A Lesson on Priorities

So we are going to be in Matthew chapter 16.

Matthew 16 · chapter mention

It's going to be a lesson on priorities.

We'll start in verse 21.

It says,

Then said Jesus unto his disciples,

So our discussion today is going to be about priorities

and how it's an integral part of your everyday life.

Jesus set an example of placing the will of God first and foremost in his life.

And in this lesson, we'll see how his forceful rebuke of Peter's seemingly well-meaning attempt

to get him off track from his duty to God and fallen mankind.

So by the end of today, we should know a couple things.

First, we should understand that God has a fundamental purpose for every person's life.

Next, we should realize that self-denial is a requirement of following God's purpose.

And then lastly, we should choose to place God's will as the ultimate first priority in our own lives.

So you've probably heard it said before that to get things done, you need to organize, deputize, and supervise.

And while that's true, there's another word that should be included, and that's prioritize.

It's always important to get things done, but it's even more important to get them done in the right order.

In my classroom, I have printed off on big, bold letters.

I had to be kind of sneaky about it because it's a Bible verse, so I didn't include the reference.

But, so that's me being sneaky.

And it just says, we will do everything decently and in order.

And it's something I've been really pushing on my class because with eighth graders or, you know, how organized is a middle school classroom.

So, that's something that we say almost like a mantra every day.

We will do everything decently and in order.

What's most astounding to me about the moment in Peter's life that we're about to learn from,

which would include a sharp rebuke from the Lord, is that it came right after one of the boldest declarations from Peter,

saying, thou art the Christ, the son of the living God.

And, of course, Peter knew that Jesus was important, but evidently Peter still had more to learn.

The education of a disciple is never quite finished.

So, in this passage, we learn that to live by the best priorities requires denying ourselves as we seek to do God's will for our lives.

In John 4.34, it says,

Jesus saith unto them, my meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work,

telling them that even above the earthly need for food, the first priority is to complete God's will.

So, we see here, first, a devotion to duty.

In all aspects of life, Jesus is the paramount example for every believer.

The central theme of all that he did on earth was simply this, that he came to fulfill the will of his Father.

Even on the night before his crucifixion, we see him praying that exact thing, not my will, but thine be done.

At the age of 12, Jesus had told Mary and Joseph and Luke, and he said unto them,

How is it that you sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?

And he kept this priority in its proper place throughout his entire life here on earth.

In John 17.4, it says,

I have glorified thee on earth. I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

So, we see that Jesus had to go.

In Matthew and Mark, Jesus taught his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem,

that he must suffer, and he must be rejected, and that he will die.

And we know that every detail, and we know that all the details of the excruciating path that laid before him.

Luke chapter 9, verse 51 actually adds a detail.

Luke 9:51

It says,

It came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up,

he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem.

This was literally his sacred duty,

and he walked towards it with, as the Bible says, a steadfast determination.

So, Christians must understand there are times when Christ calls us to go places

where we might have to go suffer or pay a price for our faith.

Though our human reaction is to look for an easy way out.

And we think of Jonah. You know, God told him to go to Nineveh.

And instead of going to Nineveh, where did he go?

Tarshish.

So, we must instead be willing to do the Lord's will, no matter what.

In the Christian life, there will be times of hardship and suffering.

Jesus actually promised that.

You know, there's lots of promises in the Bible.

People like to skip over that one quite a bit.

John chapter 16, verse 33 says,

John 16:33

Patriarchs, prophets, and apostles all went through times of intense hardship.

Severe and even deadly persecution carried on through the days of the early church,

the dark ages, through all the different reformations that were happening,

and into many countries even today.

You know, I think of what's happening in Nigeria over these last couple months,

where there's been really a mass, and there's no other way to describe it,

so forgive me for being a little crass,

but slaughter of Christians in their home and in their churches.

And for a while, it was so bad that if you got on Google Images,

and you just went over where churches were located in Nigeria,

where you could see the dirt stained red from the blood of believers

that were just slaughtered in the middle of their church services.

