Pastor Chris Meade's blog:

(Follow along as we read once chapter from the New Testament and write about our learning. There are also extra scriptures listed below for those who want to read more.)

Living the Good Life Which is the God-life - Matthew 16

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (Matthew 16:24-26)

This chapter begins with the Pharisees and Sadducees working together (which was odd) in hopes to bait Jesus to “prove himself” by performing a “sign” from Heaven. In actuality, they were trying to trap him and hoping they could accuse him of either being a false prophet who was bent on leading the people of Israel astray or by being in cahoots with the devil himself. Jesus refuses to play into their deceptive lure in order to prove himself with signs and wonders. Jesus refuses to dishonor God by reducing Him to the likes of a street-corner-magician doing tricks for the local crowd.

Yes, Jesus performed signs all the time, but they were motivated out of love and compassion for people, not to boost His popularity ratings or to defend himself to a group of critical, arrogant, and mean-spirited intellectuals. Signs were never intended to be an end in itself. Rather, signs were always pointing toward something else. They are the means to the end. Signs directed you toward a final destination just like a mile-marker that is posted on the side of a highway leads and directs you toward an upcoming city. In Jesus’ case, the end destination was His imminent crucifixion and resurrection from the dead. All of His signs ultimately pointed in that direction.

Today, like in Jesus’ day, people often camp-out around “signs” and other unexplainable spiritual phenomena, rather than realizing that for the Christian, signs were and are to point toward Jesus. Signs are not the goal or the final destination; Jesus is, and He always will be. Signs are cool. Jesus is cooler.

It’s interesting to note that both the Pharisees and Sadducees weren’t exactly best friends. But when it came to entrapping Jesus in some form or fashion, they gladly worked together. Throughout history, not only has a common goal united people, but also having common enemies has, too. Both the Pharisees and Sadducees were in positions of power and influence and were threatened by Jesus and His fast-growing movement. They didn’t want to lose their positions of stature and notoriety as well as other cultural, religious, and economic benefits. So, they hoped to discredit Jesus at any cost.

In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees were a group of Jewish legal experts who were bent on bringing all of Israel into close observance with the Jewish law (the Torah). They created many of their own traditions, developed their own commentary surrounding theology and practice, and fashioned their own spiritual disciplines around prayer and religious life.

On the other hand, the Sadducees were a group of Jewish aristocracy that adhered to the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament) and adopted many of their own self-created religious traditions. They resisted the Pharisees practices and traced their religious pedigree back to King David’s high priest, Zadok. As well, the Sadducees did not believe in any forms of the afterlife (including the resurrection). Again, to get these two diverse groups working together said a lot about how they felt about Jesus.

As the chapter continues, Jesus warns the disciples about the watered-down teaching (leaven) and practice of the Pharisees and Sadducees. He then asks Peter who the multitudes say that He is. Peter responds and says, “Like one of the prophets.” It’s clear that many of the ancient Israelites saw Jesus quite differently than we do today. Many in our culture view Jesus as a soft-spoken, effeminate, frail, Anglo religious teacher. In Jesus’ day, he was viewed like other big-hitter prophets-of-old: strong, brave, fearless communicator of God’s Word to a wayward culture and a corrupt political and religious system. God’s prophets were messengers on behalf of God who stood up and spoke up no matter what the consequences were against injustice, spiritual waywardness, and social inequity.

Jesus then asks Peter who he personally thinks Jesus is. Peter replies, “ You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Peter identifies Jesus as more than a brave and bold prophet, but as the Messiah, God’s anointed true King.

It’s not clear at this stage if Peter really knew everything about Jesus, in that, how he would die and rise from the dead, that Jesus was actually the second person of the Trinity, or how Jesus would assert his new kingly leadership role. Many scholars believe that although Peter knew Jesus was the anointed Messiah, he wasn’t sure on the specifics of how and when Jesus would move into this Messianic role publically. If Peter thought like many of the folks in his day, he would have believed that the Messiah, whoever he was and whenever he appeared, would eventually plan an all-out take-over and political overthrow of injustice and corruption in order to right every wrong; and establish God’s rule, peace, and justice in the Earth.

The chapter finishes with Jesus forecasting His death. He promises a reality that is fast approaching where God’s Kingdom will be established. It will grow, expand, and multiply. But Jesus won’t be establish God’ new way of living and being the people of God with violence or force. Rather, it will be birthed by sacrifice, suffering, and death.

Jesus challenges his disciples to take up their crosses and follow Him. The cross was an instrument of death. Following Jesus cost everything. It was all or nothing. Swim or sink. Jump off or sit on the edge. There was and is no in-between.

The disciple’s call is still going forward. We are not called to a mental philosophy, or a nice religion to espouse to, or an intellectual faith to hold close like an old blanket or teddy bear. We are called to follow Jesus. We are to put our faith in Christ (Who He is and What He said) and allow it to affect our lives. As we do, He’ll give us the strength and motivation to want to live out the teachings of Jesus.

Even today, Jesus is still calling people to follow Him. He tells us that if we try and hold on to our lives we actually lose them and if we lose our lives in Him that we actually will find life. This is one of the great paradoxes of Christianity. All of God’s promises are yes in Jesus Christ.

I remember the first time that I jumped off of a 10-meter platform into a swimming pool in Tucson, Arizona. To call it a huge rush was an understatement. As a kid, I prided myself on my ability to do flips and twists on a low-level diving board (1 meter), but standing on the edge of the 10-meter concrete platform was truly daunting. I felt vulnerable, scared, and a bit disoriented. I started to second-guess myself and began talking myself out of jumping into the pool. Over analysis of the situation began to paralyze my confidence and ability.

The same is true with our faith. When we come to points of decision, we can over analyze to the point where “over and constant analysis” becomes our worldview. We fail to follow because we are always analyzing. We can fall into a trap where we pride ourselves on our own ability to anesthetize ourselves (and others) from true and meaningful spiritual life.

Our intellect, which was designed to enhance spiritual discovery, actually if left unchecked, can hinder spiritual life. Life is more than analysis; it’s about following God and serving others.

My prayer for us is that we will step off the platform and leap over the barriers that keep us from the God-life which is the good life. Yes, following Jesus costs, but the rewards far surpass any sacrifice or discomfort that we will ever experience on our end. Divers dive. Disciples follow. And Jesus promises that He will help us, through the person of the Holy Spirit, and lead us along the way. Let’s live the good life. It’s our choice and it’s a choice I believe we’ll never regret.

Let me encourage you: jump! I did and after that it was easy to keep going back for more.

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