIVENESS IS AN ABOMINATION TO THE LORD AS IT LITERALLY MAKES HIMS SICK. REVELATION 3:15-16, “I KNOW YOUR DEEDS, THAT YOU ARE NEITHER COLD NOR HOT. I WISH YOU WERE EITHER ONE OR THE OTHER! SO, BECAUSE YOU ARE LUKEWARM — NEITHER HOT NOR COLD — I AM ABOUT TO SPIT YOU OUT OF MY MOUTH.”
IT HAS BEEN SAID, “YOU CAN’T WALK WITH GOD WHILE HOLDING HANDS WITH THE DEVIL.” DON’T LET SATAN DECEIVE YOU AND ROB YOU OF THE GREATEST BLESSING THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN: SALVATION FROM SIN AND ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR AND REDEEMER. STOP STRADDLING THE FENCE AND CHOOSE JESUS CHRIST. LET US COVENANT TOGETHER TO REMAIN IN JESUS AND TO SET OUR MINDS ON THE THINGS OF GOD. AMEN.
