Sermon Cloud

Matthew 16:21-28
Eli Manning Image Who wouldn't want to be Eli Manning right now? The dude's got it all. A little over a week ago, I wouldn't have wanted to be the guy. New York media all over you, playing in your big brother's shadow, about to face the invincible New England Patriots. But a touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute of Super Bowl 42 and you've got life made. Top of the world. Super Bowl Champ. Super Bowl MVP. You'll now be able to star in your own commercial, no need to co-star with your big brother. Life is good for Eli. He's at the top of his world.
I couldn't help but think of Eli Manning as I was reading about Peter in today's passage. Peter was at the top of his game. Jesus had just pronounced Peter MVP of Jesus' kingdom. Just like Eli's audibles at the line of scrimmage, Peter had made the right call under pressure.
It happened in the passage before the one we just read. Jesus is hanging out with his disciples out in the countryside and he asks them a pretty loaded question. He wanted to know if they were getting it yet. "Who do other people say that I am?"
"A lot of people are saying you're Elijah or one of the great preachers come back to life."
"But who do you say that I am." And that's where Peter stepped in and took the game over.
"You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Good call, Peter. 16:17-19
Right after that, Peter turned to the camera and announced, "I'm going to Disneyland."
Peter must've felt pretty good about that one. He'd come through at clutch-time with the right answer. He'd just been proclaimed leader of the Jesus movement that was sure to take over the world. So you can't really blame Peter for feeling confident. You can't really blame Peter for stepping in when Jesus started to speak nonsense.
Vs. 21- necessary Peter does what any good team leader would do. He takes Jesus aside for a moment to keep him from embarrassing himself in front of the rest of the team and tries to calm him down. Peter knows Jesus is tired. He's been going across the countryside nonstop, preaching and healing. He's so tired he's getting down on himself. All this death talk is because he's tired. Peter just needs to remind Jesus of God's love for him. Vs. 22
This phrase "took him aside" is used 3 other times in the Bible. The first two are in the book of Psalms (a book of worship songs). One time it's used to show how God rescues us from our enemies, the other is an example of God holding his people close when they're going through danger. The other reference is a few books after Matthew, the book of Acts (history book of the early church). These older, mature Christians named Priscilla and Aquila take a young enthusiastic preacher named Apollos under their wing to mentor him. Acts 17:26 Can you see what Peter is doing? He's looking after Jesus. Protecting him. Giving him fresh perspective.
Jesus, you've had a rough several weeks. You just need to slow down and get some perspective. God does not want you to die. You'll be fine, you'll get through this and you'll be happy and comfortable. God loves you way too much to allow you to suffer.
That sure seems right, doesn't it? God wants us to be happy. God wants us to be comfortable. If we're really living right, we'll have it made. I mean, we were created with a Divine right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," right? God wants us to be happy? Okay, I'm setting you up, that's obvious.
Folks, I don't know if there's a bigger lie that we hear on a regular basis than the lie, "God wants you to be happy." We hear it all the time. It's a part of our American culture. Just get a little bit more, achieve a bit more and you'll be happy. It's your inalienable right. And we hear it all the time from supposedly Christian authors in supposedly Christian bookstores. If we just pray enough and believe hard enough, we'll get what we want. A few months ago I heard a famous Christian preacher announce that Jesus death on the cross opened the way for your financial prosperity. If I said the guy's name, you'd likely recognize it (even if you never go to church).
I want you to listen very closely to me. God doesn't give a flying rip about your comfort or your happiness.
As soon as Peter says this to Jesus, Jesus spins around and yells, vs. 23 Jesus calls the newly crowned MVP, "Satan." The title "Satan" refers to anything that opposes God. Any influence that would turn us away from God. And Jesus just called his best friend, Satan. When we read "Satan," Matthew meant for us to think back to the first time we read about Satan in this gospel. It was the 4th chapter. Jesus is out in the desert, fasting and praying, denying himself so as to seek God's guidance, when the tempter shows up.
He throws three temptations at Jesus. Every single one was about a shortcut. "If you just turn this stone to bread, you won't have to keep fasting. If you just jump off the temple and let the angels catch you, everyone will immediately know who you are. If jus just bow down to me, I'll give you the world and no one will get hurt. You won't have to die."
Shortcut, easy way out, comfortable thing to do. And the temptation has come right back to Jesus. We can infer that since Jesus reacted so strongly to Peter's suggestion that the temptation to avoid the cross and take the easy way out was still very real for Jesus.
There's nothing happy about Roman execution. There's nothing comfortable about being nailed to a cross. And yet that was God's plan for Jesus. To take a shortcut would be walking away from God.
Jesus is referring to his temptation. He's also making a pun in this verse. Jesus spoke Greek and in Greek, the phrase "get away from me" sounds a lot like "come follow me."
If you've been around the past few weeks, you'll know that it was also in chapter 4 where we read of Jesus telling Peter to "come follow me." We've been talking about how when Jesus said that, he mean "I believe you can learn to be like me." And yet when Peter is telling Jesus, "you can take the easy way out" Jesus is telling him "I said you could be like me, but you're acting completely opposite of me right now."
God doesn't give a rip about your happiness. Because he cares so much for your holiness. He cares whether you're living like Jesus. He cares about you eternity. He cares so much about you living rightly that he sent his own son to the cross (in your place) so you could live rightly.
God doesn't care about the comfort level of your life but he cares about the quality of your life. God knows that if you're living your life simply for what makes you happy. For what makes you comfortable. You're going to be pretty stinking miserable. Vs. 24-25
It's a paradox. We try to grab onto life for ourselves and life slips through our fingers. But when we realize that it's not about me, it's about others and Jesus, we live the life God meant for us to live.