Because terrorist groups, mainly Islamic terrorist groups,

refused to allow them to worship the Lord.

However, in 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 12,

2 Timothy 3:12

it says,

Today, Christ is looking for faithful soldiers of the cross

who will go where he wants them to go.

When we follow the Lord's commands, we please our Savior.

Paul describes this in 2 Timothy chapter 2, verses 3 and 4,

2 Timothy 2:3

writing to Timothy there,

He's telling them it's not going to get any easier.

The more you serve the Lord,

the more people are going to oppose you.

He says,

No man that woreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life,

that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

This type of soldier will receive the ultimate praise of,

Well done, thou good and faithful servant.

You know, this year marks 25 years since September 11th.

Over 400 firefighters and law enforcement officers

died trying to save others in the World Trade Center in New York City.

The vast majority were not there in normal courses of their day

or responding to a crisis in the immediate call to duty.

Well, the Twin Towers inhabitants were fleeing.

These heroes were running past them into the burning building,

doing everything they could to save as many lives as possible,

carrying all of the rescue equipment that they could handle

as they ran up the stairs while others were rushing down.

They could not have explained why they didn't stop to think about it.

It was simply their job,

and they did it with full acceptance of the risks.

You know, following the Lord in the United States,

we kind of have it pretty good.

You know, we don't experience the things like they are in Nigeria

or other parts of the world.

But undoubtedly, you know, that time will come,

so we need to be prepared for it.

So, real quick, turn over to 1 Peter 4,

and we're going to see what it means to suffer for Christ's sake.

You know, the Bible talks a lot about suffering,

and Peter, you know, writing this

after he's experienced so much and learned so much from the Lord,

it's easy as you read through the Gospels

and then read Peter's own writings,

you can almost hear the growth that he had

from being, you know, quick to speak, slow to understand,

probably a little arrogant.

And when you read the two books that he wrote,

1 to 2 Peter,

you find someone who is really thoughtful,

slow to speak, understand.

He's lived some life, and it's pretty evident.

Starting in verse 12 in chapter 4,

the rest of this chapter,

it's kind of divided into two parts.

So, starting in verse 12,

and going down all the way through verse 19,

we're not going to read all of it,

but this is Peter's discussion here

about the Christian and suffering.

It says,

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial,

which is to try you,

though as some strange thing happened to you.

But rejoice,

inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's suffering,

that when his glory shall be revealed,

ye may be glad with exceeding joy.

If ye be reproached for the name of Christ,

happy are ye,

for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you.

On their part,

he is evil spoken of,

but on your part,

he is glorified.

Now, he continues here,

because he has a contrast between suffering for Christ's sake,

which, that's a good thing.

We can glory in that.

And then he has a quick note in here,

one sentence,

where he talks about,

there is another kind of suffering,

because you want to be a dum-dum,

you don't glory in that kind of suffering.

It says,

But let none of you suffer as a murderer,

or as a thief,

or as an evildoer,

or as a busybody in other man's matters.

Yet, if any man suffer as a Christian,

let him not be ashamed,

but let him glorify God on this behalf.

So, you know,

there's a lot of times

when we give the devil

a little too much credit

for what's going on.

You know, we can,

in our own arrogance,

think we're doing what we're supposed to be doing,

and then suffer because of that,

when it was never part of God's plan.

And then we get all spiritual,

and you know,

we come to church,

well, you know,

it's been hard,

but we're praying through it.

Well, it probably wouldn't be hard

if you just listened to God in the first place.

So, don't give the devil more credit

than he's due.

Suffering for Christ's sake

is a good thing,

but suffering because

we want to do something stupid

is not anything to glory of.

So next we see

that Jesus had to die.

Throughout time,

God has required death

in order for there to be a life,

in order for there to be life.

Since Genesis chapter 3,

Genesis 3 · chapter mention

we saw God slay an innocent animal

to provide covering for Adam and Eve.

blood has always been

the only way of salvation.

