This week we are going to pick up right where we left off last week.
On the heels of that rebuke.
I have a notion that rebuke left feelings that would stick with Peter for many years.
So much so that even later in life while writing his first epistle he would resound those feelings to his younger readers.
1 Peter 5:5
New International Version (NIV)
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”[a]`
How much did he need to submit himself to Jesus? He most likely did not realize at first.
Submitting was far from his world view as he walked with Jesus these three years.
There was much more the Lord was working on his soul about at this point.
And, here comes the next point for Peter and for us. Being teachable.
For the purpose of this message, we truly need to see what the word means - submit.
Definition of SUBMIT
transitive verb
1 a : to yield to governance or authority
b : to subject to a condition, treatment, or operation submitted
2: to present or propose to another for review, consideration, or decision; also : to deliver formally <submitted my resignation>
3: to put forward as an opinion or contention submit
intransitive verb
1 a : to yield oneself to the authority or will of another : surrender
b : to permit oneself to be subjected to something submit
2 : to defer to or consent to abide by the opinion or authority of another
Whew! All of that really sets up this message. By the end of the message we will have revisited these themes, so stay with me here.
In the process of change that happens in our lives how quickly and easily do we become "teachable"?
What does it take to get to that place where we are willing to listen and learn?
One of the tell tale signs is asking questions.
Early in the ministry of Jesus as Peter is getting to know his Lord and Savior, there doesn't seem to be many questions. Simply statements. Even what sounds like commands.
"Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!" (Luke 5.8)
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” (Matthew 14.28)
When the woman touches Jesus in the crowd and He feels the power leave him... (Luke 8.45)
“Who touched me?” Jesus asked.When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” (DUH! Jesus, look at all these people...)
At the parable of "That While Defiles" (Matthew 15) it is not a question about the parable that Peter blurts out. It sounds like a command. Peter said, "Explain the parable to us."
Peter, as we know, makes historic statements.
"You are the Messiah" (Mark 8.29)
“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16.16)
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.” (Luke 9.20)
It is after that moment of asking what people think of Himself, Jesus, that He explains that He will have to go to His death. It is here that Jesus rebukes Peter. More correctly, He rebukes Satan.
In life, this is a place where we either get it, or we don't.
How many of us have been here? If I am in Peter's shoes, I'm feeling crushed.
I thought I was on top of it. I thought I had things figured out. NO, I haven't done everything correctly. NO, I don't have all the answers (even though I act like I do). But, I thought I was better than THAT.
It is in this moment that we either become teachable or we harden.
IF we are truly willing to confront the possibility that we don't know it all.
IF we begin to ask questions and we begin to listen more than we talk.
One of my favorite movie moments in is the film Lean On Me.
There's a place early in the film where principal Joe Clark kicks a group of students out of the school.
This is his great "rebuking". He has asked for the names of all the students who have done nothing but sold drugs and taken drugs, been dismissed or suspended several times and been in trouble. They have done nothing to help the school and are keeping the other kids from learning.
One student comes back. A kids named "Sams".
He is sad. He is broken. But, he doesn't ask if he can come back in to the school.
He simply demands that Clark made some kind of mistake. Clark looks up his name and declares he made no mistake. Sams pleads. "You gotta let me back in! I can't go back home and tell my mama I got kicked out of school."
Clark then does something striking. He takes Sams up on the roof.
Just being on the roof would be chilling enough. 3 stories above the ground.
But, then Clark give a stern rebuke. And, then a command.
He makes Sams admit that he had been doing drugs and has him standing there in tears.
Then he tells him to jump.
"You do drugs don't you? DON'T YOU DO DRUGS."
"Yes...Yes sir"
"Doing drugs is just like killing yourself. I say if you want to kill yourself, don't mess around with it, do it expeditiously. Now go ahead and jump!"
"No, I don't want to kill myself."
"You're quite sure about this?" "Yes sir."
"I'm going let you back in Sams. 'Cause you're still a baby and you don't know nothing. But, you know this, I am going to be on you, everyday."
Sams makes one of the most amazing turn-arounds in the film.
Sometimes that's what it takes. To be put on the spot.
To have your defenses down, completely unexpecting the moment.
To allow the criticism to come and then doing something with it.
I should note for the record here. Rebuking does not always have to have this form of receiving.
This air of being chewed out and left there with tears in the eyes.
Sometimes a rebuke can simply be a look.
My wife is real good at "The Look".
(I'm probably going to get it somewhere in the course of this message......)