You see, God is completely others-centered. It's his nature. God didn't need to create us. He's complete in himself, in the relationship between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God created us for our own benefit. He created us so he could pour out his love, his goodness, his blessings. We read in the first book of the Bible that God created us in his own image. Our character is to be like God's character. We were created to be others - centered. But the first book of the Bible also tells the story of how humanity chose to walk away from God. The bible calls that sin. Sin distorts and twists the image of God in our lives. Sin changes us from being others-centered to being self-centered.
But this is exactly what our culture promotes. Think about the Super Bowl commercials. Super Bowl commercial screen shot They were all about getting something for yourself. Make money on e-trade (which was my favorite commercial, the one where the baby is talking and then pukes) get the newest car. It's all about me. Can you imagine a commercial that says "here's a cheaper car you can buy cash. And since you don't have payments, you're free to give your money to organizations that fight poverty." Or imagine, "just put your money in a Roth and use that time you were spending on e-trade to mentor an at-risk kid." You won't see those commercials anytime soon. Our culture bows at the altar of self.
When life becomes only about me, tragic things happen. All we have to do is look at pop culture to see how me-firstness gets carried away and ends up hurting other people.
And the results are always tragic. Marilyn Monroe, Heath Ledger, Anna Nicole Smith, Elvis, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain (you can hold Kurt's picture up for awhile)
I don't put these pictures up lightly, I know that each story is heartbreaking.
But when we choose, with God's help, to leave sin behind and live the way God created us to live, our nature begins to be changed. We allow the power of God to work in our lives and we change from being me-centered to being God-centered. vs. 24
That's the way we were meant to live. Focused not on self, but on God and others. So it matters in this life. But it also matters for eternity... vs. 26-27
Several years ago, my wife and I drove up to Madison, Wisconsin for the UofI and UW football game. There were over 70,000 Badger fans in red. A few thousand of us Hawkeye fans conspicuously decked out in our black and gold. We stood out. You could look through the stadium and tell who were Iowa fans. In fact, at one point I was looking through the student section (thousands of college kids in red) and right in the middle was one completely drunk kid in a bright gold shirt. It was obvious whose team he was on. I'm not sure whether he made it out of there alive or not.
As important as this life is, it's not just about this life. Folks, someday this life will end. Someday we will stand before God. Someday our eternal destiny is going to hang in the balance. As God looks at our life it's going to be completely obvious whose team we were on. Was my life focused on Donnie or was my life focused on Jesus. He's going to look at us and know.
This isn't "duck, duck, damn." God randomly choosing who's in whose out. It's obvious to God who belongs in his kingdom
If your earthly life was about self, there's no way you could spend eternity in the presence of an others-centered God. As the great Christian author, CS Lewis said, if some people it would be hell to be forced into heaven.
I can explain hell in another way. This comes from a college professor.
We spend our entire life trying to fill that God-shaped hole with something other than God. We think we can find fulfillment with the next drug trip, orgasm, the next job promotion, achievement, the best car or biggest TV. We're looking for it, looking for it, looking for it. But we die before we get there. And then we'll stand before Jesus Christ, look into his face and realize "that's what I was looking for. All along, it was Jesus." At that very moment, Jesus looks at us and says, "depart from me, I never knew you." And we go to an eternity away from Christ. Haunted for all eternity by what we could've had. That is hell. An eternity of self-induced fire and torment. Vs. 27
It's not enough to just say "Jesus Christ is Lord and God." Peter said that and then Jesus called him Satan not long after that. It's not about what we say. It's not just about what we believe. It's how we live. "If any of you (even those who have given into selfishness more times than you can count) wants to follow me, here's what you do, you turn from your selfish ways, pick up your cross and follow me."
This is what the Christian season of Lent is about Lent slide. Being intentional about leaving behind selfish ways and taking up your cross. Which is why we're asking you to do both of those things during Lent. Ushers You're getting a card and a nail. The card has two sides, "leaving behind" and "taking on." That's what we're asking you to do, leave something behind and take something on during Lent. It's from now until Easter, March 17th.
What selfish behavior do I need to leave behind? Maybe it's negativity, maybe it's bitterness, gossip, porn, piling up my credit card, a grudge, sex (if you're not married or it's not your spouse). "Turn from your selfish ways."
You may also choose to give up something that isn't necessarily bad, but abstaining will help you focus on Christ. TV, radio, chocolate, fasting one day a week. Something that when you miss it it's absence will set your mind on Christ.
We're also asking you to take something on. You could sponsor a child in a developing country, there are brochures on the welcome table, serving someone at the office, praying with your kids or your spouse before bed, one person said they were going to start doing the SOAP reading everyday. Maybe you spend extra time praying for your Fave Five. Maybe you take a step toward one of our "5", Sacrificial Giving. In Lent of 2008, I found how great it is to put God first with my money. It's about leaving selfishness behind, picking up your cross and following Jesus.
You've also received a nail. This nail is our motivation. Jesus took the nails so we could be set free from sin. You can stick the nail through the card.
In just a moment we're going to pray. But first, I want to reread what Jesus was teaching about his death. Vs. 21 - raised from dead We tend to focus upon the death part, and forget that Jesus came back to life three days later.
What happened in Jesus can happen in us. When we die to self-centeredness, a brand new life is birthed within us. Whatever you're holding onto, just let it go. Jesus has something so much better.
Prayer hands down, hands up
Band - instructions on card can tear off and place on altar