Jesus Predicts His Death

Matthew 16:21-28

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Predicts His Death

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.”

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Facing a difficult situation in an absolute manner of bravery is not to overcome it by force, but by faith. Jesus had such faith in the heavenly father. Even at the last moment of his death, he called unto the father and said "Luke 23:34 NIV

Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 

He didn't want to rebuke them in anger nor burn them or send them to hell, but took an unusual aspect of man - Forgiveness.

As and when Jesus was saying about his sufferings, death and resurrection. The disciples or the people who heard about it thought it differently. Because they believed in Jesus and they had different aspect of Messiah, Messiah means the one who saves and the one who is with power and might. Jesus is the savior, he has the power, he is mighty. but death at the cross was all for us.

When specially peter started rebuking Jesus.  “Never, Lord!” - In peter's mind he has already picturised what God has to be, and this is where most of us too will be wrong. We want God to do certain things to prove himself for us. But God has a grand plan, ultimate destination set for all who believe in him. In him is life and through him is the everlasting life.

Peter again reassures by saying “This shall never happen to you!” - In the first instance he took the advantage of saying what should not be done, and here again he says what will not happen. 

But Jesus knowing his thoughts.  “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.”

This Jesus said to make known the fact that, Jesus not only opposed his suggestions, but also condemned the saying.

When there is an aspect of considering something more than God, asking God to do something. God will make us understand that we are on the wrong way, even at the temptation of Jesus. Jesus rebuked the evil by saying "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'"

When we worship the Lord our God, and serve him only, we will never get doubt about his saying and we respect what he says, though it may not sound good or great to us.

Then turning to disciples Jesus said  “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

This he said to make us understand the truth that all the difficulties that we may have is not only to put us down, but to lift us up, to his standards. Taking up the cross means to do our duties in Godly manner. Deny themselves is an act of discipleship, because when Jesus said about his suffering at the cross, he said it for a purpose, that by his death he could give us life, that we may also are dead in our sins and born in him. Follow me is the last word he said. So even before we start following Jesus, or when we say "I follow Jesus" it means we should have first dealt with denying yourself, taking up the cross.

And then Jesus continues to say about life.

25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

In the temptation - When Jesus was asked to bow down to devil, that he may give all that of the world. Jesus rebuked the devil saying  "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'"

Here again Jesus asks us the question.

26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

Are we here to gain the whole world and forfeit our soul?

As Paul says - 2 Corinthians 13:5 NIV
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?

HAVE A GREAT AND BLESSED DAY AHEAD