Matthew 16: 21-28
From 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.
Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
Jesus 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.”
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What 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? For 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. I will tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
A Thought
Jesus had to suffer, be killed and raised to life on the third day. Peter did not want his to happen to Jesus, but the most important thing was that Satan did not want Jesus to fulfill the full price for our salvation. Jesus goes on to say that if we are to become a disciple for Christ, we must surrender our sinful life and find a new life in Christ. We are to lay aside our selfish cares of this world, to deny ourselves and to follow the teachings of Christ. There is nothing in this life that is worth losing our soul.
Our Prayer
Father thank you that Christ was able to completely pay the cost of our forgiveness of sin with his sufferings, his death and his resurrection. Help us to die to our old sinful life by receiving new life in Christ. Awaken us to the power of your Spirit to be mindful of the things of God and to overcome the things of men. We ask in Jesus’ name, amen.
