Lose Your Life? (Matthew 16:13-28)

When I worked my secular job, my boss’ boss made me fill out a five and ten year plan. I had no idea what to put in it because I didn’t even fully understand what my plan was for that week. I was just learning the ropes, and I didn’t know what the path to success was supposed to look like for me. Now, things are a little different. I like to have a five year and a ten year plan. I’m not foolish enough to believe that everything will work out in those plans, but I have them.

What about you? What does your picture perfect future life look like in five years? What about ten years? It would be really cool to write these things down so we can read them in five and ten years to know how close we got. I want you to have that plan in your mind as we study together today. We are going to be in Matthew 16, picking up where we left off.

Who Is Jesus?

Who Am I To Them?

Matthew 16:13--14 (ESV) --- 13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

First, we are told that Jesus was up in Caesarea Philippi, the capital city of that area. While he is there, he asks his disciples what people are saying about him. Don't think that Jesus is asking because he does not know. Jesus knows what people are thinking. So why does he ask this question to his disciples? We will see.

The word on the street is that Jesus is a reincarnated prophet. Some say he is John the Baptist. We saw back in Chapter 14 that Herod beheaded John and believed that Jesus was his reincarnation. Some are saying that he is Elijah. Remember how Elijah was taken up in a whirlwind, and God promised in Malachi to send Elijah back before God would come down and judge/save his people. We have seen that John the Baptist fits that mold of Elijah. He wears the same clothes, lives in the wilderness, and has the same kind of zeal as Elijah. Then, they mention Jeremiah. How could they think that Jeremiah has returned? I'm not sure where that came from. Maybe they see the hatred of the leaders and realize that he is being treated like Jeremiah. We really don't know, but his miracles must mean that he is reincarnated. This was their way of explaining Jesus' miracles. They say that he must be a reincarnation of a former prophet.

Who Am I To You?

Matthew 16:15 (ESV) --- 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

In the next verse, he shifts from what others say about him to what the disciples believed. These men have been with Jesus for years now. They have seen the ins and outs of Jesus' ministry, and Jesus wants to know what they think.

Matthew 16:16--17 (ESV) --- 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

Peter is bold enough to say that Jesus is "The Christ, the Son of the living God." This phrase is important in our narrative. Up until this point, we had seen the disciples recognize Jesus as the Son of God when he walked on water (14:33). But now they state that he is the Christ. The word Christ means "The Anointed One." This is not his last name. His mother is not Mary Christ. Joseph was not Joseph Christ. This is a title associated with the king of Israel and the Savior of the world. Our study of Psalm 2 last week should give significance to that term.

Psalm 2:1--2 (ESV) --- 1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed...

Psalm 2:7 (ESV) --- 7 I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.

Psalm 2:12 (ESV) --- 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

God's anointed is portrayed in the Old Testament as the almighty king of the earth who no one can stand against. Peter is saying what Matthew told us at the beginning. Matthew made it clear that Jesus' birth signified that he is the Christ. Now we see that Peter believes it.

Isn't it interesting that Jesus tells him, "Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you." What does that mean? He follows it up with "My Father who is in heaven" has revealed this to you. Peter did not come to the understanding that Jesus is the Christ because Jesus was the tallest, best looking, most renowned, and the strongest. Nor did he come to this conclusion because Peter was so smart, well trained, and perceptive. Jesus points to God and says that he has revealed this to Peter.

Upon This Rock

Matthew 16:18--19 (ESV) --- 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Then Jesus changes names with Peter. He goes from calling him "Simon Bar-Jonah" to Peter. He says, "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." There is so much significance to this statement. First, the name Peter means rock, so there is a sense in which Jesus is using a play on words. Jesus has chosen Peter to be a foundation stone for his church. There has been a lot of confusion about what Jesus means here, but Peter being a foundation stone is in harmony with the rest of the scriptures. We see Paul referring to all of the apostles as the foundation of Christ's church in Ephesians 2:20.

When he says church, he is not talking about a literal building. The word church throughout the Bible always refers to a group of people. In this instance, he is talking about all of God's people who receive the grace of God. That's what Christ's church is. It is a group of people who are saved by God's grace and protected from the gates of Hades or Hell. Don't you appreciate how practical Jesus is here? He is using figures, but the image is clear. Jesus will build a group of God's people to save, and Peter is an example of what the foundational rocks look like.

