Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional. Today, as we continue in our Summer Inspiration series, we reflect on what we can learn from the account of Jesus rebuking Peter with the words, “Get behind me, Satan!”
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‘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. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” 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.”’ (Matthew 16:21-23)
This account, I’m sure, strikes all of us with its confrontational tone. Many people speak of Jesus in terms that paint Him as always smiling and softly spoken. Many people have no space for anger and confrontation in their Christianity. However, as we see here, Jesus, on occasion, is angry and gives rebuke. Why does Jesus speak to Peter in this way? Why does he confront Peter for wanting to keep Him from suffering and death? Jesus’ explanation shows us the serious nature of Peter’s contradiction:
i. Peter was being influenced by Satan
Firstly Jesus can discern the inspiration of the devil behind Peter’s words. We are not sure of how much the devil knew about the victory that the cross would achieve, but Satan was influencing Peter. As we can see, the rebuke is actually aimed at Satan as much as at Peter! It’s very interesting to notice how this demonic attack on Peter follows a moment of success for Peter. Just prior to this we read Jesus praising Peter:
‘Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.’ (Matthew 16:17-18)
This instance of praise and promise is tested as the ‘gates of Hades’ do seek to ‘overcome’ Jesus’ work. This is an important lesson - Satan will often give counter attack so we must be prepared.
ii. Peter was tempting Jesus into rebellion
Secondly, he tells Peter, ‘You are a stumbling block to me’. Peter, in allowing himself to be influenced by the demonic, was tempting Jesus to avoid the cross, and disobey His Father. Peter, influenced by Satan, was tempting Jesus into rebellion - the same rebellion into which Satan, in the form of a serpent, had tempted Eve.
iii. Peter was wanting salvation without a cross
Thirdly, he reveals to Peter that, ‘“You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”’ Peter had the understandable human desire to protect Jesus and so audaciously corrects His master. This human desire led him to dismiss Jesus’ words; Jesus had said, ‘that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things…’ Peter, however, did not believe that Jesus ‘must’ die for sin and then be raised. Peter allowed his human desire for his preferred circumstances to trump God’s will and way of salvation - through suffering and death.
The devil wants to inspire all of us to follow our concerns rather than the concerns of God. If we are not wary we can choose to believe that our best life is one in which we don’t have to believe in a crucified Savour; we can be tempted into a spirituality that has no message of the cross - this may seem kind but it’s demonic! Secondly, we can be tempted into believing that our best life is found in focussing on our own concerns rather than submitting our lives to God and praying, “Your Kingdom Come, Your will be done.”
Community group notes and study
1. Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
2. Icebreaker
How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week and how has this helped you?
3. Worship together
Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.
4. Study and pray together
Our message on Sunday was based upon Jesus’ rebuke aimed at Peter in Mark 8:31-33. Here we see the importance that Jesus’ places on our seeking to put God’s will - His ‘concerns’ - as paramount in our lives. God is not to be our servant. We don’t follow Him to make our lives better. Rather, a Christian has died to their old life; they have been purchased by Jesus; His will is to become our delight and our will. Jesus wants all of us to ‘have in mind the concerns of God, [not] merely human concerns.’
Please read Matthew 16:21-23
What would you say is the main point of this text?
Did God speak to you about anything specifically from Sunday’s message?
What is Satan seeking to do in this account and what does this teach us?
How is what Peter is doing following the pattern of Eve in Genesis 3:1-7?
How do you ensure that your zeal for God and His will is kept central in your life?
SIV - How will a correct application of this account lead us into a life on God’s mission?
SIV - Do we have any stories of how we have ‘Served, Invested, and inVited’ recently?
SIV - Spend some time together talking and praying about who and how you are seeking to bring your community to Jesus.
Let’s pray together that, this week, we will have opportunities to SIV; and pray for anything else that's come out of our time in God’s Word.
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