Set Your Mind on the Things of God
Matthew 16:21-23 From that time Jesus 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 on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (ESV)
There’s a very real tension between the plain and obvious logic of things in this world and the seemingly illogical, other-worldly wisdom of God.
I wonder, do you feel that tension? I hope so, because the world’s dragging all of humanity down that wide, easy road that leads to destruction. But Jesus is calling some to pass through the narrow gate and follow the difficult road that leads to life.
That’s why there’s a tension for anyone who would be His disciple. Human logic tells us that life should be easy, we should be successful, we should get what we want. But God’s wisdom flies completely in the face of that me-centred logic.
Matthew 16:21-23 From that time Jesus 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 on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (ESV)
There it is. Peter’s applying the very same human logic that you and I would instinctively use. He needed to knock some sense into Jesus, to protect Him, come on! But that elicited the sharpest of all responses in Scripture. How would you feel if Jesus said that to you?
Scary as it may be sometimes, set your mind on the things of God!
That’s His Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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