Matthew 16:13-28; Mark 8:27-9:1; Luke 9:18-27; Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36; Matthew 17:14-23; Luke 9:37-45; Matthew 17:24-18:9; Mark 9:33-50;

Luke 9:46-50; John 7

Jesus clearly stated His intentions, but the fleshly mind could not hear it. Over and over He said He must go to Jerusalem, but His disciples said there was danger there. Over and over, He said He must go there to die, but His disciples wanted Him to stay alive.

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.

Matthew 16:21-27

As the redemptive plan of God in Christ Jesus unfolded, the mind of the flesh could not see it. It made no sense. How could Jesus accomplish anything of lasting value if He were dead? Never forget that Peter’s warning to Jesus and his arrogance in “forbidding” the Lord to do anything came on the heels of Peter’s great confession, not before it.

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Matthew 16:13-19

Notice that Jesus commended Peter for his “spiritual sight”. Then, Peter went back to seeing through earthly eyes and was admonished by Jesus.

Isn’t that true with us? Some days we see the mighty hand of God at work through spiritual eyes and clearly see the pathway illuminated before us. Other days, we grope in the darkness seeing the world through the eyes of the flesh and nothing makes sense to us. That’s why the way of the cross is a daily endeavor.

“The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

Luke 9:22-26

Peter’s great moment was followed by the strongest rebuke he received, “Get behind me Satan”. Past spiritual sight and spiritual accomplishments are not what gets us through today. Rather a daily self-denial and renewed discipleship is needed to see the Way clearly.

Consider His nature.  Consider His ways.  Strive to love Him more!