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Matthew 16:21-23
From then on Jesus began to point out to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, “Oh no, Lord! This will never happen to You!”
But He turned and told Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns, but man’s.”
I haven’t been able to get this last verse out of my head for the last week. You are an offense to Me because you’re not thinking about God’s concern’s, but man’s…
Jesus rebuked Satan for this. Satan used Peter to speak against the suffering that Jesus had to endure. Somehow, I think we all could have been like Peter if we were in that same spot.
“You’re Jesus! You are the Son of God! It’s absolutely not right for You to suffer! You are the king of kings. There’s no way on earth that it would be God’s will for You to suffer!”
This is our human mind’s reasoning. If you are a good person - If you are in God’s will, then you shouldn’t have to suffer. But what if there is something of greater concern than our suffering? What if there is something on the other side of the suffering that produces something greater than we could possibly foresee?
Jesus suffered more than any person ever has or ever will. Not only did He face a gruesome torture and death sentence, He also took on the pain and suffering of every sin past, present, and future. Our minds could not begin to comprehend the agony He went through. And this was God’s will.
Isaiah 53:10
But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief.
It was the Lord’s good plan to crush Him and cause Him grief? How could that ever be a good plan?
Isaiah 53:10-11
Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.
God’s concern isn’t for our happiness. Believe it or not, God may have a greater concern than my comfort and preventing me from experiencing any kind of pain. Jesus had the greatest suffering ever, but He also had the greatest reward ever. He got you. He got me. He got a multitude of others whom He rescued from death and has brought into eternal life with Him and the Father.
Was His suffering worth it? I would say so. Why would we ever question God just because we have had to suffer? Jesus is God and suffering was His path to immeasurable goodness. He knew God could be trusted, that’s why He said: Not my will but Yours, Father.
Philippians 2:8
He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross.
Pride says: I don’t deserve this! Pride says: I shouldn’t have to go through this! Pride says: I’m worth more than this!
Humility says: God, I’ll do it for You. Humility says: I trust You, Father. Humility says: If it allows You to move in their life, I don’t care what it costs me.
We are all called to die just like Jesus did. We are called to die to our rights. To lay down all the things we think we deserve. To lay down the notion that we shouldn’t ever hurt. We are called to look to the concerns of God and not just to the concerns of ourselves.
Father God, I trust You and the plans You have for my life. I have to understand that my comfort is not Your number one concern. Other’s souls, other’s right standing with You, my humility and obedience, those things are more important than my comfort. Please help me see the bigger picture in every situation I’m in. Please help me look after the things that concern You instead of always wanting to defend my concerns. Your purpose is more important than my pain. I can always trust You that if it’s Your will and I follow it, Your good plan will prosper in my hand just as it did in my example of Jesus.