Paved With Good Intentions

June 24

Read: Mark 8:27-9:1

Paved With Good Intentions

“Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” - Jesus

You cannot understand what it means for Jesus to be “the Christ” without embracing his rejection, suffering, death, and resurrection. You cannot EXPERIENCE Jesus as “the Christ” without your OWN rejection, suffering, death, and one day resurrection. The two things are inextricably linked together. Jesus “says this plainly”. (v.32) The truth is that this idea is quite offensive to our senses… that is when our “mind is set on the things of man and not the things of God.” (v. 33) As soon as Peter declares that Jesus is the anointed one of God - he gets the "blurry picture” - then Jesus begins to bring this truth into “focus” by telling them what comes next.

Peter was having none of it. He “pulls Jesus aside” and REBUKES him! Ha! Can you imagine… rebuking the person you just ID’ed as the “anointed one from God”? God’s plans will often catch us off-guard. In fact, we may even find ourselves frustrated with God… trying to pull him aside and tell him his plan is a bad one… and that it will not work… and that there is no way this is a good idea… or that we are not going to let him go through with his plan. I don’t know what words Peter said to Jesus, but I do know that he was pressing back against the mission of God.

The rejection of God’s plan may even seem like a “good idea” at times. I mean, really… think about it. It would seem a very “nice” and “kind” thing to not want your friend to be rejected, suffer and die. What Peter was saying totally made “sense” in an earthly context… and it was from SATAN. When we set our minds on the things of man and not the things of God we becomes agents for Satan himself. Peter was a genuine follower of Jesus… the “rock” that the Church would be built upon eventually … and he was susceptible to being used by Satan and advocating against the very purpose and plan of God. Sometimes the things that we think are “surely and obviously good, kind, gracious, merciful, and just plain nice” are actually not what God is working towards.

What Peter did not understand is that Jesus HAD to be rejected, suffer, die because that is precisely what he is recusing us from! This was central to what it meant to be “the Christ”. The blessing that Peter would receive meant Jesus must endure this - his very mission and purpose. Jesus was rejected by the religious institution so that in the Kingdom of God those whom God calls would not be rejected by HIM. Jesus suffered and died at the hands of these earthly leaders so that some day, at the final judgement from God we would not have to suffer and die. Jesus faced death, trusting that he would be raised to show us that we too will one day be raised. This is all necessary for the Kingdom of God to be established.

We desperately need to set our minds on the things of God. We will never understand, experience, or embrace the plans of God until our minds are shifted… until we are “rebuked” by Jesus and corrected. We will continue to have a “blurry and imprecise” view of who Jesus is and what he is doing until we embrace that God’s plan will include both rejection and acceptance, suffering and joy, death and resurrection. What seems “nice and normal” - “obviously the right thing”… as obvious and trying to stop your teacher from rejection and death - may very well be Satan’s plan and not the Lords. (I am sure Peter had “good intentions” when he pulled Jesus aside.) This DOES NOT mean that everything that seems “good and nice” is to be rejected - NOT AT ALL. What it means is that we must embrace and commit ourselves to seeking the “mind of God” in everything we do. (v.33, 1 Peter 1:3-12, 2 Peter 1:2-15, 1 Cor. 2:6-16) It is quite possible that “well meaning” Christians think they are doing “nice things” that are actually being used by the enemy (Satan) to stand in thew way of God’s plan. Sometimes rejection and suffering are part of the mission… but look where it always ends up: resurrection and LIFE! Don’t be afraid to “pull God aside” (or pull Jesus aside…all the same) and tell him you don’t like his plan… you are free to rebuke him for what he is doing. (v.32) It is quite possible that what you will find out is that it is a part of a greater mission and purpose that the Lord is working out. You may find out that you are unwittingly being used as a tool by the enemy. You may discover that your mind is actually set on the things of MAN… not on the things of the Lord. That is ok though… I mean look at Peter… he turned out alright didn’t he? Look at the closeness that Peter enjoyed with Jesus. That is not a bad trade in exchange for being willing to take a “few lumps” and get rebuked every once and a while! Love you guys. - JDP