Title What kind of Christ?
Contents
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21. From that time on Jesus Christ began to show his disciples that he must go up to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised on the third day.
22. Peter seized Jesus and pleaded with him, saying, "Not so, Lord, for this will never happen to you."
23. Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan, you are a stumbling block to me, for you do not think about the things of God, but the things of men.”
24. Then Jesus said to his disciples, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
25. Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
26. What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul? What will a man give in exchange for his life?
27. The Son of Man comes with his angels in the glory of his Father, and at that time he will repay each one according to his works
28. I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will see the Son of Man come in his kingship before they die.
Content
Subject: What kind of Christ?
Text: Matthew 16:21-28
In Peter, who is not yet mature, we see a foolish believer who seeks and follows Christ, who was created according to his own needs and requests. “I will go up to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and I will be killed, and on the third day I will rise again!” Peter was surprised. Death and suffering in Jerusalem? It was not the “his” savior’s path that Peter had envisioned, the Christ’s “who he wanted to believe” path. For the sake of Christ who will walk this path, he did not leave his boat, net, and father. It was not built for that kind of Christ. I didn't want to fall in love with Christ like this. Such a Jesus was like a root on dry ground, and there was no beauty to be admired, and that kind of Christ was something to be ignored and avoided. He had to correct Jesus in his own way. I had to make it a path I could walk on. He had to make it acceptable and habitable. They had to cook something sweet and tasty. He had to make Jesus the Christ he wanted.
And we hear from Jesus Christ: “Get behind me, Satan, you are a stumbling block to me. You do not think about the things of God, but on the things of men.” We confess Jesus as the Christ. But what kind of Jesus do I confess as my Savior and my Christ? What kind of Christ do I make my way, my truth, and my life? Am I the Christ I made for my needs? Is it the very Christ the life of Jesus is showing?