In verse 19, we see another great statement about Peter. He will be given the keys to the kingdom. He will be a trusted steward in the kingdom with the power to open the gates and close them. This foretells Peter's role in the kingdom is more significant than a single rock in the foundation of God's people. He is the rock closest to the cornerstone. He will be given a very important role as a steward of Jesus. As a steward, he won't make that decision without understanding the will of his master. When we go to the book of Acts, we see Jesus fulfilling this through Peter. Jesus tells Peter to open the door to the Jews on Pentecost, bringing thousands of Jews (Acts 2). Then, he opens the door to the Gentiles in Acts 10 for Cornelius. Some false teachers claim a lot more than this is true of Peter, but the details of Peter's work in the New Testament are all we can rely on to say what his stewardship looks like.

Don't Tell Anyone

After he reveals all of this to his disciples and brings this out into the open, he tells them something odd. "Don't tell anyone that I am the Christ." Why would he say that? Think about the reaction so far in the book. No one understands what his kingdom would be like. They don't see that it is like a field where he is sowing seed to reap a later harvest. The people in John 6 want to make him a king over them. They want him to overtake the Romans and lead Israel back to her glory days.

Jesus Must Die

In the next section, which we don't have time to look at in detail, we will see that his mission is not to conquer the Romans. I want to introduce this idea to you, and we will talk about it a few times over the next few months.

Matthew 16:21 (ESV) --- 21 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.

Jesus tells his disciples exactly what happens in the future. Anyone who thinks that Jesus failed in his mission needs to read this statement from Jesus. He tells his disciples this will happen three times in the next few Chapters. Being the Christ did not mean that he would immediately defeat all of his enemies. Just like David didn't instantly kill his enemies. He suffers at the hands of Saul and Absalom. But Jesus says that he will return by being raised on the third day.

Peter Rebukes Jesus

Matthew 16:22 (ESV) --- 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”

Peter hears that the chief priests and elders must kill Jesus, and he refuses to believe it. Can you imagine hearing that the religious leaders in your society were going to murder the Savior? Of course, Peter didn't believe it, but this is Jesus. If he believes that Jesus is "The Anointed One," how could he rebuke him? He believes that Jesus will rise up and that God would never let the nations destroy him. This is in keeping with Psalm 2, which we just studied. The nations can't defeat the Lord's anointed. But Peter doesn't see how Jesus is going to use that defeat for the ultimate victory.

Jesus Rebukes Peter

Matthew 16:23 (ESV) --- 23 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.”

After Peter spouts off his rebuke, Jesus turns and says to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan!" Woh! That is a strong rebuke. Notice how the words of Peter sound just like the temptations of Satan back in Chapter 4. Satan tried to convince Jesus that he shouldn't have to suffer to be king. Now Peter is saying the same thing.

Notice how Jesus is so focused on his mission that he doesn't waver. He does not seek an opportunity to get out of the suffering. He's not looking for a way to become king and not have to die. He knows what must be done, and he is committed to seeing it through. His mind is set on God being glorified and not on himself. He tells Peter that his focus is the opposite. Peter cares about winning over the religious leaders, he cares about rising to power to defeat the Romans, and I'm sure that he cares about Jesus' wellbeing.

Matthew is showing us that the disciples believe in Jesus, but they also don't understand what Jesus is doing. They still believe in themselves. Peter relies on his own thoughts and his own understanding instead of submitting to Jesus, the Christ.

Take Up Your Cross

In the final section of this chapter, Jesus helps his disciples understand what just happened.

Matthew 16:24--28 (ESV) --- 24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

These words reinforce his rebuke to Peter. They are charged with emotion. It would be hard enough for Jesus to do what he has to do. But he knows what will happen afterward. So he makes it clear that they need to focus.

Listen carefully to what he tells them. If they want to follow him, they have to give up their lives. The disciples would have to stop approaching their service to God as though what matters is getting what they want. Serving and worshipping God can't be about them. It has to be about God.

What happens when we get everything we need and everything we want? We want more. Jesus is trying to help them see that they are pursuing an empty kingdom. But those who follow him are looking to God for an eternal reward. Back in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave them the same idea.

