Claimed, gathered and sent

This is the sermon I'll be preaching Sunday morning at St. Timothy Lutheran Church's Drive-In Worship . The text is Matthew 16:21-28 . Today we have part two of the story of Peter and Jesus, where Peter confesses Jesus as the Messiah, Jesus praises him for it and says he will build his church on this confession. Jesus called Peter a rock. Peter got it right! That was part one. On to part two here, Jesus spells out what life will look like following him as Messiah. For the first time, Jesus mentions his suffering, death, and resurrection explicitly. Oh my, and if that happens to Jesus, it could happen to Peter too! Today, we see how that worked out for Peter as he went from rock to Satan and a stumbling block. Peter took Jesus aside to speak privately with him. For a Jew of that time, the Messiah was a victorious figure who would deliver them from Roman domination. This talk of Jesus' death didn't jive with that, so of course, Peter tried to talk Jesus out of...

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 21 From 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. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” 23 But 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.”   24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it pr...