Brothers and sisters in Christ, today's gospel reading from Matthew is a difficult one for most Christians. In fact, many pastors will avoid this text as the basis for preaching on this 13th Sunday after Pentecost. Yes, this text is a challenging one indeed! Just last Sunday, we heard how Jesus held Peter up as an example after his confession of Jesus as “the Messiah, the son of the living God”. Jesus said that he would build his church on the rock of faith like Peter’s. What a difference a week makes! However, as time goes on and we hear from Peter again, we now must question Peter's understanding of what he was confessing in last week's gospel.
When the rubber hits the road, we find that Peter might have had in mind a different kind of Messiah. The Jewish people we're looking for a Messiah who would come as a conqueror, someone who would ride into Jerusalem like the glorious Kings of old, someone who would set up his throne like David or Solomon who followed him. The Gospel tells us that after Peter confessed Jesus as the Messiah, Jesus began to talk all kinds of craziness at least in the minds of the disciples! While the Jewish people and the disciples were looking for a Messiah who would conquer the Romans and throw out all of Israel's enemies, Jesus starts talking about going to Jerusalem, suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and ultimately, being crucified on a cross.
What Jesus began to talk about, the Heavenly Father's plan for our Salvation, simply did not fit with the disciples’ vision for a Messiah. We may even be shocked by Jesus response to what Peter said, especially when Jesus tells Peter to “Get behind me, Satan!” and paraphrasing here, “You do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men!” By now, many of us will be extremely uncomfortable! We don't like to hear about Satan or the devil or evil. We may even play it off if we get caught doing something wrong by saying “The devil made me do it.” Fellow Christians, make no mistake, Satan is alive and well in our world and the more often that he can get us to focus on the things of men instead of the things of God, the happier he is.
Some would even dismiss the presence of evil or a Satan or devil is a reality. I can tell you from experience that the existence of evil in this world is real! While some would maintain that the Bible is an ancient book and has no relevance for our life today, I would contend that the things that are recorded in Holy Scripture are still very applicable. I have firsthand experience and knowledge of evil possessing individuals and speaking through them and causing them to act in ways that they do not even remember after the fact.
This morning, I would like to take us back to revisit the Old Testament and the account of Job. The story of Job is more than just about someone who loses everything through misfortune and disaster only to be more blessed in the end with the second family and more prosperity than even before. It only takes 5 verses into the Book of Job and by the 6th verse, Satan makes his appearance! Hear now the first 12 verses of the Book of Job, chapter 1.
[Job 1:1-12 NIV]
In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. He had seven sons and three daughters, and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.
His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.
One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”
Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”
“Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”
Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
At this point, what do we know about Job? At this point in the account of Job, we know that he was very wealthy, we know that he had a large family, we know that he loved his family and we know that he interceded for his children before God because he knew that they were likely to make mistakes! All that he had was taken away – God allowed Job's family and possessions to be taken away – by Satan. Then along comes Job’s friends who, in somewhat of a foreshadowing of Peter's statement in today's gospel, did not have in mind the things of God but the things of men!
Instead of offering comfort and praying for him, Job’s friends tried to find fault and try to identify what it was that Job had done to deserve the things that had been inflicted upon him because surely somewhere in Job’s past, at some point in time, Job must have sinned against God. Doesn't that sound familiar? The extended rants of the friends of Job go on and on ad nauseum.
If you still don't believe that Satan is alive and well or that evil exists in our world, all you have to do is open your eyes and look around. The things that are happening in the world today on a daily basis surely have God shedding tears of sadness while the devil himself could not be more overjoyed. Those who would seek to destroy the world as we know it do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men!
How about us? Do we find ourselves grumbling about all manner of topics from family and friends to city leaders to state and national government representatives – people in positions of leadership and power. Instead of grumbling, have we prayed for them – interceded on their behalf before the throne of Almighty God? Do we curse the president or the opposing political party? Have you or I prayed to God asking Him to inspire our leaders and for His will to be done. In a few weeks, we will have the opportunity to vote for president and numerous other leadership positions. Will you pray before you cast your vote or put your will ahead of God’s plan and desires?
Earlier we joked about the devil making us do things. The reality may be that all he has to do is sit back and watch. We also do well to remember that when Jesus tells Peter to get behind him as Satan, Jesus knows firsthand what he's talking about. Remember before Jesus’ ministry, he went out into the desert for 40 days and 40 nights. It was during that time that Satan led him to the top of a mountain and, ironically, told him that he would give him the whole world. Then he took Jesus to the top of the temple and told him to throw himself down for surely God's angels would protect him. Jesus has faced every temptation known to humankind!
Peter makes no attempt to rebuff Jesus’ rebuke and does not make a lame excuse about how Satan was influencing him when he protested Jesus’ revelation that he would face suffering and death. At the height of Peter’s ministry, he fully recognized the influence and presence of the Devil, Satan, in our world and personal lives. His words are a fitting prayer and reminder of God’s promises to us on this occasion. In the fifth chapter of the First Letter of Saint Peter, he writes:
[1 Peter 5:6-11 NIV]
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
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