We saw it in the,

when the Israelites

were going to leave Egypt,

you know,

for the Passover,

they had to slay an animal

and put blood on the doorposts.

In Hebrews chapter 9,

Hebrews 9:22

verse 22,

it says,

and almost all things

are by the law

purged with blood,

and without the shedding of blood

is no remission.

Jesus' mission on earth

was to die

and shed his pure,

innocent blood

for the sin of mankind.

Had he refused,

we couldn't be forgiven

of our sins

and we would die

without hope.

We see in Romans chapter 5,

Romans 5 · chapter mention

but God commendeth his love

toward us

in that while

we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.

Much more than being now

justified by his blood,

we shall be saved

from wrath through him.

For if,

when we were enemies,

we were reconciled to God

by the death of his son,

much more being reconciled,

we shall be saved

by his life.

Now,

it's a hard thing to remember,

especially,

you know,

it's easy

to care for someone

when it's easy

to care for someone.

When you hear on the news

about these people,

like the Lindsay Clancy trial,

you know,

it makes me so,

mad

to see people

celebrating what happened.

But we still got to remember,

Jesus died even for those people.

And that he loves them

just as much as he loves us

sitting here in a church service.

The people blaspheming

God on the street corner,

God still loves them

and he still died for them.

So that's something

we got to remember.

That

they don't hate us,

they hate God,

but God loves them

and we still need to share

the love of Christ with them.

Whether or not they accept it

is up to them.

That's not our job

to make them believe,

but it's our job

to tell them.

John chapter 12,

John 12:23

verses 23 and 24,

And Jesus answered them saying,

The hour has come

and the Son of Man

should be glorified.

Verily, verily,

I say unto you,

except a corn of wheat

fall to the ground and die,

it abideth alone.

But if it die,

it bringeth forth

much fruit.

Christ knew there could be

no salvation

without sacrifice.

In his song,

Ten Thousand Angels,

Ray Overholt

was scripturally correct

when he wrote that

Christ could have called

ten thousand angels

to free him,

but instead willingly went

to the cross

to suffer death.

See that in Matthew

Matthew 26:53

chapter 26,

verses 53 and 54.

Thinkest thou that I cannot

now pray to my Father

and he shall presently give me

more than twelve legions

of angels?

But how then

shall the scripture

be fulfilled

that thus it must be?

Christ lived and died

fulfilling scripture.

This was one reason

he had to go to the cross.

You know,

Peter made a mistake

that the Pharisees made

just about every single time

they would talk to Jesus.

You know,

the Pharisees weren't dumb.

They were very smart people.

And if we got into

a biblical debate

just based on like

biblical knowledge,

they would probably smoke us

because they had

almost the entire

New Testament memorized.

Now,

did they apply it correctly?

No.

But if we had a sword

drill competition,

boom,

they'd have it right there.

And Jesus asked them

multiple questions

and it was usually

the same question.

So I need some volunteers here.

Let's see,

one,

two,

three.

I need four volunteers

to read a couple verses

if you get anyone.

Okay,

you're going to have

Matthew,

be ready

because I'm going

to yell at you.

Matthew 12,

three.

I need another one.

Okay,

Matthew 12,

five.

Matthew 19,

four.

So I went in

Joe,

Matthew 22,

31.

So the mistake

that Peter made

is that he knew

the Old Testament.

He knew,

you know,

every Jew being brought up,

it was tradition

that they would learn

these things

at a very young age.

So he knew

what the Old Testament said,

but yet,

he still

didn't apply it

properly.

So,

when he was talking

with Jesus,

saying,

Jesus,

come on,

you're not going

to die.

Well,

Jesus told him

multiple times,

yeah,

I am,

but Peter just

right over his head,

I guess.

So,

first,

we're going to hear,

and be ready

because I'm going

to yell at you,

Matthew 12,

three.

Okay,

stop,

stop,

stop,

stop,

stop,

sit down,

sit down.

Matthew 12,

five.

