In Matthew 16, Peter declares that Jesus is "the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt 16:16). For this statement, Jesus says that he is blessed.
A couple of verses later, Jesus tells the disciples that he must suffer and be killed. Peter does not like the sound of this by any means and therefore rebukes Jesus for even mentioning such a crazy idea. Jesus gives a completely different response to this statement: "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's" (Matt 16:23).
One minute Peter is called blessed, and the next he is called Satan (God's adversary). What can account for Peter's complete change of status?
Jesus said it was because he was setting his mind on man's interests.
The whole chapter seems to be about that very issue: setting man's interests above God's.
Early in chapter 16 the Pharisees and the Sadducees ask Jesus for a sign from heaven. What they are asking for was not a miracle the likes of feeding 4,000 people with very little food or causing the mute to speak or the lame to walk or the blind to see (see Matthew 15:31-39), they want a political overthrow of the Romans; after all, this is what the Messiah was supposed to do. Jesus refuses to give them the sign they ask for and warns the disciples to beware of their teaching.
At this point in his life Peter shares the same perspective as the Pharisees and Sadducees. He too would love for Jesus to overcome Roman oppression. This is why Peter doesn't like the idea of Jesus suffering and dying. This is also why Jesus responds to him in a similarly negative way.
What separates Jesus from the Pharisees, Sadducees and Peter is one simple thing: His complete, undivided focus on God's interests.
Men are interested in many things such as wealth, success, fame, political power (e.g., Pharisees, Sadducees, and Peter).
God is interested in one thing: Loyalty to Him.
What are you interested in?
Jesus was completely loyal to His Father. And God's raising him from the dead testifies to Jesus' faithfulness to Him.
This is the only sign that the Pharisees, Sadducees, Peter, you and I have to look forward to.
Showing posts with label God's word. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God's word. Show all posts
Friday, December 10, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Who has our attention?
We are reading the gospel according to Luke in the park, and I just wanted to share something that stands out to me.
Let's be honest. We have a tendency to hang on every word that comes out of the mouth of important people. When Barack Obama speaks, we listen to every word that he says. We analyze, criticize, memorize, and sometimes even praise his words. This is the reason we have 17 news stations, so we can hear people discuss the ramifications of what he or any other political figure has said. These important people have our attention!
But is this where we are to hear from God?
Luke chapter 3 begins in a very intersting way. It starts with Luke telling Theophilus (and us) who the important people are. Here is Luke 3.1-2a:
"Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, in the high preisthood of Annas and Caiaphas..."
What a line up! Emperor, Governor, Tetrarch, Tetrarch, Tetrarch, High Priest! These are some important people that Luke is mentioning. But Luke goes on to say...
"the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." (Luke 3.2b-3)
After listing all of these prominent men, Luke states that the word of God came to John, a man who lived in the wilderness. John is pretty much a nobody. He doesn't have a special title. But if we've been listening closely, we will remember that John's father (who was filled with the Holy Spirit) has already told us about John's one-of-a-kind mission:
"And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways; to give to His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the sunrise from on high will visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet in the way of peace." (Luke 1.76-79)
The title-less John will inform a hurting people that their salvation has arrived. He will inform the people that have been sitting in darkness of the sunshine that is on the way! John will. Not Caesar, not Pilate, not Herod, not Philip, not Lysanias, not Annas, or Caiaphas. John, the son of Zacharias, a wilderness dweller. The other folks may be making headlines, but John is preparing the way for Jesus. Luke wants us to know that John's preparation for Jesus is God's word to His people.
God's word doesn't always shout out where men usually expect important things to be said. It may be shouting out in the wilderness. God's word doesn't have to come from the high-profile people. It may be coming from someone who appears to be quite "unqualified". Wherever God's word comes from we can be sure of this, it will be preparing us for Jesus. Jesus and what He has to say is most worthy of our attention, even though it might not be making headlines.
Come join us at Fireside Park (MWF @ 6PM) as we hear from the one who is our salvation!
Let's be honest. We have a tendency to hang on every word that comes out of the mouth of important people. When Barack Obama speaks, we listen to every word that he says. We analyze, criticize, memorize, and sometimes even praise his words. This is the reason we have 17 news stations, so we can hear people discuss the ramifications of what he or any other political figure has said. These important people have our attention!
But is this where we are to hear from God?
Luke chapter 3 begins in a very intersting way. It starts with Luke telling Theophilus (and us) who the important people are. Here is Luke 3.1-2a:
"Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, in the high preisthood of Annas and Caiaphas..."
What a line up! Emperor, Governor, Tetrarch, Tetrarch, Tetrarch, High Priest! These are some important people that Luke is mentioning. But Luke goes on to say...
"the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." (Luke 3.2b-3)
After listing all of these prominent men, Luke states that the word of God came to John, a man who lived in the wilderness. John is pretty much a nobody. He doesn't have a special title. But if we've been listening closely, we will remember that John's father (who was filled with the Holy Spirit) has already told us about John's one-of-a-kind mission:
"And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways; to give to His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the sunrise from on high will visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet in the way of peace." (Luke 1.76-79)
The title-less John will inform a hurting people that their salvation has arrived. He will inform the people that have been sitting in darkness of the sunshine that is on the way! John will. Not Caesar, not Pilate, not Herod, not Philip, not Lysanias, not Annas, or Caiaphas. John, the son of Zacharias, a wilderness dweller. The other folks may be making headlines, but John is preparing the way for Jesus. Luke wants us to know that John's preparation for Jesus is God's word to His people.
God's word doesn't always shout out where men usually expect important things to be said. It may be shouting out in the wilderness. God's word doesn't have to come from the high-profile people. It may be coming from someone who appears to be quite "unqualified". Wherever God's word comes from we can be sure of this, it will be preparing us for Jesus. Jesus and what He has to say is most worthy of our attention, even though it might not be making headlines.
Come join us at Fireside Park (MWF @ 6PM) as we hear from the one who is our salvation!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)