Get Behind Me Satan: Matthew 16:21-23

God's ways are not our ways. He does things we can not even imagine through means we cannot even conceive.

That's why Peter runs into a mental/emotional buzz saw in Matthew 16:21-23. Peter simply had no category for what Jesus says in Matthew 16:21. The idea that his Savior-King-Redeemer would die was inconceivable. How could a dead Messiah deliver?

Mortified to the point of near apoplexy, Peter presumes to rebuke the Master for His self-imposed death sentence. "Jesus," said the apostle, "what in the world are you thinking? Get such thoughts out of your mind! You will not, you cannot die! You are, after all, the Messiah-King-Deliverer!" He spoke from real, but misguided love.

Peter's problem was one of selective Bible reading. He'd joined his Jewish contemporaries in loving the Old Testament texts predicting a mighty Deliverer-King, while largely ignoring the Isaiah 53 type texts about a Suffering Servant-Messiah. Like all humans, he wanted deliverance and salvation with no cost, no sorrow, no pain, no suffering.

He had no sense that before he or any sinner could enjoy God's salvation God would have to atone for man's sin. There is no kingdom of saints unless there is an atonement for sinners. Before the Messiah could rule as King, He had to die as Lamb.

Yes indeed--God's plan was to save through suffering and death.

So I repeat: God's ways are not our ways. He does things that we can not even imagine through means we cannot even conceive.

Satan knows this better than anyone. So that's why he got into Peter's brain and planted this rebuke. Satan hoped to derail the plan of God through the ignorance of man. He hoped that just maybe, Jesus might hear Peter's words, and buy into the ignorance.

But Jesus would have none of it. He told Satan to get lost, set Peter's mind on course, and kept right on walking toward Calvary; no hesitation, no slacking of His pace, no turning back.

Friends, God has done what we cannot imagine (saving us for eternal bliss) through means we cannot even imagine (the bloody accursed cross). And it happened because Jesus sensed Satan's lie in Peter's love, and commanded the enemy be gone.

Then He marched on to Golgotha with a cross-beam on His shoulders and our forgiveness in His heart.