Matthew 16:21-28 | Göttinger Predigten im Internet

Pentecost 14A (Lectionary 22A) | September 3, 2023 | Matthew 16:21-28 | Luther H. Thoresen |

Note 1: All quotes in the sermon are from the English Standard Version.

Note 2: This initial two paragraphs in parentheses of this sermon might be used as the basis for a Children’s message. If not used that way, one might adapt it as the beginning of the “usual” sermon, or inserted at a later time in the sermon.

(Have you ever played follow the leader? Fun isn’t it? At least it can be fun until the leader goes to a place where others do not want to go, or to a place that might be dangerous. Like, walking on top of a wooden fence? To walk beside or around is ok. But on top? Nope. That may not be safe. OR to crawl through a tunnel or culvert? This may be “safe” but many people don’t like being in a space that seems too small, and many people don’t want to be in an enclosed space. So, let’s not do “follow the leader” on top of a fence or through a tunnel. In today’s Gospel Jesus will say, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Following the path of Jesus isn’t always safe or easy.

I will talk a bit more about taking up your cross in the regular sermon. However, for now, I would remind you that you began your journey with Jesus at your baptism. A pastor marked your forehead with the sign of the cross, said your name and added, “Child of God, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever.” For each of us to “take up our cross” is connected to God’s love in action at our baptism. Let’s pray: God, thank you for claiming us as your own. Strengthen us to follow you all the days of our lives. Amen)

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

What do you think? Is Peter a rock or a block? Last week – Jesus said, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. ¹⁸And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.” [Mt. 16:17-18a] This week – Jesus says, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me.” [v. 23a] The word “hindrance” is translated literally as “stumbling block.” So, which is he? A rock or a block? A building stone or a stumbling stone? For a stone for building up or a block for tripping up? The answer is…well…both.

In today’s text we have a dramatic encounter with Jesus and Peter, and Jesus’ teaching about discipleship. And in today’s text we have a disagreement on whether Jesus as the Christ (the Anointed One) must suffer; and we have Jesus’ words for those who would follow.

Let’s walk through the drama first. Jesus began to show the disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things…and be killed. Peter probable didn’t even hear Jesus’ words about being “raised” on the third day. Must implies necessity. Jesus thinks God intends it. Peter had just confessed Jesus to be God’s Anointed. Jesus had just affirmed that confession. But now – Must? Suffer? Killed? Peter cannot hold these words together with the word, “Christ.” Peter cannot hold these words together with his expectation or understanding of God’s “Anointed.”

Perhaps Peter’s understanding of Jesus as the Christ would mean being a victor; and anointed king to defeat the Roman oppressors; and a Christ that would suffer and die does not fit.
Perhaps Peter’s understanding of Jesus as the Christ that dies would mean lose a good friend, and this he does not want.
Perhaps Peter’s understanding of Jesus as the Christ would mean that Peter’s own safety and life are at risk. If Jesus is to be killed, what will happen to his followers?

Regardless, Peter cannot hold together Jesus and the Christ and this suffering. So, he takes Jesus aside and rebukes him. Rebuke – Matthew uses that word to describe how Jesus speaks to evil spirits. In one story in the eighth chapter of Matthew, Jesus was asleep in a boat with the disciples when a windstorm arose. When awakened by frightened disciples, “he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.” [8:26b] Here Peter rebukes Jesus, “Far be it from you! This shall never happen to you.” [16:22b]

That is when Jesus turns to Peter. That is when Jesus corrects Peter. That is when Jesus says “Get behind me, Satan!” as if to say, “your place is not in front but behind.” It is as if Jesus says, “If you were God’s spokesman before, you are Satan’s spokesman now!”

Jesus adds, “You are a hindrance. You are a stumbling block. Just as only Matthew has Jesus’ words to Peter earlier, “You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church.” Likewise, only Matthew includes, “You are a stumbling block.” So, while we might have put our weight on a building rock, now we might trip or stumble over this block.

Jesus adds, “For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” [v. 23b] Fredrick Dale Bruner is an author and Bible teacher from California. He has been a teacher for pastors, in the Philippines, Spokane (WA), and now in retirement resides in southern California. He is not Lutheran, but an excellent Reformed student of the scriptures. In his commentary on Matthew’s gospel, he notes that the Greek word for “setting your mind” is more than a mental word, that it is more visceral like “gripped by.” It means that Peter is “gripped by the things of man,” being directed by his ambitions and desires.¹

That’s the drama. It is rich, but not only because it is about Peter and Jesus, but because it is also about us. We often see the scripture only as a sketch, a picture from the past. We often see a story like this as a snapshot of Peter from long ago. We may begin with the story as an event in the past, but if that is all it is, it becomes “dead history.” You know that we must also view the scripture as a mirror so that we might see ourselves in the scripture in the present. Am I a rock or a block?

