“Never, Lord! This Shall Never Happen to You!”

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“Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
Matthew 16:23

Of course, the neighbor knew exactly what he was doing and the truck was there to load up with grass seed straw after harvest.  But I can see how that truck looked so out of place.

Peter had something like the same reaction when Jesus told him that He was going to Jerusalem to die on a cross.  That whole idea of the Messiah dying on a cross just didn’t seem right at all.  In fact, Peter goes so far to even trying to stop Jesus from going to the cross!

I understand Peter’s confusion.  The cross and Jesus?  It just doesn’t seem right.  He has done nothing deserving death!  And didn’t He come to establish His kingdom?  How can He do that by dying on a cross?

But of course, Jesus knew exactly what He was doing.  He was keeping His mind and will on the things of God, on the Father’s will.  And He would go to the cross and He would die for the sins of the world and His kingdom would be established.  But all in a very different way than Peter could see.

What looked like failure was His triumph.  What looked like death was life for you and me.  And what a glorious surprise all of that is for us!

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for being obedient to death, even death on a cross.  For saving me and all who would believe in You.  Amen.

Text and picture copyright Steve Nickodemus