Sunday 27 August 2023

Matthew 16:21-28

²¹ 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, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

²² Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

²³ Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. ²⁶ What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ²⁷ 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 they have done.

²⁸ “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

In the chapter before, Jesus asks His disciples a question?    WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?  

Until we know the answer to this question, we can never change and become like Him.

Jesus challenges His disciples (US) in this passage: “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

What is most on your mind? 

What is most in your prayer life?

I am challenged reading this and sense to adjust my prayer life and change the priority of my prayers.  

That instead of praying for my needs, my circumstances and my wants; that I should spend more time praying for His Kingdom come and His will be done.

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me.”

In today’s world it is easy to become and look more like the world, than God’s children.  It is such a fine balance to be in the world but not of this world.  To be set apart and different from those around us.

What needs to change in your life?

So that others ask the question – What is different about you?  You are different than other people I know. Why?

Lord, show me what needs to change in my life to make my life look more like you.  Help me Lord to become deeper in my walk with You.  I want others to see you in me.

Written by Ps. Sue Botta