AUG 28, 2011  SERMON ARCHIVE

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen.

The text for our meditation today is the Gospel Lesson for this 11th Sunday After Pentecost, Matthew 16:21-28. There we read these words:

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you." But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man." Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

We begin in the Name of Jesus, AMEN

If today's Gospel is easy for you to hear and understand, it is probably because you already know the end of the story. "Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things. be killed and on the third day rise again."

This was exceedingly frightening news for the disciples, but it carries no real threat for you. You already know that things worked out for the best, not only for the Lord Jesus, but also for St. Peter and for all of you. By His suffering for your sake, which He speaks about in today's Gospel, Jesus has already shouldered the lion's share of whatever earthly suffering you might ever experience; by His death for you, Jesus now forgives you all your sins, thus delivering a deathblow to your death; by His rising to life again for you, Jesus also gives you a down payment and guarantee toward your own resurrection from the dead.

It is probably not all strange or disturbing for you to hear that Jesus must suffer and die. Rather, this is frequent news that has grown comfortingly familiar:

· Romans 4:25 - He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification (NIV).
· 2 Timothy 1:10 - Our Savior Christ Jesus. abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.
· 1 Peter 1:3-4 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.
· 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 - In fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, [likewise] by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. . in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ.

You already know and you already believe these things. This completed history of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection for your forgiveness and life has now become your bread and butter, your sunlight and warmth, you reason for doing what you do.

This completed history of you Lord's death and resurrection is also what makes today's Gospel a fairly easy Gospel to read. "Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things" but we already know and we already believe the end of the story.

Understanding is One Thing; Acceptance is Quite Another!

If hearing this Gospel is easy, the hard part is accepting and believing the application this Gospel has for your lives.

From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord! This shall never happen to You." But he [Jesus] turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a hindrance to Me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man."

What is the clear and easily understood point of today's Gospel? In this Gospel, Jesus declares to you, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9).

What is the miserably difficult application of this Gospel, which you and I must by faith beat ourselves into believing and accepting for our daily lives? In this Gospel, Jesus insists, requires, and demands that you take this message to heart:

"My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9).

You MUST NOT Wish to Become Someone's God

Peter seems to have had only the best intentions when he rebuked Jesus for talking about His upcoming suffering in Jerusalem. Peter loved Jesus with his whole heart. The last thing Peter wanted for his dear Lord was suffering and death. Peter wanted to safeguard his precious loved one. Peter wanted to gather Jesus under protective arms, as a hen would gather her chicks under her wings. Peter wanted to be sure that everything would always be okay for Jesus, so that his dear Lord's foot would surely not ever strike a stone.

In short, Peter wanted to be Jesus' god. (Surely you can agree that anyone who wishes to be someone else's god would be rightly rebuked with the words, "Get behind Me, Satan!")

Peter really needs to be honest: At least part of the reason Peter wants to keep Jesus safe is because it would hurt Peter too deeply to see His dear one suffer pain and death. Peter thinks that there are limits to what Peter can bear. Those limits get pressed to the point of terror when Peter thinks of losing the one Person whom he loves more than any other person in the world. Hidden in the shadows behind Peter's great love for Jesus was Peter's unbearable fear of being without Jesus.

This is the really tough application of today's Gospel, a Gospel that is so easy to understand. Today's Gospel does NOT teach you to face your death in confidence and faith. Today's Gospel requires and insists that you face your dear loved one's death in confidence and in faith. Today's Gospel teaches you to believe that this person does not need you to be his or her God. Your dear loved one HAS a God.

· That God-the One True God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit-that God loves and cherishes your dear loved one more deeply than you or any other human being can possibly imagine. Your heavenly Father's love for your dear spouse or parent or child goes infinitely farther than any love that could ever be possessed by a spouse or parent or child.

· That God-the Father, Son and Holy Spirit-that God has something much more beneficial in mind for your dear loved one than you have in mind for that person.

· So greatly does your God love your dearest loved one, that He sacrificed His dearest loved one for your dearest loved one. By His suffering for your loved one's sake, Jesus has already shouldered the lion's share of whatever earthly suffering your loved one might ever experience; by His death for your loved one, Jesus now forgives your loved one all his or her sins, thus delivering a deathblow to your loved one's death; by His rising to life again for your loved one, Jesus also gives your loved one a down payment and guarantee toward your loved one's own resurrection from the dead.

Peter understood Jesus' words very simply and clearly. Peter just could not accept what Jesus was saying. This means that you are not the first person who has ever been tempted in this way. Our Lord's rough-handed response to Peter was spoken only with the greatest love, not only for Peter but also for you.

Jesus would allow nothing to stand in the way of doing what was best for Peter. Jesus will allow nothing to stand in the way of doing what is best for you. Jesus will allow nothing to stand in the way of doing what is best for your dear loved one-not even you.

Dear friends, you Know the End of the Story.

If today's Gospel is easy to hear and understand, it probably is because you already know the end of the story. "Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things. be killed and on the third day rise again." In its moment, this was exceedingly frightening news for the disciples, just as the thought of losing your dear loved one is unbearably frightening news for you.

Make this Gospel your food and drink.

Use this Gospel like a blanket, covering your head with it so that you will not be overwhelmed by your darkest fears.

Run to this Gospel when you fear for your husband or wife, your parent or sibling or child.

In this Gospel, Jesus moves Himself forward by knowing the end of the story. Jesus' dear disciples go with Him to watch His suffering, having been promised the end of the story.

Your story-and your dear loved one's story-shall end with the same defiant resurrection and life by which your Lord's story likewise ends.

Christ is Risen.