Hey there! How are things? Hope all is well with you :) You're in my thoughts and my prayers!!!

Let's continue to follow the path of our beloved fisherman as he follows the Savior! Please read Mark 16:21-28.

Wow. Just like that. From walking on water, from being the first to step forward and (rightly!) proclaim Jesus as Lord, to being identified as being a rock on which Jesus would build the church... to hearing “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.” (v. 23).

Ouch.

How did this happen? Let's see:

  1. Matthew 14:22-36 Jesus is revealed as GOD. He walks on the water,and allows Peter to do the same. Victory and unparalleled power are revealed and experienced!

  2. Matthew 15: 29-29 Jesus meets physical needs and discomfort with miracles.

  3. Matthew 16:13-20 Peter makes a glorious proclamation of a glorious truth and seems willing to stand by it.

  4. Matthew 16:21 Now that these things have been established, Jesus now sees fit to reveal some of the shocking, uncomfortable, and unsettling truth about what else would happen and the suffering that would ultimately come.

  5. Simon... the rock... became uncomfortable with this portion of the identity that was being attached. Very. Uncomfortable.

  6. Simon... (the rock)... pulled the Cornerstone aside... and actually (yes, cringe with me...) rebuked the Lord. The Cornerstone.

Sounds a bit shocking at first, doesn't it?

But I'm afraid that we do it more often than we think. Many times I've found that I genuinely want to, and believe that I am, following the Lord. And then am rudely interrupted by an uncomfortable change of circumstance. And suddenly I'm living what I know about my circumstance. I'm living what I know about my fear.

I'm living what I know about myself.

And yet, I want to be called the rock...

Have you ever doubted Him not to “His face” but to your friends? Have you questioned a hand that has proven itself trustworthy because you're uncomfortable with the circumstances? I'm sorry to say that I have.

Yet just as was said to Simon, Jesus says “You do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men.” (v.23)

Please read Matthew 16:24-28.

Herein we find a “fine line” that we so often take for granted. Is the point of this passage based on the physical cost? Our greatest fears coming true? No. Though our minds often go straight to those thoughts.

We don't know what will happen.

God does. And we know God. So. Live what you know.

The point is being willing to be the rock. The point is being willing to trade your identity. The point is trusting. The point is following. You aren't supposed to have the strength for the end of the road right now. You're only supposed to follow... one step at at time.

Jesus had to rebuke Simon with some pretty harsh words. But there was something in them that stuck out to me. Did you catch it?

“Get behind me.”

“Come. Follow me. And I will make you...”

If we aren't following Him, we're following ourselves and yes, we're following Satan – the Prince of this world.

We get to go behind Him. We get to follow. We get to have GOD walking in front of us!

What a relief!

What a wonderful Savior!

For Discussion: A common idea today is that questioning God is perfectly acceptable and appropriate, as is dwelling upon these things and acting upon our doubts. What do you think? There are certain instances in Scripture in which questioning God is appropriate, others as in the case of Simon when it was not. Do you know what any of them are?

Doubting and weakness are human, they will always be struggles. But are you resolved to base your footsteps on what you know, rather than what you don't?