Stop,

stop,

stop,

sit down.

Matthew 19,

four.

Stop,

sit down.

You know what's coming,

Joe.

Matthew 22,

31.

I haven't even done

anything yet.

Matthew 22,

31.

Stop,

stop,

stop,

okay,

no,

I'm just kidding.

All right,

stop,

sit down.

What's the phrase,

everyone?

Have ye not read?

It wasn't a secret.

Jesus didn't sneak up

on the disciples

and be,

surprise,

I'm going to die.

Turn to Isaiah chapter 53.

Isaiah 53 · chapter mention

I think you have it

in your handout.

Jesus can be seen

on every page

of the Old Testament,

but one of the most

vivid passages

depicting him

is in Isaiah chapter 53,

Isaiah 53 · chapter mention

years and years

and years

before the cross.

The prophet Isaiah

wrote of this

Lamb of God

who would take away

our sins.

Now,

Peter knew

that Jesus was the Christ,

so he should have known

that this was talking

about Jesus.

Starting in verse 4,

surely he hath borne

our griefs

and carried our sorrows.

Yet,

we did esteem him

stricken,

smitten of God

and afflicted.

But he was wounded

for our transgressions,

he was bruised

for our iniquities,

the chastisement

of our peace

was upon him.

And with his stripes

we are healed.

All we like sheep

have gone astray,

we have turned

everyone to his own way,

and the Lord

hath laid on him

the iniquity

of us all.

He was oppressed

and he was afflicted,

yet he opened

not his mouth.

He is brought

as a lamb

to the slaughter

and a sheep

before her shearers

is dumb,

so he opened

not his mouth.

He was taken

from prison

and from judgment

and who shall

declare his generations?

For he was cut off

out of the land

of the living,

for the transgression

of my people

was he stricken.

And he made his grave

with the wicked

and with the rich

in his death

because he hath done

no violence.

Neither was any deceit

in his mouth,

yet it pleased

the Lord

to bruise him.

He hath put him

to grief

when thou shalt

make his soul

an offering for sin.

He shall see

his seed,

he shall prolong

his days,

and the pleasure

of the Lord

shall prosper

in his hands.

Jesus was the one

depicted in this passage

and he fulfilled

this prophecy

when he was crucified.

So Peter,

have ye not read?

And we make

the same mistake.

You know,

we can over-spiritualize

some issues,

praying,

asking God

if we're supposed

to do something

that we probably

know we should

or asking God

if we shouldn't

do something

that we know

we shouldn't.

And God is in heaven

saying,

have ye not read?

He gave you the answer.

The Lord was committed

to fulfilling his duty

to die on the cross,

but Satan was determined

to use any opportunity

he could

to deter the Lord

from going.

So we see

a distraction

from duty.

Satan will use

anything to dissuade

and distract us

from what we ought

to do.

If he can't get us

to go against God

totally,

he'll settle

for just getting us

off track

a little bit.

You know,

when a pilot

is flying,

they have to be

very intentional

on flying a specific path

because if they start off

even a few degrees

from where they're

intended to go,

by the time they reach

the end of their destination,

they're going to be

hundreds of miles

off the mark.

So Satan's goal

isn't necessarily

to make,

you know,

Christians stumble

into some overt sin

to, you know,

decry from the cause

of Christ,

but if he can just

get you distracted

a little bit,

time will do its thing

and by the end goal,

you're going to be

way off of your mark.

So sometimes

the distractions

are obvious

and easier to combat.

Other times

they're subtle

and sometimes

those distractions

can even come

from people

who are close

to us

or even genuinely

love us.

In his classic

devotional work,

My Upmost for His Highest,

Oswald Chambers

said the greatest enemy

of the life of faith

in God

is not sin,

but the good

which is not good enough.

The good

is always

the enemy

of the best.

Having discernment

in a Christian life

is not

to discern

between what is good

and what is bad.

That's easy.

Even little kids

know right from wrong.

