I hope you have gotten a compliment this week. I hope someone has said something nice and affirming to you at least once this week. If not, then let me be the first to tell you that I think you are wonderful! There is no one I would rather have reading this than YOU!! Doesn't it make you feel good to have someone say something nice about you? But what about when the opposite happens? How do you feel when someone lets you have it or just gives it to you? There are certain phrases people say and when I hear them I immediately think, "Uh, oh! Here it comes!" --"I'm not very good with words, so I'm just going to say this." --"Something I've been thinking about for a while but haven't had the courage to say..." --"I wanted to tell you what everyone else has been saying." Whatever followed these types of introductions was usually something that made me feel bad. But the truth is, we often have to say difficult things to people we care about. In fact, 1 Thessalonians 5 tells us that one of a pastor's responsibilities is to "admonish" the people. When Jesus had to say difficult things to people He cared about, He often got directly to the point. Let me share one of those incidents. In Matthew 16:13, Jesus asks the disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" They reply back, "Some say you are John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and some think you are Jeremiah or some prophet." Then Jesus says back, "Who do you say that I am?" Peter, the one who always speaks up first says, "You are the Christ, the son of the living God." Jesus has to just swell with pride because the disciples are getting it! Peter is cluing in and understanding who He is. The next few verses are all about Jesus blessing Peter and complimenting him on his understanding. But it's amazing how things change in just a moment. Starting with verse 21, Jesus begins to explain what is about to happen to Him. Jesus is going to be betrayed, arrested, tried, beaten, crucified and killed. Jesus is telling them all about the sufferings He is about to endure. And then Peter...who is still puffed up from all the affirmation...who is feeling on top and superior...who is the star pupil, says to Jesus, "Oh, no Jesus! This isn't going to happen to you!" Jesus then says to Peter in verse 23, "Get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men." WOW! How would you like going from the kind of compliment Peter was just given, to this kind of rebuke? Peter went from being called "the Rock" to "Satan" in just five verses! Lent is a time of reflection and introspection. If we take this seriously and allow God to speak directly into our lives, there will be times He rebukes us. He will speak difficult truths to us that we need to hear. Let me share a little bit about the words Jesus spoke to Peter. "Get behind Me." -- We are talking about the position of a disciple. A disciple is someone who FOLLOWS Jesus. A disciple is not the person who calls the shots and sets the agenda for the leader. When Jesus says, "Get behind me," He is saying to Peter, "Remember your position. Remember who is in charge and who takes the orders." Do we need to be told this? Absolutely! Think about these questions: --Are your prayers requests or are they more like commands? --Do you ever get irritated at God because things don't come out like you want? --When making decisions, how often do you listen for the leading of God? --Do you live life asking God to bless it, or do you look for what God is blessing and live life there? "Satan" -- Can you believe that Jesus actually called Peter, Satan? You may know that this name means "adversary." In other words, Jesus is saying to Peter, "You are working against me."
In this new role of being a DS, I have seen God work in incredible ways. It has been amazing to see the hand of God move in creative, unexpected, out of the ordinary ways. I never want to limit the ways of God to my small-mindedness. To do so would be adversarial to Him. So I invite the Lord to rebuke me often when my thinking has too much "Dave" and not enough "Christ." During these days of Lent, invite the Lord to speak difficult truths into your life. Ask to be rebuked. Remember your position as a disciple is to follow. On the Way To Easter, Dave Lutz
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