Sermon for the Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost
For Us There Is But One God
Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ!
Amen. Our Lord Jesus says to His dear disciple Peter in today's Gospel, "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."
Today's Gospel: A Familiar Story With a Known Conclusion
If today's Gospel is easy for us to hear and understand, it is probably
because we already know the end of the story. "Jesus began to show His
disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things. be killed and
on the third day rise again." This was exceedingly frightening news for the
disciples, but it carries no real threat for us. We already know that things
worked out for the best, not only for our dear Lord Jesus, but also for St.
Peter and for us. By His suffering for your sake, which He speaks about in
today's Gospel, Jesus has already shouldered the lion's share of whatever
earthly suffering you might ever experience; by His death for you, Jesus now
forgives you all your sins, thus delivering a deathblow to your death; by
His rising to life again for you, Jesus also gives you a down payment and
guarantee toward your own resurrection from the dead.
It is not strange or disturbing for you to hear that Jesus must suffer and
die. Rather, this is frequent news that has grown comfortingly familiar:
· Romans 4:25 - He was delivered over to death for our sins and was
raised to life for our justification (NIV).
· 2 Timothy 1:10 - Our Savior Christ Jesus. abolished death and
brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.
· 1 Peter 1:3-4 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a
living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an
inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven
for you.
· 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 - In fact Christ has been raised from the
dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came
death, [likewise] by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. . in
Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the
firstfruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ.
You already know and you already believe these things. This completed
history of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection for your forgiveness and
life has now become your bread and butter, your sunlight and warmth, you
reason for doing what you do. This completed history of you Lord's death and
resurrection is also what makes today's Gospel a fairly easy Gospel to read.
"Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer
many things" but we already know and we already believe the end of the
story.
Understanding is One Thing; Acceptance is Quite Another!
If hearing this Gospel is easy, the hard part is accepting and believing the
application this Gospel has for our lives, your life and mine.
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 [Jesus] 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."
What is the clear and easily understood point of today's Gospel? In this
Gospel, Jesus declares to you,
"My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways," declares
the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways
higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9).
What is the miserably difficult application of this Gospel, which you and I
must by faith beat ourselves into believing and accepting for our daily
lives? In this Gospel, Jesus insists, requires, and demands that you take
this message to heart:
"My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways," declares
the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways
higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9).
You MUST NOT Wish to Become Someone's God
Peter seems to have had only the best intentions when he rebuked Jesus for
talking about His upcoming suffering in Jerusalem. Peter loved Jesus with
his whole heart. The last thing Peter wanted for his dear Lord was suffering
and death. Peter wanted to safeguard his precious loved one. Peter wanted to
gather Jesus under protective arms, as a hen would gather her chicks under
her wings. Peter wanted to be sure that everything would always be okay for
Jesus, so that his dear Lord's foot would surely not ever strike a stone. In
short, Peter wanted to be Jesus' god. (Surely you can agree that anyone who
wishes to be someone else's god would be rightly rebuked with the words,
"Get behind Me, Satan!")
Peter really needs to be honest: At least part of the reason Peter wants to
keep Jesus safe is because it would hurt Peter too deeply to see His dear
one suffer pain and death. Peter thinks that there are limits to what Peter
can bear. Those limits get pressed to the point of terror when Peter thinks
of losing the one Person whom he loves more than any other person in the
world. Hidden in the shadows behind Peter's great love for Jesus was Peter's
unbearable fear of being without Jesus.
This is the really tough application of today's Gospel, a Gospel that is so
easy to understand. Today's Gospel does NOT teach you to face your death in
confidence and faith. Today's Gospel requires and insists that you face your
dear loved one's death in confidence and in faith. Today's Gospel teaches
you to believe that this person does not need you to be his or her God. Your
dear loved HAS a God.
· That God-the One True God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit-that God
loves and cherishes your dear loved one more deeply than you or any other
human being can possibly imagine. Your heavenly Father's love for your dear
spouse or parent or child goes infinitely farther than any love that could
ever be possessed by a spouse or parent or child.
· That God-the Father, Son and Holy Spirit-that God has something
much more beneficial in mind for your dear loved one than you have in mind
for that person.
· So greatly does your God love your dearest loved one, that He
sacrificed His dearest loved one for your dearest loved one. "Jesus began to
show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things. be
killed and on the third day rise again." By His suffering for your loved one's
sake, Jesus has already shouldered the lion's share of whatever earthly
suffering your loved one might ever experience; by His death for your loved
one, Jesus now forgives your loved one all his or her sins, thus delivering
a deathblow to your loved one's death; by His rising to life again for your
loved one, Jesus also gives your loved one a down payment and guarantee
toward your loved one's own resurrection from the dead.
Peter understood Jesus' words very simply and clearly. Peter just could not
accept what Jesus was saying. This means that you are not the first person
who has ever been tempted in this way. Our Lord's rough-handed response to
Peter was spoken only with the greatest love, not only for Peter but also
for you. Jesus will allow nothing to stand in the way of doing what is best
for Peter. Jesus will allow nothing to stand in the way of doing what is
best for you. Jesus will allow nothing to stand in the way of doing what is
best for your dear loved one-not even you.
You Know the End of the Story
If today's Gospel is easy to hear and understand, it probably is because you
already know the end of the story. "Jesus began to show His disciples that
He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things. be killed and on the third
day rise again." In its moment, this was exceedingly frightening news for
the disciples, just as the thought of losing your dear loved one is
unbearably frightening news for you.
Make this Gospel your food and drink. Use this Gospel like a blanket,
covering your head with it so that you will not be overwhelmed by your
darkest fears. Run to this Gospel when you fear for your husband or wife,
your parent or sibling or child. In this Gospel, Jesus moves Himself forward
by knowing the end of the story. Jesus' dear disciples go with Him to watch
His suffering, having been promised the end of the story. Your story-and
your dear loved one's story-shall end with the same defiant resurrection and
life by which your Lord's story likewise ends.
___________________________________________________________________________
'CAT 41 Sermons & Devotions' consists of works that are, unless otherwise
noted, the copyrighted property of the various authors; posting of such
gives members of this list implied consent for redistribution _with_
_attribution_ unless otherwise specified by the author, as well as
for quoting or use in a congregational setting
_with_or_without_attribution_.
Note: This list's default reply is to the *poster*, NOT the list.
Do *not* reply to the list with your comments, but to the poster.
Subscribe? Send ANY note to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Unsubscribe? Send ANY note to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Archive? <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>
For more information on this or other lists offered by Confess And Teach
For Unity, you can contact the CAT 41 list administrator at:
Rev. Fr. Eric J. Stefanski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