Discernment

in the Christian life

is trying to figure out

what is good

and what is best.

The devil may not

try to ensnare us

with some major sin.

If he can just

distract us

from the Lord's will

for our life,

he has succeeded.

The scripture

makes clear

importance of

staying on course

in our own lives.

See this in Proverbs

Proverbs 4:20–27

chapter 4

verses 20-27.

My son,

attend to my words

and climb thy ear

into my sayings.

Let them not depart

from thine eyes.

Keep them in the midst

of thine heart.

For they are life

unto those that find them

and health

to all their flesh.

Keep thy heart

with all diligence

for out of it

are the issues of life.

Put away from thee

a froward mouth

and perverse lips

put far from thee.

Let thine eyes

look right on

and let thine eyelids

look straight before thee.

Ponder the path

of thy feet.

Let all thy ways

be established.

Turn not to the right hand

nor to the left.

Remove thy foot

from evil.

As Jesus prepared

to fulfill

the Father's will

at the cross,

the devil tried

to distract him

by using one

of his closest friends.

So we see Peter

gave a rebuke.

When the Lord

told his disciples

of the events

in the near future,

Peter couldn't

stay silent.

He said,

Be far from thee,

Lord.

He instead

or he insisted,

this shall not

be unto thee.

It's astounding

to think of Peter

trying to look God

in the face

and saying,

no, you're wrong

on this one.

We know what's up,

but no,

you're not doing

that one.

He meant well

and he truly

loved Jesus

and felt distressed

to hear Jesus

say that he would

be crucified.

And it's kind of strange.

Hadn't Peter

just confessed

that Jesus

was the Christ?

But when Jesus

told his disciples

directly of the events

that are about

to happen,

Peter became indignant

at the prospect

of losing his

dearest friend

and he refused

to let it happen.

Come what may,

at this time,

Peter attempted

to distract the Lord

from the direction

he needed to go.

The Strong's definition

of the word here

used in Matthew,

translated rebuke,

is to tax

with fault,

rate,

chide,

rebuke,

or reprove.

When addressing

the Lord himself,

this would seem

to be outright disrespect,

but we have seen

and will see again

Peter frequently spoke

before he thought.

Often in our human wisdom,

we think we know

better than the Lord,

while we might not

say it out loud,

our attitudes and actions

can betray us.

We know that Christ

has said,

we know what Christ

has said,

but somehow we're going

to justify

going in our own direction.

You know,

a popular piece today

is just follow your heart.

You know,

the heart wants

what it wants.

That's the dumbest thing

I've ever heard in my life,

and I tell my students

that all the time.

Like, that's stupid.

That's a stupid thing to say.

This, however,

being a bad idea,

Christians know

that we're to follow God

because our heart's feelings

can deceive us.

Feelings change

all the time.

You know,

that's why our salvation

is not grounded

in how we feel.

A very common

issue,

typically with younger children

or someone who hasn't

been saved a long time

when doubts come

if they were truly saved,

you'll hear the phrase,

well,

I just don't feel saved.

Well,

the problem there

is you're trusting

in your feelings

rather than what Jesus

did on the cross.

Here's a little

bit of wisdom for you.

Salvation has nothing

to do with you

because if it were about you,

you wouldn't be able

to keep it.

So if you're trusting

in anything else

but then what Jesus

did on the cross,

you're going to have doubts

and you're going

to struggle

and Satan's going

to be able

to throw you off track.

Only what Jesus did

is what matters.

So something that,

you know,

at camp,

you know,

we deal with kids,

well,

I just didn't say

the right things.

Okay?

What are the right things?

What does it mean

to pray the right prayer?

What does God look at?

The outward appearance

or the inward appearance?

He looks at your heart.

Well,

here's just a practical question.

What if someone can't talk?

How are they going to pray?

God looks at the heart.

Jeremiah 19,

chapter 7,

verse 9,

the heart is deceitful

above all things

and desperately wicked.

Who can know it?

