Sheringham: St Peter

What a good thing it is that we don`t have all the reactions of Jesus to his apostles` actions recorded. A lot of the time they get confused. Jesus has three short years to explain his mission. So often the disciples misunderstand and it`s back to the drawing board. But occasionally there is a breakthrough. One such breakthrough comes before the passage which is our Gospel reading in Matthew 16. Jesus is gathering with his disciples at Caesarea Philippi. They are 25 miles north east of the Sea of Galilee in the domain of Herod Philip which he had renamed Caeserea in honour of the Emperor. The place has since been called Banias and there was a grotto there which was supposed to be the birthplace of the god Pan, the famous fertility symbol. The area around was filled with temples of classical pagan religion. As the disciples looked at these pagan temples, the question of Jesus was relevant. Jesus asks his disciples what the people think of him. But more than that, he asks what the disciples believe about him. Peter leaps in and gives his answer: `You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.` Imagine Jesus` reaction as he realises that finally Peter has understood. Now Jesus can begin to explain what Peter`s confession means in practice. But for them, it`s not good news. He warns them about the journey to Jerusalem, the reactions of the religious leaders, his being killed – and also his rising on the third day. Peter is horrified as he takes Jesus on one side: `Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!`

In Jesus` reply is the heart of the Gospel: `You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.` And he details what that involves: `Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ` To follow Jesus means suffering and hardship. It means taking on the forces of unbelief that refuse to accept Jesus as Messiah. It means dying to our own wishes daily and seeking only God`s will.

That note of spiritual struggle is a mark of real Christianity. Inevitably they and we shall fail in that struggle. Peter identifies with us. If you visit St Peter`s Basilica in Rome, you can look up and see depicted there above the entrance the record of Peter`s fall. We remain just as fallible and weak as him. Sin and failure are to be found in the lives of all the saints. All of us need to be vigilant.

Jesus recognizes the devil`s attack on him through Peter`s words. He addresses Satan directly: `Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me.`

Jesus knows that Peter is soon to become part of the great army of God who will bring in the beginning of the Kingdom. He needs him to know what that means. But he knows that Peter must have a complete picture of Jesus and of the Kingdom. He asks the same of us as we begin a new week together. Do we have a full picture of who Jesus is? Have we heard his call and begun to respond to it?

Peter needed to listen to Jesus, and to understand who he truly is. How much do we listen to God as we seek to follow Jesus?

Do we know what God`s agenda is for our lives? What does it mean for you to take up your cross today?

There is a list in our Epistle reading from Romans 12 which points us in the right direction. Read it when you get home. Or read it before you turn to sleep tonight. `Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Do not repay anyone evil for evil.` And so on.

God wants us to listen to him. His guidance may be as we read the bible and a particular word or verse springs out at us. It may be that we discern the Holy Spirit`s guidance as we hear the advice of a wise and trusted friend. Guidance may be in our circumstances as a door opens or closes. For some it will be a Damascus Road experience as we hear God`s voice clearly in our minds.

Sometimes the guidance can be confusing. Our Gospel reading ends with Jesus` words: `Truly, I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom`.

The disciples are confused by what Jesus really means. Is Jesus referring to his Resurrection? Is he thinking about the end of the world? We are encouraged by the fact that theologians down the years are confused by such passages. The bible can be hard to understand. We have to wait to find the whole truth revealed. That truth may not be revealed until heaven – and we may have other things on our mind then as we look up into the face of Jesus as he welcomes us home.

The Revd Pat Hopkins

Sheringham: St Peter

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