Matthew 16:21-22

Introduction

“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?”” This is the text.
Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the meditations in our hearts be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord our strength and our redeemer. Amen.
Grace, Mercy and Peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Introduction

There was a little child eyeing a cookie jar in the kitchen. His mother told him not to eat any cookies before dinner since it would spoil his meal. Well, the temptation for cookies was just too much. They seemed to be calling out to the child, “Eat Me!” “Eat Me!” So the child cautiously entered the kitchen. The coast was clear. He opened the cookie jar. “Wow,” the child uttered. “They’re still warm.” So the child helped himself to a cookie, and guess who walked into the kitchen? His mother. “I said no cookies! Why are you eating them?” The child looked at his mother and said, “No! I’ll do it my way!”

Isn’t that just the way life seems to be today? In our Gospel lesson this morning we have something very similar to that child and the cookie jar. But instead of a child it’s Peter.

Peter’s action isn’t to snatch cookies. But he rebukes the Lord, correcting Him in the way that Peter feels it should be. This morning we want to answer the question:

HOW VERY FOOLISH IS IT TO REBUKE THE LORD?

I. Jesus knows well what must happen.)
II. Rebuking Jesus is nothing other than being a mouthpiece of Satan.)
III. Jesus’ way will save our life.)

I

In the opening of our Gospel lesson we read: “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.” (Matthew 16:21-22) Here we have our Lord predicting his suffering and death on the cross, a suffering and death so that we will have eternal life. This prediction by Jesus is proof that He is the living God, knowing all things.

II

Now you might recall that in our Gospel lesson last Sunday Christ had called Peter’s faith (his confession) the rock upon which He would build His Church. But listen to the contrast between Peter in the Gospel last week to Peter this morning.

Last week we have Peter saying to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16) This morning we find “Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ‘Never, Lord!’ he said. ‘This shall never happen to you!’” (Matthew 16:22) Last week we have Peter the confessor, and now we have Peter the rebuker.

What does the word “rebuke” mean? In the Greek the word that is used for rebuke is a word that is only to be used by those who are in authority. It’s a prerogative of Lordship. This is a word that only Jesus should use, but here we have Peter using this word against Jesus, against the Master.

Why does Peter rebuke Jesus? What is Peter’s reason to rebuke Jesus?

Jesus had just finished telling His disciples that he must go to Jerusalem. Jesus knows that he must die on the cross to abolish the law. His death will pardon mankind from eternal damnation. His death sets you free from eternal damnation.

Now Peter has been with Jesus for quite a while; and as we remember from last week, he has just made a great confession about Jesus. So what is his purpose for rebuking Jesus? Although Peter may be trying to get Jesus’ attention he does not truly believe that Jesus needs to suffer. To Peter, this seems contrary to His Office as the Messiah.

But who really is behind the rebuke of Peter? Satan! For Satan is working very hard through Peter to convince Jesus not to go to Jerusalem. The very Peter who previously made the great confession that Jesus is the Christ is now rebuking Jesus through the designs of Satan.

This isn’t new. We find Satan working, as seen in the lives of many men described in the Scriptures, working hard against God. He entered into the heart of Judas to betray the Lord (Luke 22:3). He induced Peter to deny the Lord three times on Maundy Thursday (Luke 22:31). And here in our Gospel lesson we find Satan inducing Peter to keep Jesus from going up to Jerusalem. You see, Satan wants Jesus to use His divinity to say “I don’t have to suffer this way, after all I’m the Son of God!” But if Jesus had done this, then Satan would’ve won.

Yet there was no chance of Jesus being foiled by Satan’s scheme, for Jesus responds to this rebuke of Peter. Our text tells us “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.’” (Matthew 16:23)

This is a powerful statement from our Lord. In fact, when Jesus says, “get behind me,” these are the same kinds of words He uses to cast out demons.

Don’t imagine Peter is the only one who rebukes Christ. For through our sinful flesh we too are tempted to rebuke our Lord. And we do, at times, rebuke our Lord. So, how do we rebuke the Lord? We rebuke the Lord when we do not follow His Holy Word. This includes the Law, which was written on our hearts at birth. God tells us to do one thing but through the influence of sin in our lives we do exactly the opposite. God tells us not to have any other gods before Him, but we often place money, television, and sporting events in His place. This result of sin is not new to us. Remember St. Paul’s words to the Romans, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I do I hate to do.” (Romans 7:15) You see, through our sinful flesh, we try to cast God aside and leave ourselves in charge.

We also rebuke the Lord if we keep our mouths shut when we have the opportunity to share the love of Christ to others. This includes times when we have coffee with someone, or are on an airplane next to a stranger, or when we ignore a child who is troubled. This silent rebuking of Jesus is sin in our lives.

We also, like Peter, don’t want to see Jesus suffering on the cross on our behalf. How dismal to be reminded that because of our sin God sent His only Son to die on the cross to save us. Oh, it’s so nice that Jesus came, but did he really have to suffer so greatly? Couldn’t he have fixed that mess through His divine power? Yes, through your sinful flesh, you rebuke the cross of Christ.

III

Jesus uses this experience to illustrate to His disciples, and to us, what it means to be a disciple. “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?’” (Matthew 12:24-26)

You see Peter did not fully understand what it means to be a disciple. He thought to be a disciple was to have a cushy life. There would be no trouble for him, for the Messiah was with him. Is this not the attitude we have at times? We reveal this attitude when we push off helping others because of the way they’re dressed; or when we look at our good and wholesome life and think we have shielded ourselves from the sin of the outside world. In reality, when we do these things we are not being a disciple of Christ but a fool taken over by our own self-righteousness. To be a disciple of Christ is to follow Him with your whole heart, renouncing everything that interferes with your relationship with Christ. A relationship that was brought forth to you through the waters of Holy Baptism.

But while we were foolish, and although we rebuked the Lord, Jesus died on the cross for you. If we look to the cross we see our Lord nailed there in the agony of His suffering and death. We know through faith that the reason he suffered, died, and even rose again on the third day was because of His love for us. For it’s through the cross of Christ that your sins are forgiven. It’s through the cross of Christ that you have eternal life. For it’s through the cross of Christ and his forgiveness that He even abolishes your rebuke.

Conclusion

How very foolish to rebuke the Lord. To rebuke the Lord reveals you do not trust in Him. You are being deceived by your sinful flesh. But thanks be to God. For where we failed because of sin, Jesus stepped in. He died in our place. It’s through the free gift of faith that we believe in the cross of Christ. And through the cross we too have eternal life. Amen