Peter Doesn’t Get It:

Context:

• Peter correctly claims that Jesus is the Christ.
• Jesus then charges the disciples to tell no one that He is the Christ.
• And if that wasn’t unusual enough, He proceeds to tell them that He must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things, be killed, and be raised on the third day. 
• This is the first of several discussions about the future that Jesus was about to embrace.

Luke 9:22 “...saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised...”

Matthew 16:21-23 “...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 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...”

Mark 8:31-33 “...And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man...”

What did Jesus clearly say was about to happen?

• He was going to suffer.
• He was going to be killed.
• He was going to be raised on the third day.

What did Peter hear?

• He was going to suffer and die.

Why could Peter previously answer correctly that Jesus was the Christ?

• It was a revelation from the Father who is in heaven.

Why could Peter now give a response that led to Jesus rebuking him as Satan?

• He was so focused on his preference that he didn’t hear, and accept, all that Jesus was saying.
• His mind was set on the things of man, not the things of God.

Why is failure to hear, and accept, all the words of Jesus such a problem?

• Jesus reveals the intentions of the Father.
• Any alternative is rebellion against the Father’s intentions.
• Satan long ago rebelled against the Father, and entices others to do the same.

Which is better, revelation from the Father, or alternatives to the Father’s intentions?

What happens when we drop RED LETTERS in order to pursue our preferences?

• We, like Peter, overstep the true meaning of discipleship
• We assume that we know better than the Master what course to pursue.

Peter tried to dissuade Jesus from the death on which the salvation of the world depended.

How often do we miss God’s viewpoint because of our own?

How often are we a “stumbling block” in the way of the ongoing intentions of the Almighty?