Serving God

This morning I was reading Matthew and came across this verse:

Matthew 16: 21-23

²¹ From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

²² Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

²³ Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Here, Peter quickly becomes defensive of his Lord, saying that there is no way this will happen to him. Almost implying that he (Peter) will prevent it.

There are multiple times in Jesus' life where he could have called someone such a harsh term as 'Satan,' but here he uses it when Peter is simply trying to defend him. The problem is that Peter is simply looking at the earthly benefits of Jesus and not the eternal. He is looking at his plans for Jesus and not the Father's. This is a stumbling block that Jesus can't have in front of him.

Many times we are quick to defend Christ or share him without our Father's intentions but rather our own. This seems to be just as much as a sin as any other, as Jesus refers to his disciple as 'Satan.' Many may look as if they are serving the will of God, but let us use His word to check that. Let us not get caught up in the comfort of human traditions, but step out in faith, knowing our God's grace is on us.

In your life with Christ, continual to seek a will above your own, the will of your Father's. Know grace. We aren't perfect, but Jesus gave us word and deed to live by, so let us live through Christ. Be cautious to not serve Christ by your own standards, but by the will of God, serve Him.