"You are the Christ"

So this past week I have been studying big time for my New Testament survey exam. One of things I had to study was the outline of each of the 4 gospels and where different narratives, miracles, and discourses by Jesus are at. One of the narratives and teachings sections I had to know was Peter's confession from Matthew chapter 16.

As I have been pondering over this text throughout the week it got me thinking. In 16:15 Jesus ask the disciples "Who do you say that I am"? These were men who have spent a lot of time around him, listening to him, talking with him, watching him preform miracles and teach about the kingdom, Peter, the outspoken one of the group says, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God". What strikes me about this is Peter gets it right. He knows who Jesus is and His relationship to God the Father. I truly believe that Peter even has a good idea that he might be speaking to God in the flesh or at least something pretty darn close. But what also strikes me is what Peter does in just a few short verses later.

Starting in verse 21 of chapter 16, Jesus begins to predict His death to His disciples. Jesus says He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things and be killed. What does Peter do. Peter pulls Jesus aside and says, "This shall never happen to you" and Peter rebukes Jesus. Wow, this is the same man that a few verses ago got it right with Jesus and now wants to stand in the way of God in flesh.

2 things strike me about this section of verses from Matthew and the reactions of Peter. First, Peter did not fully understand who Jesus was and what He was doing. Peter had grown in His relationship with Jesus over the years and had an idea of who Jesus was but he had plenty of room to grow. This is a man that walked day to day with Jesus and he still had room to grow in his relationship with God. How much more room does that leave me to grow. That should tell me that if I find moments where I think my relationship with God is good and I know what He is doing, I should think again. I am still learning each day more about my Savior and I should desire to learn more each day about Him. It challenges me to grow in love with God more so I desire to know more about Him each day.

The second thing that this set of verses teaches and challenges me is that Peter wanted his kinda Savior. Peter wanted a savior he could control and put in the mind box of Peter. This one hit home even more. When do I find myself wanting to control God and tell Him what to do and how to act? When do I want to put God in my box and fit Him to my image? When do I want a Savior that will conquer my Roman problems instead of dying for me? I find myself more and more like Peter each day in that I want God to be my god in my image doing my bidding. And then Jesus is right, Satan has a bidding for me and I am not following God the right way and standing in the way, so to speak, of God's purposes for my life.

God is amazing, wonderful, perfect, holy, loving, and not even close for me to understand. I should desire to learn more about Him each day and understand who He is and NOT make Him into what I want but let Him be what I need. That is the point in all this rant, I need to realize God is there and I need to learn Him each day so I can understand He is there for what I need in His plan. I pray that I can learn from Peter.