Not My Will

Matthew 16:21-23

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

²¹ 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, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

²² Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

²³ Jesus turned and said to Peter, “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.”

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2016:%2021%20-%2023&version=NIV1984)

I had never really thought about these verses the way that I have today.  I see Jesus in a different light in these scriptures.  Before when I read it my focus was on how He rebuked Peter but now as I read it my focus is on Jesus. Let’s take a closer look.

First of all Jesus has just told his disciples how He is going to suffer at the hands of the leaders and that He is going to be killed.  He even mentioned how He was going to be raised on the third day but no one seemed to hear that.

Peter most definitely only heard the part of suffering and he loved Jesus so much that he didn’t want to even think of such a thing happening and insisted that it would not happen.  After all, Peter recognized that He was the Christ and knew of the power He possessed.  Surely this will not happen to our Lord.  Peter’s focus was not on the end result, the raising of Jesus from the dead, but was on the path leading to that.  Have you ever been there,  in Peter’s shoes? 

Jesus response takes me back to the desert where Jesus was tempted by satan.  Those words that were being spoken by Peter were maybe even words that Jesus was trying to get out of His own mind.  No one wants to even think about suffering let alone suffer.  Christ knew exactly what would take place, remember in the place called Gethsemane when He was praying just prior to Him being arrested?  Let’s read those scriptures: 

Matthew 26: 36 – 39
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

 ³⁶ Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

 ³⁹ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2026:%2036%20-%2039&version=NIV1984)

 Jesus did not want to have to suffer any more than we want to suffer.  But Jesus knew what needed to be done and He was willing to do it.  When I put this into the perspective of this world I have to think of Peter as the world.  We hear all the time how we deserve this or that.  “We have earned the right”. “We have paid our dues”.  Is that not what Peter was telling Jesus?  “You don’t deserve to suffer, it will never happen”.  We see how Jesus responded to Peter’s comments, he rebuked him.  That is what we as Christians need to do when the world tells us that we deserve more than we are getting.  When we think that we are good enough, we have gone above and beyond and that only good should come to us, we need to rebuke satan.  Jesus did not want to have to go through what He knew He was going to happen yet He was willing to do the will of the Father.  When we get in situations that we don’t like we cry to Him because we don’t want to be there but how often do we say, “Not as I will but as you will” to our Father in Heaven.  Just think, we don’t know the extent of our suffering but Jesus knew full well what would happen and He still prayed that the Father’s will be done.  Remember this world has nothing to offer but Jesus has everything to offer to those who believe in Him and are willing to follow Him.  In the next passage Jesus tells His disciples the cost of following Him.  We will look at that in the next blog.

 As you serve Him, remember that He is in control of our circumstances, He has a plan and we need to just seek Him and find Him when we seek Him with all our hearts.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila