Our mind is fiercely competed for
Everyday millions of thoughts pass through our minds and we are constantly bombarded with messages about how we are to think about things. At the same time there are our own thoughts and anxieties and then there are the suggestions from Satan. (For more on this read “Voices in My Head”).
In Matthew 16:13-20, Jesus asks the disciples who the people say He is, but then goes from the general to the more specific: “Who do you say I am?” This is an important question for Jesus since Jesus had fed the five thousand, walked on water, healed many, fed the four thousand and yet He knew that the disciples were struggling in their understanding of all the miracles they had seen and what that meant. (Matt 16:5-12)
Simon Peter then declares “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Jesus then acknowledges that this has been revealed to Peter by His Father and Peters declaration of faith is the foundation that the Kingdom of God will be built on.
Then in verse 20, Jesus warns the disciples not to publicize Peter’s confession because they did not yet fully understand the kind of Messiah he had come to be – not a military leader – which was the common thinking of that time, but a suffering servant. The disciples needed to come to a full understanding of Jesus and their mission as disciples before they were to proclaim it to others in a way that would not cause rebellion amongst the people. The disciples would have a difficult time understanding what Jesus came to do until his earthly mission was complete.
Their minds were not yet full of the things of God.
We see this clearly a few lines on. Jesus “began to explain to the 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.” (Matt 16:21)
The same Peter, who had just declared that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God, now takes Jesus aside as friend and devoted follower of Jesus, and seeks to protect Jesus from the suffering he had prophesied. Jesus says:
“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.” (verse 23)
Ouch! But Jesus is right. Great temptations often come from those who are close to us, love us and seek to protect us from hurt and discomfort. Saying things like “I am sure God doesn’t want you to face this,” or “Why would God do that to you, He loves you.” It is a temptation coming from those who are motivated to protect us from discomfort and harm.
When Jesus was tempted in the desert, Satan had suggested that Jesus can achieve greatness without dying (Matt 4:6) and here again he hears the same message from Peter.
Peter had just recognised Jesus as the Messiah, but then gave up that revelation from God and evaluated the situation from a hu(man) perspective. This man perspective prioritises worldly comfort, human logic, self-preservation and immediate gratification. Satan is always trying to get us to leave God out of the picture, to evaluate the situation according to our human perspective and motivations. The things of men are our personal agendas and motivations that creep into our lives and receive prominence in our minds particularly when we are pursuing promotion, comfort and safety.
When we protect ourselves from pain, our lives turn inwards and we lose touch with our intended purpose. Jesus understood that He would die and that His followers would also need to face death rather than pursue their own comfort, safety and promotion in the face of pain.
“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up the cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” (Matt 16:24-26)
The things of God require a real commitment from us, our whole lives, a godly perspective on suffering, a willingness to die and no turning back (Matt 10:39). A life focussed on the God’s kingdom and will rather than the approval of men. It means a life that includes death, pain and discomfort. If we try to protect ourselves from this, our lives turn inward focussed on ourselves and our agendas. But a life in service of Christ, however, there we gain real life and the real purpose in living.
Our minds are constantly being bombarded by thoughts of comfort, pleasure and worldly purpose, as if this life is all we have. This is the reality of the world we live in. If we do not keep in mind the things of God, how God’s kingdom works, what God desires for us, then we open ourselves to the same temptation that Jesus and now Peter faced.
We are tempted to become focused on the things of men.
Dear Jesus, it is a real temptation to avoid pain and discomfort. It is comforting to know that You also faced this temptation. For me to develop a Christ-like character and pursue the things that You have planned for my life does not mean that there will be no hardship, difficulty or even death. The Kingdom of God does not work like the world we live in and my agenda for my life probably does not look like Your agenda for my life. Help me to fill my mind with Your design for my life, Your purpose for my life and your attitude to life. I confess that I live a life in service to Christ.
Eternal Values for Live Living
God help me to have a mind of Chtist..