From Rock to Stumbling Block

This is the reflection that will be sent out to the people of St. Timothy Lutheran Church. What are your thoughts on this gospel passage?

 Gospel: Matthew 16:21-28

²¹From that time on, [after Peter confessed that Jesus was the Messiah,] Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. ²²And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” ²³But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
  ²⁴Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ²⁵For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. ²⁶For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?
  ²⁷“For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. ²⁸Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

How did Peter go from rock to stumbling block? In last week’s gospel lesson, Peter got it right as far as Jesus’ true identity as “… the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” He was so right that Jesus said his church would be built upon that confession. But now, Jesus calls him Satan and a stumbling block.

It's hard not to sympathize with Peter. After all, I'm sure he loved and cared for Jesus and now look at how Jesus responds! The issue though is Peter’s mind was not on divine things, but human things. After this unpleasantness with Peter, Jesus addresses the rest of the disciples and fleshes out what it looks like to live with one's mind on divine things. It's hard to comprehend; loaded with paradoxes of saving and losing one's life, taking up one's cross, gaining and losing.

If we go back to Jesus’ words to Peter regarding where his mind was not and should be, we get the gist of Jesus’ message. If something is from God, we should desire it with all our hearts and if it’s not, we should want nothing to do with it. That’s all well and good, but how do we know that; how do we do that?

For me, I find it begins with listening for God’s voice, which may come through a song, through scripture, through a friend, or the still, small voice. If we can be still long enough—say, 3-10 minutes a day, we will hear. It’s a matter of being receptive. At times, 3 minutes can seem like 3 hours. Some people light a candle to help them focus. I put on soft music and that helps me relax and focus.

To get a handle on what God may be saying to you, I recommend the 3 Minute Retreat. It’s short (obviously!) and comes straight to the point. This is the website. It is also available as an app for Android or Apple phones.

If we love someone, don't we give them the courtesy of listening to them when they speak to us? If we go about our day ignoring them, will we hear what they're trying to tell us? That’s how it is with God who loves us more than we could ever imagine.

Let us pray.

Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated to you; and then use us, we pray, as you will, but always to your glory and the welfare of your people, through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

(ELW p. 86)

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