Proverbs chapter 3,

Proverbs 3:5–7

verses 5 through 7,

trust in the Lord

with all thine heart

and lean not

on thine own understanding

and all thy ways

acknowledge him

and he shall direct

thy paths.

Be not wise

in thine own eyes,

fear the Lord

and depart from evil.

Throughout the Bible,

many have argued

to the Lord,

this is not the way

it's going to be.

They've always found out differently.

Cain brought an offering

representing his own works.

The Lord would not accept it.

Saul attempted to kill David,

his God-chosen successor.

In the end,

Saul was killed in battle

and David became king anyway.

Later,

David's son,

Absalom,

tried to take the kingdom

from his father

but failed.

Jeremiah wanted to quit preaching

but the Lord

wasn't finished yet.

Jonah tried to flee

from the presence of the Lord

but found himself

in the belly of a fish.

Now Peter

would find

the exact same thing

happening to him.

So now we see

Peter

getting a rebuke.

As the rest of the disciples

looked on,

Christ rebuked Peter.

Get thee behind me,

Satan.

Jesus told one of his

closest friends and disciples.

Now,

let's use some

divine imagination here.

How many of you,

when you were younger,

ever had

your parent

or guardian

call you

by your full

legal name?

Okay.

Now when that happens,

especially if you have siblings,

it's like the air

gets sucked out of the room

because you know

you're in trouble.

Sometimes I'll

memorize my students'

middle names

so when they're acting out

I can call them

their full legal name

in the middle of class

and undoubtedly

it's like

an instant mood change.

Everyone goes

completely silent.

So you can probably imagine

the other 11 disciples

standing there

as Jesus says,

get behind me,

Satan.

It probably went

dead silent.

And you can probably

imagine John

elbowing one of the

other disciples

like,

look at Peter now.

He really messed up.

So,

you can imagine

how much

this probably stung

for Peter.

What a way

to show gratitude,

Peter must have thought.

After all,

he had only spoken

out of love

and concern.

Or had he?

Think about it.

If we truly

love someone,

then we would want

exactly what

God wants

for that person.

Even if we don't

understand it.

Nothing more,

nothing less.

As we said before,

Satan's desire

is to get

God's people

off track.

Even if only

slightly.

Look back real quick

in 1 Peter

1 Peter 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5

and then look

down in

verse 8.

1 Peter

1 Peter 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5.

This one isn't

in your handout.

Peter is writing

here.

He's giving a

warning.

He says,

Be sober,

be vigilant,

because your

adversary of the

devil,

as a roaring

lion,

walketh about

seeking whom

he may

devour.

And a couple

years ago,

I was listening

to a preacher

who was going

through this verse

and he pointed

out something

that I never

really noticed

before.

The second

to last word

in this verse

is the word

may.

Some Bible

translations

incorrectly

translated to

can,

but it was

very intentional,

God was very

intentional using

this terminology,

because this is

a word for

permission.

Walketh about

seeking whom

he may

devour.

When you're

saved and you

have the Holy

Spirit,

sin has no

more power

over you.

You only fall

when you're

drawn away of

your own lust

and entice.

That doesn't

mean Satan's

not going

to tempt

you.

Oh,

that's most

certainly going

to happen.

But we see

here a word

picture that

Peter's using

of the devil

as a lion.

And lions

hunt sneakily.

They don't

jump out

before they

have to.

They sit

and they

wait for

one elk,

gazelle,

whatever it is,

zebra,

to get

slightly off

track,

to wander

off because

now they've

just given

permission.

The lion

can hunt you

now.

If they're

in the pack,

if they're

following where

they're supposed

to go,

that lion's

not going to

go into the

middle of a

herd of a

bunch of wild

buffalo because

it's going to

get beat up

pretty bad.

But when one

goes slightly

off trail,

whether it's

distracted,

sick,

whatever it is,

that lion is

going to wait

and wait and

wait until it

now has the

opportunity to

pounce.

So the devil

isn't sitting

there with a

sign on the

street corner

saying,

come over

here and

sin.