As a snapshot, Peter is a rock and a block. As a mirror, Peter is us.

We confess the truth, “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Peter is us. We resist the truth that Jesus must suffer.
We are a rock, part of the church God is building, and we are a block, getting in the way, tripping Jesus’ purposes, gripped by our own desires.

You see, it is not one or the other. Rather both-and. We are both rock and block. As Martin Luther spoke theologically, he called us simul justus et peccator – at once saint and sinner. Today’s Gospel reading pictures Peter as rock and block. This Gospel mirrors us as rocks and blocks.

Today’s text fits with the earlier picture of Peter – walking on water at Jesus’ word (or I say skipping like a rock on water?); and then sinking like a rock when he looks at the strong wind and doubts, wavers. [Chapter 14]

Today’s text fits with the later picture of the disciples after the resurrection. On the mountain in Galilee the 11 are with Jesus. They worship and doubt, waver. Simon is a rock and a block that wavers. We are rocks and blocks that waver. For 60 years there were “Toys R Us” stores in the US (the last one closed 5 years ago). Well, for today, we could make signs over the main entry doors that read, “Rocks R Us” and “Blocks R Us.”

If we ask “How shall we live?” We begin with a recognition that I see my face in Peter and say, “I am a rock and I am a block.” Then, we are ready to hear, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” [Matthew 16:24] Jesus follows this with 4 or 5 more sayings about discipleship. But for today, we will only note this one.

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself…” To deny ourselves it to acknowledge that I am NOT the lord of my life, I am NOT the maker of my own life. Rather, we allow Jesus to correct us. We allow Jesus to make our course, to make course corrections along the way. We allow Jesus to lead…wherever the road takes us.

“Take up his [your] Cross.” When Jesus says this he is not speaking of jewelry. Jews in Jesus’ day knew what a cross was. Yes, the cross was a method of execution. And at the same time, the cross was a tool of Roman domination. Public executions reminded everyone who was in power, and it wasn’t the Jews.

Some of you may know that in the Old South of the US it was common for plantation owners to punish, to whip a child in the presence of its parents – just to show them who is boss. The punishment was real and the message clear. The Romans used crucifixion in the same way.² So, when Jesus says, “take up your cross” he probably means something like: Do not resist evil with evil; Suffer with those who suffer; Walk with those whose way is hard; and, This may mean the end of your life as you know it.

Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow. To follow Jesus is no picnic. To follow Jesus is not fun and games, even if there is great reward. A picnic and games are great for a Sunday School kick off or Vacation Bible School, or a congregational celebration with a picnic at a lake in the summer. But, this is not the heart of discipleship. At the heart of discipleship is to deny self (“get behind me”), take up your cross and follow. That is one reason why Martin Luther has a cross at the center of his coat of arms. That is one reason why Martin Luther has a cross at the center, inside the heart. Martin Luther knew that life with Christ, discipleship was and is cross shaped. Yet it is also an adventure.

I conclude with this. Some of you might be acquainted with the Mesa Verde National Park in south western Colorado. It contains remains of cliff dwelling villages and cities of ancient Pueblo people. I’ve visited this park twice, and hope to return. Anyway, in an issue of Sundays and Seasons some years ago there was an essay that includes this anecdote (adapted by LHT).³

Park rangers lead walking tours to parts of the park that are not immediately accessible to the public. Just before one such trek, a ranger said to her group, “Folks, in the net two hours you will hike into a canyon, climb rope ladders with at least 300 rungs, and crawl through narrow passages on your hands and knees. If any of you have any history of heart disease, I do not recommend you coming. Any questions?” Silence. Many wondered if they would make it. Finally, the hand of a 12 year old girl popped up. Excitedly, she said, “Do we really get to hike into a canyon and climb 300 steps on a rope ladder and crawl on our hands and knees through rocks? Is it true? Do we really get to?” The ranger smiled and replied, “Yup. That’s the spirit. Let’s go!” And off the group went.

That was not “follow the leader,” but similar. To follow Jesus may not be easy, it may not be safe. Yet, this is the life to which we were called in holy Baptism. After the Water and Word claim us as God’s means to work God’s work, a pastor may mark our foreheads with the sign of the cross and say, “(name) you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever.”

This is about following the leader. “Get behind me,” Jesus said to Peter…and he says the same to us. “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” These are words for all of us. Amen+

Now, may the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen

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Pr. Luther H. Thoresen, ELCA, STS, retired thoresenluther54@gmail.com

³ This anecdote is from an issue of Sundays and Seasons, I think the 2008 issue, page 260 (Copyright © 2007 Augsburg Fortress). However, as a retired pastor, I no longer have access to those issues, only a photocopy of a portion of a page.