You know what I'm talking about. No words. Just those eyes that mean business.
And, buddy, you better be taking that look seriously.
Do we allow the words (or the look) to make us a better person or do we walk away from it more resolute to follow our own way?
Look at the change in Peter's discourse after the rebuking.
I see a man who begins to interact with Jesus in a different way.
He starts asking questions.
Look at some of the dialogue that happens proceeding that moment of the rebuke.
The next thing in Matthew's gospel is the Mount of Transfiguration.
Matthew 17:4
Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you
wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one
for Elijah.”
It's not a command, but he still can't seem to help himself. He has great intentions, but he most likely should have just kept his mouth shut. One of those moments tend to make us feel stupid.
It's not a command, but he still can't seem to help himself. He has great intentions, but he most likely should have just kept his mouth shut. One of those moments tend to make us feel stupid.
Remember Forest Gump?
The next moment is later in Chap 17. Some tax collectors are the ones asking the questions.- Young Jenny: Are you stupid or something?
- Young Forrest: Momma says stupid is as stupid does.
Like a bunch of big mean bullies out of Forest Gump.
We don't see a big bad Peter jumping out to defend Jesus. His answers are simple and quiet.
He might be feeling stupid after the mountain top. A bit gun-shy at jumping in and opening his mouth.
24 After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”
25 “Yes, he does,” he replied.
Now he is pride is wearing down. Now he is beginning to see he might not have all the answers.
Matthew 18:21
[ The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant ] Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Does he really want to know? How many times has Peter himself been hurt or spoken badly of?
I can imagine him thinking, "If I'm going to take this disciple stuff seriously then I have to find out just how far I should take this love & forgiveness stuff." If you ask, you'll find out.
I can imagine him thinking, "If I'm going to take this disciple stuff seriously then I have to find out just how far I should take this love & forgiveness stuff." If you ask, you'll find out.
Finally, Jesus is having a discussion about the cost of discipleship. A young man is questioning Jesus about what it means and how much of the commandments to actually take seriously.
You might remember the conversation. "The Rich and The Kingdom of God"
17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
18 “Which ones?” he inquired.
Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’[a] and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”
20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”
28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[c] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
We have to be willing to give it all. To give it all up. To walk away from it. To trust Jesus and consider that He will take care of our needs. Isn't that the emphasis of Lent? Self-denial, not self-investment, not self-fulfillment. Let God lead the way and be willing to learn a few things as we journey down this road.
Matthew 19:16-30
New International Version (NIV)
The Rich and the Kingdom of God
16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
18 “Which ones?” he inquired.
Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’[a] and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”
20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”
28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[c] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
We have to be willing to give it all. To give it all up. To walk away from it. To trust Jesus and consider that He will take care of our needs. Isn't that the emphasis of Lent? Self-denial, not self-investment, not self-fulfillment. Let God lead the way and be willing to learn a few things as we journey down this road.
If I am saying anything to you during this time of Lent I want you to take this with you...
Are you teachable?
Do you want to learn anything?
Or, do you come here to this place thinking you already know it all?
You already have all the answers and you know what you know, so why listen to this guy on Sunday?
Why listen to anybody? If this is our course of action, who's gospel are we actually living by?
Is it the words of Jesus that guide us? Or, do we live by a personal gospel?
The Gospel according to ________ . (Insert your name here)
How many pastors have needed to have a Joe Clark moment with their churches?
How many churches need to be shown the roof? The choices they they are making, the words and actions they are using, are they helping their futures at all or reaching anybody for Christ?
"I say if you want to die, don't mess around with it, do it expeditiously. Now go ahead and jump!"
"NO, I don't want my church to die!" "You're quite sure about this?"
"What have been thinking about this whole time [Sams]? (In the movie, Joe Clark is talking to the freshman on the roof of the school. For the purposes of this message, maybe The Lord could be speaking to you and me.)
The Lord shows us the stuff in our lives that need to change. There are things that can no longer be the way they are if we claim to be followers of Christ. He shows us that we need to submit. And, that's not an easy word. He knows it. We know it. But, that's exactly what He asks of us. In submitting, we learn to trust him and his guidance. Sams had to trust Joe Clark that this course of direction would change things for the better. We have to be willing to trust the Lord that He knows better than we do about things. To be teachable means we have to willing to submit to the one giving the teaching.
Peter would eventually come to that conclusion. It would take a while. There would be more questions. There would be more listening. And, that's good. Because the alternative is does not have nearly as good of an outcome as we might tend to think.