He's just

sitting and

waiting and

waiting and

waiting until

you get slightly

off track to

now because

you've let some

sin in,

he now has

that permission

to devour.

And I can't

help but think

Peter had

learned from

the rebuke he

got from

Jesus of

trying to get

someone just

slightly off

track.

See,

if Jesus

had listened

to Peter,

he wouldn't

have gone

to Jerusalem

and died

on the

cross for

mankind's

sin.

Had Peter

succeeded in

preventing this,

Satan would

have had a

great triumph.

So in a

real sense,

whatever his

intentions were,

Peter was

doing the

work of

Satan.

Therefore,

he deserved

the strongest

rebuke the

Lord could

give.

Remember how

Jesus had

directly encountered

Satan previously

in Matthew 4

and Luke 4?

We have the

story of Christ's

temptation in

the wilderness.

And I'm not

going to get

all into that

too much,

as Ethan

spoke about

it this

morning.

But Satan

was tempted.

He went

through it,

and we have

an example

to follow.

So Jesus

understood it

as for what

it was,

the voice of

Satan,

when he heard

Peter say,

Be it far

from thee,

Lord,

this shall

not be

unto thee.

And immediately

he rebuked

his greatest

enemy,

who was using

perhaps his

closest friend.

Jesus'

rebuke went

even further,

piercing to

Peter's

heart.

Saying,

Thou art

an offense

unto me,

for thou

savorest not

the things

that be of

God,

but those

that be of

men.

The Webster's

1828 dictionary

definition for

the word

savor is

to like,

to delight

in,

or to favor.

In essence,

Jesus was telling

Peter that he

did not like

or delight

in the things

of God.

God.

How often

did Peter

remember those

words in the

coming years?

I think it's

evident,

as you study

throughout his

life,

not everything

he did is

recorded in

scripture,

but we have

some historical

evidence on

how he

lived.

He took

this to

heart.

James 4,

7 says,

Submit

yourselves

therefore to

God,

resist the

devil,

and he

will flee

from you.

Ephesians 4,

27,

neither give

place to the

devil.

No one

enjoys being

rebuked because

we're naturally

full of pride,

and we hate

to admit it,

especially when

we're wrong.

Yet the

word of God

teaches us

how to

respond and

how not

to respond

when we

are rebuked.

Proverbs

Proverbs 9:8

chapter 9,

verses 8 and

9 says,

Reprove not a

scorner,

lest he

hate thee.

Rebuke a

wise man,

and he

will love

thee.

Give

instructions

to a

wise man,

and he

will yet

be wiser.

Teach a

just man,

and he

will increase

in learning.

You know,

it's really,

really easy

to argue

with a

smart person.

Really easy.

It's impossible

to argue

with a

dumb person

because they

refuse to

change no

matter what.

You know,

one thing

that I tell

my students,

and this is

a little humorous,

but it's,

I mean,

it still works.

This is,

in my classroom,

don't be

gross or

weird.

You know,

Peter,

in his

writings,

they can

kind of

be summarized

in just a

couple words,

which is

basically,

don't be

dumb.

Okay?

It's pretty

easy to

live the

Christian

life if

you just

don't be

dumb.

And Peter

knew that

more than

anyone else

because he

was the

perfect example

of ignorance

and stupidity

at times.

God

So,

because Peter

accepted the

Lord's

rebuke

and maintained

his love

and loyalty

for the

Savior,

he went

on to be

powerfully

used of

the Holy

Spirit

at Pentecost

through that

in Acts

Acts 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2,

where God,

working through

Peter,

brings thousands

of souls

to the

knowledge of

salvation.

And then

Peter,

of course,

as we know,

went to

write various

books of the

Bible.

So instead

of naturally

being filled

with pride

and were

rebuked,

we must

learn to

accept it

and grow

from it

as Peter

did.

In the

verses

immediately

following

Peter's

rebuke,

the Lord

reiterates

the necessity

of complete

self-denial

to follow

him.

