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READ: Mark 8:31
CHALLENGE: Listen to God
Last week we looked at the need to – ACCEPT GOD’S PLAN
The plan is the gospel. Jesus would suffer, die, and rise again. This is the truth. What is God’s will? That we believe in the Gospel. This is clearly spelled out in Scripture as something from God.
John 6:40 – For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
Every single person who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life. God’s will is that we believe and we receive eternal life through faith. Now it says everyone who looks to the Son and believes. It doesn’t say, everyone who looks to the Son and has the same experience as YOU did, will be saved. God can reach people in different ways and the expression of faith can have varied looks as humans are varied. Faith in Jesus wins.
We know that faith in Jesus saves.
- GUARD AGAINST DENIAL
v32 – He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
Peter is in denial of the death of Jesus Christ. Jesus spoke plainly about it, but Peter took him aside. Plainly means freely. With frankness and boldness and openly. Jesus was not subtle about communicating his impending death nor was he mincing words or dancing around the bush. He wasn’t speaking in parables. He let them know the plan and that’s good communication. I’ve often found that crafting expectations is very important. It’s good to know what to expect ahead of time so you know what you’re getting into.
- Speak Simply
I appreciate that Jesus was not dealing in maybes or conjecture or speculation. He’s dealing with facts. Let’s stick to the truth of God’s word. And why does he want them to know? It’s because they need to deal with the truth. The gospel saves and the truth sets you free. It’s simple truth
Now, the truth that he espouses is the gospel and it’s been a simple truth that has been retold over and over again for 2,000 years. I had the privilege of hearing Billy Graham deliver it. I’ve learned it and taught it and been transformed by it. I’ve seen it impact countless lives and way beyond anything I’ve ever said or done. That truth is powerful and effective. (Mention Freedom Sunday)
It’s like having the right medicine – it works! I was talking to someone about poison ivy and IVY dry. It will stop the itch and quickly dry it up. It’s effective in accomplishing the mission.
God talks about his word and said that it will not return to him empty. It’s going to accomplish the purpose for which he sent it. In the gospel is love, forgiveness, grace, mercy, service, sacrifice. All core concepts that impact our lives. Stick with the truth as opposed to getting out into the weeds.
Christians can focus on obscure things like handling snakes and rolling under the pews so to speak. (No, we’ve never done those things). It’s like Paul told the church at Corinth. If an unchurched person were to see what you’re doing would they not say that you’re crazy. Stick to the truth!!
He didn’t want them making a big deal about meat offered to idols. Stop asking questions – eat the food! Don’t get side tracked into things that are meaningless to salvation.
Even when Peter was about to win over Cornelius, the first Gentile convert, he had this dream of food coming down in front of him and he was invited to eat. He said it was unclean. God said, don’t call unclean, what I made clean. He was to go and spend time with the Gentiles. And other Jewish believers very much objected to it.
Paul didn’t want them getting caught up in holy days or circumcision or certain Jewish practices or genealogies or untruths. What’s the focal entry point conversation? Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day. We can all have a home in heaven.
I wouldn’t start conversations attacking those things in culture you despise the most lest that become your core message. I wouldn’t focus on the interpretation of wild dreams and then make this a central focus of theology. I don’t think I’d make conspiracy theories my center! I’ve been hearing about aliens and the end of the world for over 50 years and have yet to see anything come of it.
I would stick to the facts and stay in a lane that people can relate to more readily. And it’s this. We’re all sinners who need to be saved by grace.
- Listen Wisely
So Peter rebuked him. The word means to warn or correct. He’s basically telling Jesus that he’s wrong about all of this. Peter sternly charges Jesus, chides him, corrects him.
Perhaps this is a reaction to what it is that we don’t like to hear. However, we humans don’t need to be correcting God and telling him that his gameplan is wrong. Thinking – I don’t like it and because I don’t like it, you must be wrong, God. There is a coach and there are players, you need to listen to the coach.
Peter is in denial of the truth. Denial is when you refuse to see that you’re wrong or the dangers of what you’re doing. You’re headed to the edge of a great falls and denying it the entire way. You’re in full blown addiction or cheating or what have you and you convince yourself that you’re doing OK. Is that what God said? And would you rebuke anyone who came to you with truth.
Jesus says it plainly. Peter did not like the sounds of God’s plan. I do get this to a point.
When it comes to spiritual things, there may be the truth vs what we want to hear. This has always been true. There was an interesting story that I read in Jeremiah where the people came to Jeremiah and asked him to inquire of the Lord about what they should do. He told them to stay in Judea and not flee to Egypt. And if you flee to Egypt, you’ll die.
You know what their response was? God didn’t say that. Jeremiah 43:2 – Azariah son of Hoshaiah and Johanan son of Kareah and all the arrogant men said to Jeremiah, “You are lying! The Lord our God has not sent you to say, ‘You must not go to Egypt to settle there.’
And they ran. And they died. They had two ways set before them. Follow God and prosper. Ignore God and suffer. And they chose the ignore God route. It’s really stunning because the things Jeremiah had said came true over and over. They wound up doing what they wanted to do while ignoring the sage advice of Jeremiah. We rebuke you truth teller! Fine, it doesn’t mean that it’s not the truth.
