Peter: A Rock or A Roadblock?

Simon Peter is probably apostle with whom most of us could relate. I can definitely say that for several reasons: I have spoken without thinking, I have acted rashly, I have let the Lord down on more than one occasion and I’m sure there are multiple times I’ve been carried away in hypocrisy. On one occasion we see Peter go from saying something great to laying a spiritual egg. One of the monumental occasions in his life was when he lived up to the new name Jesus had given him. He made the great confession that Jesus was the Son of God (Mt. 16:16). As Jesus used the play on words by stating that He would build His church on this rock, we know that Peter was a small stone that would be part of a bigger rock, the confession that he made. It was upon this confession that Christ would use to build His church which would not be stopped by His death (Mt. 16:18). In order to carry out this plan, Jesus looks into His crystal ball to show them what lay ahead with His upcoming passion. 

Our text for this morning will be Matthew 16:21-28. It reads:

From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it. For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and will then recompense every man according to His deeds. Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Using this exchange between Jesus and Peter, let us consider in this instance whether Peter was a rock or a roadblock.

Jesus had a road to travel

In Luke 9 Jesus talked on the Mount of Transfiguration with Moses and Elijah about his upcoming departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem (31). Later in the chapter Jesus resolutely set His face to go to Jerusalem (51). Jesus had to go to Jerusalem and fulfill the role of the suffering servant prophesied in Isaiah 52 & 53. Jesus knew how He was going to die, and He had to reveal this to His disciples.

In order for Jesus to travel that road, God was paving the way for His Son. If God had a paving business, it could be called Providential Paving Company. God was working out the details of how His Son, Jesus Christ would save people from their sins. Paul says “…at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6). This plan was set in motion before the foundation of the world (1 Pet. 1:20), proclaimed by the prophets (Deut. 18:15), preached by John the Baptizer (Jn. 1:29), but it wouldn’t be finished until Jesus died on the cross (Jn. 19:30). God’s providence is evident throughout the whole process of the plan of salvation. Jesus had a road that He must travel, and He proclaimed it to His disciples.

Peter attempted to block that road

Sometimes we think we are doing the right thing, but then we find out that we didn’t know best. Peter might have thought he was trying to protect Jesus; that wasn’t what was needed to be done, and this was man’s interests talking instead of God’s interests. Jesus actually called Peter Satan in this text. It wasn’t that Peter was Satan, but Peter was acting in a manner opposite God’s interest, which is what Satan does. Peter was acting in a selfish manner. Consider what James says about this: “…if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth…where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing” (3:14,16). We know these things are tied with Satan, and Peter was definitely not acting in accord with God at that moment.

It is possible that Peter acted this way because he knew if Jesus was killed then the earthly kingdom would not be. The selfish side of Peter would want Him to stay and establish that kingdom. Of course we know that is not the type of kingdom that Jesus would establish. After feeding the multitudes, He perceived the people wanted to come and take Him by force and make Him king, so He withdrew to the mountain by Himself (Jn. 6:15). However you view this passage, Jesus said that Peter was a stumbling block.

We can be like Peter and be guilty of attempting to get in the way of the Lord’s plans. Think about an opportunity you had to tell someone about the Lord, but you stayed silent. Imagine someone who the Lord has enabled to be qualified to serve as an elder in the Lord’s church, but they don’t accept the nomination because they want to travel more. Sometimes people don’t want to teach a Bible class because they don’t want to make the effort. There are ways that we can attempt to get in the Lord’s way. The great thing about God is that He will get His way regardless. Peter was trying to stand in the way of the cross. Don’t be like Peter who attempted to block that road.

All disciples must travel that road

In order to be a follower of Jesus, He says we need to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him (Mt. 16:24). Luke’s account adds the word “daily” to the taking up of our cross (9:23). Christians can’t be like the Christ they claim to follow without taking up the cross daily that He died on. I have discussed this before with people that it is not simply a burden as some have phrased it. The cross was a symbol of death. When we deny ourselves and die to ourselves, we are focusing on what He wants and not what we want. Is your fulfillment a priority, or are you wanting to please the Lord? Jesus said “…I always do the things that are pleasing to Him” (Jn. 8:29).

Are you taking up your cross each and every day? What have you done recently where you put your own interests to the side and focused on God’s interest? Jesus gets right to the heart of people when He addresses the things of this life that we want to pursue, instead of pursuing what God wants us to pursue. If we are going to be a disciple of Jesus we’re either on His road or we’re on our road. You can’t serve God and mammon (Mt. 6:24). When our possessions are controlling our lives, it can force us to turn back from following the Lord like the rich young ruler (Mt. 19:22).

There are things in this life which can keep us from traveling the road that Jesus talks about. It has been said by some in offering options, “it’s my way or the highway.” In Disney’s movie The Pacifier, the character played by Vin Diesel narrowed that down by saying “my way, no highway option.” Let’s remember that Jesus said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no man comes to the Father, but through Me” (Jn. 14:6). Jesus did travel that road. He went to the cross for you and me. We can’t be guilty of trying to keep Jesus from the cross like Peter, but we can be guilty of being a roadblock by following our own will instead of His. Bounty paper towels claim to the quicker picker upper; we as Christians need to be the cross taker uppers. Can you accept this challenge?