So next

we see

a denial

for duty.

It's easy

to take

the path

of least

resistance,

giving in

to the

pressure

and requests

of the

world,

but often

a believer

must firmly

say no.

The Bible

is filled

with examples

of standing

firm against

the pull

of temptation.

The Christ

being our

best example.

We can also

see things

like in

Shadrach,

Meshach,

and Abednego

where they

were faced

directly with

death and

they refused

to compromise

on anything.

Standing

against the

world's

pressure is

not easy.

Only through

a close

relationship

with the

Lord do

we have

the stability

and power

to remain

steadfast,

which is

why it's

so important

to not

get off

that trail

even slightly.

The devil's

waiting,

ready to

pounce.

Psalm 16,

8 says,

I have set

the Lord

always before

me because

he is at

my right

hand.

I shall

not be

moved.

The following

passages teach

one of the

greatest principles

any Christian

could learn.

Devotion to

duty requires

denial of

self.

Christ was

attempting to

teach Peter

and the other

disciples that

they must

always live

with a higher

calling in

mind.

We're not

left on

this earth

to indulge

ourselves

and to

eat,

drink,

and be

merry,

but rather

to serve

the Lord.

Paul,

writing in

Galatians,

said,

I am

crucified

with Christ.

Nevertheless,

I live

in the

life which

I now live

in the flesh.

I live by

the faith

of the Son

of God

who loved

me and

gave

himself

for me.

2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 5:14

chapter 5

verses 14

and 15.

For the

love of

Christ

constraineth

us.

And it

continues on.

It is our

Christian duty

to deny

the flesh

with the

affections

and lust

to follow

and to

obey the

Lord

wholeheartedly.

So,

don't live

for today

because today

will soon

end.

The world

says eat,

drink,

and be merry

for tomorrow

we die.

Solomon wrote

that and

throughout the

book of

Solomon,

you see a

person who

is

just

complaining

about

life.

There's

no point

to anything

and only

at the

very

end

does he

get to

but

fear the

Lord and

keep his

commandments.

So,

we see

someone

wallowing

in their

self-pity

when even

though he

knows what

he's already

supposed to

be doing.

This was

the conclusion

of the

foolish

rich man

in one

of Christ's

parables.

He planned

to build

bigger barns

for his

abundance

and then

enjoy a

leisurely

future.

See this

in Luke

Luke 12 · chapter mention

chapter 12

starting

verse 16

and he

spake a

parable

unto them

saying

the ground

of a

certain

rich man

brought forth

plentifully

and he

thought within

himself

saying

what shall

I do

because I

have no

room

where to

store

or where

to bestow

my

fruits

and he

said

this

will I

do

I

will

put down

my

barns

and build

greater

and there

will I

bestow

all my

fruits

and my

goods

and I

will say

to my

soul

soul

thou

hast

much

goods laid

up for

many

years

take

thine

ease

eat

drink

and be

merry

but God

said unto

him

thou fool

this night

thy soul

shall be

required

of thee

then

whose

shall

those

things

be

which

thou

hast

provided

so he

that layeth

up treasure

for himself

is not

rich

toward

God

in

neither

case

was

eat

drink

and be

merry

the way

of God

we're

not to

live

for today

only

in the

grand

scheme

of

things

today

is

short

in an

insignificant

period

of time

you're

going to

be

dead

for a

lot

longer

than

you're

going

to

be

alive

so

what

happens

then

and

preparing

for

then

is a

lot

more

important

than

living

for

now

the

disciples

were

now

aware

of the

details

of the

coming

days

and the

verses

immediately

following

surely

the thoughts

of their

saviors

impending

crucifixion

Peter's

rebuke

and their

own

commitment

to

Christ

were

pressing

in their

minds

as they

listened

of living

for

today

we

should

purpose

to

live

for

eternity

in

perspective

so

do

live

for

tomorrow

in the

light

of

eternity

our

lifespan

is

extremely

brief