The Bible teaches that a day would come when people just wanted their ears tickled. There would be a day when people don’t want to hear plain truth. The bottom line is that they hear what they want to hear.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 – Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
Just because we don’t want to hear it, doesn’t mean it’s not true. I get it that we don’t like hearing that a piece of equipment is failing. We don’t like hearing that we can’t keep spending money the way we were. We don’t like hearing that there is no easy way. Sometimes we don’t like the truth. We don’t like the plan. However, you have to deal with what’s in front of you and what the evidence actually is.
God is the authority on the topic and we would do well to listen to what He has to say. Who is the authority on the subject, that’s the person we need to be listening to. Whether we like the truth or not, it remains the truth.
- DON’T FALL PREY TO LIES
Vv32-33 – He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
This is a case where Peter needs rebuked because He’s standing in the way of what God wants to do. I’m sure he had good reasons. Afterall, he loves Jesus. He doesn’t want Jesus to suffer and die. He has a different plan, a better plan in his mind. However, it’s not God’s plan.
Get behind me Satan. My goodness, if I ever said such words to a person, I would be in so much trouble. However, it may be a fun phrase to throw out there when you don’t agree with what you hear!
It’s fascinating that Jesus could tell that Peter’s thinking was influenced by the devil. I often get this question. Can Satan possess a believer. No. Can Satan or one of his pals influence thought? I’d have to say, “yes”. Clearly.
- Watch Out for Devilish Influence
God’s plan was for Jesus to go to Jerusalem and pay for sin. Satan was trying to throw a monkey wrench into the plan. That would be the norm – gum up the works, derail the train.
Satan influenced one of the disciples to hinder God’s work. Let that sink in. He worked through another human being. It was indirect. Satan didn’t outright say that to Jesus – he got someone else to do the dirty work for him. Jesus saw right through the ruse.
Could Satan try to discourage you indirectly through someone else? Yes. The voices of others could easily dissuade you from doing the right thing or following God’s call. That’s a sobering thought. So, Satan might subtly influence someone to discourage us from doing the right thing. Or conversely, encourage you to do the wrong thing. Be aware.
Ephesians 6:11 – Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
The way that I live my life is this. I’m aware that there is more than just what I see as our struggle is not against flesh and blood. However, I’m focused on doing the right thing and that should mitigate the attacks. Stick to the truth of the Word. Do the right thing. Trust God.
I don’t need to be looking for Satan under every rock. Just live your life, be aware, do what God wants you to do. I’d rather my focus be on heaven, not hell. When you feel temptation, remember to resist the devil and he will flee from you.
In verse 33, Jesus told Peter that he had only the concerns of man and not the concerns of God. Peter was thinking about what he wanted now, the small picture. God was thinking about the bigger picture. Often we might focus on what we want right here and totally lose sight of more important things.
When you’re leading others, you have to keep your eye on the bigger picture and not just what seems the most expedient at the moment. God’s will isn’t always the easier course, but it’s the best one.
Peter wanted Jesus there with him rather than Jesus there for all mankind. He wanted Jesus for the nation rather than Jesus for the entire world. And Satan can work through our human concerns and self-interests. In the Garden of Eden, Satan was working through pride of what Eve wanted. The forbidden fruit looked good. Bet it will taste good. I’ll be wise like God. Those were human concerns.
1 John 2:15-17 – Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
It’s in pleasure, power, pride. Our concerns might be in possessions or personal comforts and we may elevate those things to such a high place that we begin to forget about God. The things of man could keep you from the things of God.
- Watch Out for Lies
If you want to know who one of the biggest liars is – let’s get right to the devil. Satan masquerades as an angel of light and Jesus called him the father of lies in John 8.
Peter is rebuking Jesus based on what? The truth? Man concerns and clearly devil lies. I wonder what kind of half-truth was spit out there? Peter is prideful in that he thinks that he knows best.
We believe lies about church and marriage and people and all kinds of things. You don’t have to go to church. You can worship God in the woods. Of course. Anywhere but where God would like you to be.
You’re not good enough. You’re beyond hope – that’s not true. Sometimes we tell ourselves lies about our spouse. They don’t love me. They don’t care about me. They’re a … monster! There can be times where the devil can get into our mind and try to convince us of things that are not true about situations or people. Just pay attention.
Be careful of what you believe and what you accept as the truth. Sticking to God’s word will help tremendously as that’s an awesome source of the truth.
And when we get into trouble and believe that God is not there or not powerful enough, just remember that Satan will tell you lies.
- Know Where You’re Going
Since Jesus says, “get behind me”, you can tell that he is letting nothing prevent him from fulfilling God’s mission for his life. Get behind me, Satan. Don’t stand in the way. To accomplish God’s will, you need to be that resolute. Jesus knew His mission and he wasn’t going to get side-tracked.
Here is a lesson to be learned. Know where you’re going. Know what’s right. Let no one dissuade you from that direction!
I’ve often told young people, “Set your direction, don’t do things that will detour you”. I always believe that having a strong sense of where you’re going it will help keep you on the right path. And especially when you can easily identify the detours. Drugs and addiction and gambling and immorality and things that take you away from where you want to go. Don’t get side-tracked.
That helped me when I was younger because I knew what I wanted to accomplish and the things that could derail it.
Jesus knew the mission. When you know where God is leading you, let nothing dissuade you. And sometimes we need to get back to the mission.
CONCLUSION: God has a plan and it’s the gospel. Buy into that rather than the lies of the devil. And when you can see where you need to go, don’t let anyone stop you from doing it.