Matthew 6:19--21 (ESV) --- 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Peter rebukes Jesus because he is expecting to find treasure on earth. Jesus wants them to have hearts that desire heavenly things. He wants them to give up the good things in this life willingly for an opportunity to serve God. That is what he has done and is going to do.

When we hear Jesus encourage his disciples to take up their cross, lose their life, and stop seeking the things of the world, he is telling them to seek the pearl of great price. He is telling them to give up this world and pursue God more fervently than ever before.

What Is The Message?

Do we feel the struggle of being a disciple in this text? Can you imagine leaving everything you know to follow Jesus and seeing that he is the Christ? Imagine how exciting that would be. We would think that we are going to be living a great life in the future. Our five and ten year plans need to be adjusted for fortune and success. There won't be any death and failure. There will only be joy and success. Then, Jesus says that he will be tortured and die, and that they must die as well. How many of us want our money back? They would have to come to terms with the fact that Jesus is not seeking success in this world. They need to give up on this world and pursue God's will.

Look again at Peter. How could a man confess belief in Jesus as the Christ, Messiah, and the King, be chosen as a foundational piece in Christ's church, then turn around and reject his teaching? Jesus' words must have gone against everything Peter is seeking. Peter and the rest of the disciples aren't seeking the things of God. They are seeking the things of man. They want to conquer the Romans and reign with Christ over the kingdoms of the earth. But Jesus says, “No, I will suffer and die.” Peter recognizes that Jesus is the Christ, but he rejects the most critical part of his mission. Clearly, Peter is not fit for the blessing Jesus just gave him. Jesus even calls him Satan! Will Jesus take away the blessing?

As we read through verses 24-25, have you ever thought, "How could anyone be a good fit to follow Jesus?” Jesus not only says that he will die, he says that following him means taking up their cross and suffering alongside him when the time comes. Who in their right mind submit to the scourging and abuse that he went through? Feel the weight of what he has said to these men. They have already given up their careers and left their families, but now Jesus wants them to give up their lives to obtain what Jesus is offering them.

Application

What about us? Most of you are here today because you believe Jesus to be the Christ. We have made that confession and consider ourselves a part of the Lord's church. We believe, but are we still seeking the profit of this world? Are we setting our minds on things of man instead of the things of God? It is so easy for us to step in front of Jesus and say, "You need to follow me for a little bit. I know what I'm doing." We just need to get a few things set up in our lives to be easy and comfortable. Then, we will follow you. Jesus being our Christ, means that Jesus is our king. He is the one God has given all authority and dominion. So what he says goes. I can't take the wheel from Jesus. We need to give him control the whole time.

Does Jesus have control of your life? As he calls for his disciples to deny themselves, we need to ask, "How have we denied ourselves to serve Christ?" What does taking up our cross look like? I have heard many different ideas about taking up a cross. Some want to claim that their cross is their in-laws. Others want to say that their cross is children or a spouse. Some will say their cross is their job, the government, or some handicap. Is our cross just whatever trial we are going through at the time? What does it really mean?

Taking up a cross means giving up the perfect life we were pursuing so that we can seek God first. We know that the cross wasn't about Jesus doing what he wanted to do. It was about doing what God wanted him to do. Taking up our cross does mean we bear with evil people and endure trials. But it also means that whatever we do, we put God first. It is crucial to notice that pursuing God first led Jesus to the cross so that he could save us with the ultimate sacrifice. He denied himself for God and us. The disciples eventually followed his example.

Who knows where pursuing God first will lead you. It could lead you to quit your job and move to India to help establish the church there. It could lead you to reach out to those at your job and try to help them find Christ. It could lead you to set up a block party to encourage neighbors with hopes of spiritual discussions. Taking up a cross is not just about going through needless pain. It is about going through pain for God to be pleased with our fruitful service.

Conclusion

If this year has taught me anything, it has taught me that we better think twice about pursuing the perfect life for ourselves. I have seen many people call evil good and good evil to advance in that pursuit. I have also felt the pull to do what they do. For us, taking up our cross means thinking more about God and others than thinking about ourselves. This is a challenge worth eternal glory.