Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional. Following on from yesterday’s devotional in Matthew 16, today, we continue to reflect on this text and how we can ensure that we keep in mind the concerns of God.
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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)
I love music. I love it when there is true harmony and each instrument or voice compliments the other. The opposite to this is a cacophony as each voice or instrument competes for space and is out of harmony. This is what we are seeing in this confrontation between Jesus and Peter. Peter is out of harmony with Jesus. Peter is wanting to play a different tune. Peter is wanting Jesus to play his tune. In other words, Peter wants things his way rather than the way of God.
Following on from yesterday, I wanted to focus on this idea of having in mind the things of God. This is about putting God’s will above our own - better yet, this is about have our will aligned with God’s will. The ideal of Christian maturity is to become someone who loves what God loves. The Father wants us all to have in mind the things of God; how do we grow toward this?
i. You must be born again
Firstly, we must be born again. A Christian, by the Spirit’s work of new birth, has a new heart and new desires. The ‘flesh’ still competes with this, however, every Christian has a new power and inclination to please their heavenly Father.
ii. Fill your mind and heart
Secondly, to keep in mind the things of God, we must fill our mind with the Word of God. God’s Word is God’s will. His Word is Spirit-authored and is transformative. Those who feed on God’s Word will have their thinking sanctified and aligned increasingly to God’s will.
iii. Be in community
Thirdly, To keep in mind the things of God, it’s important that we are in community. Let’s notice that Peter is rebuked by Jesus. likewise, we all need a loving friend’s rebuke from time to time.
There’s lots that could be said on how we ensure that the compass of our hearts and minds are aligned with the concerns of God. The world, the flesh and the devil want to take us off course so that we plot the course of our lives according ‘human concerns’ rather than the concerns of God. Are you and I in harmony with God? Do we love what He loves? Have we been born again? Are we filling our minds with God’s truth? Are we being helped in community? How do you need to ’ tune-up’ or keep your heart in tune to God’s concerns?
Peter was following ‘merely human concerns’ and wanted Jesus to avoid suffering and the cross. Sometimes, God’s ways - His concerns - are difficult and even painful. Like Christ, may we be able to say:
‘He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”’ (Matthew 26:42)
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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