“You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
Mark 8: 33, NIV (excerpt)
When I recall the “good old days” of my life, nostalgic images flash through my mind of a time when I was younger, when I had less responsibilities, when I felt free to do as I pleased and live without a care in the world. Those times seem like the best of times until I remember more fully that they were also filled with many problems. I was younger then, which gave me less credibility and a lack of experience to lean on in my professional and personal life. I had less responsibilities, which really means I had less things to care about and care for, and had a much emptier existence. I felt free, yet I had nothing meaningful to be about. I lived without a care, which means I hadn’t yet learned true compassion. The “good old days” don’t seem so good from my current vantage point. Perhaps what I miss about those days is the predictability, the comfortable routines, the relaxed rhythm of life. Though virtually unfulfilled spiritually, professionally, emotionally, and socially, I was used to the feeling of life then. Once life began to change, expectations started to increase and opportunities came more regularly. I lost my sense of rhythm, relaxed and routine, and somehow painted a picture in my mind of how great it was to exist so unfulfilled simply because life was easier ‘back then.’
Change is hard. The status quo is easy. Just sit still. Keep quiet. Relax. Everything will be just fine…
He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
Mark 8: 31-32, NIV
I can’t imagine rebuking Jesus. It seems so ridiculous. It seems even worse than all those times I’ve hushed friends in public when I wasn’t comfortable with how loud they were being, or when I contradicted my father in front of his friends, or when I contradicted my wife in front of our daughter… Actually, maybe I can imagine rebuking Jesus. I suspect it went something like…
JESUS: “…and then I’ll die, and a few days later I’ll come back to life.”
PETER: “WHAT? You can’t… I mean… Come on Jesus! You’re just talking crazy stuff now!”
JESUS: “Really? You want to do this here? In front of a crowd?”
PETER: “Take it back Jesus! You don’t mean what you just said! You can’t DIE!!”
JESUS: “…In front of this live studio audience?”
PETER: “Say it ain’t so Jesus!!”
While probably a wee-bit dramatized, I suspect you’ll notice the similarities between this exchange and those you’ve had with yourself as well as with people you love. And why? Why do we feel the need to speak in an attempt to ‘control’ what we know we cannot control? Peter certainly knew he couldn’t control Jesus. He certainly knew to trust Jesus implicitly. He’d witnessed the miracles, the healing. He’d heard the Good News, the preaching with authority, the teaching. And yet, when faced with the news of a change he couldn’t bear, or worse yet have others hear, Peter rebukes Jesus. Among the motivators for this bizarre behavior had to be Peter’s human aversion to change. If Jesus dies, as he has said, Peter’s Rabbi is gone. If Jesus dies, as he has said, Peter’s friend is gone. If he dies, as he has said, Peter’s hope is gone. Everything about Peter’s existence would change, and it was simply too much to take in.
Peter can’t accept change. He can’t imagine a world without his rabbi, his friend. Peter can’t let go of the way things are, even though they aren’t going so well. The disciples are working overtime following Jesus and serving alongside him. They’ve witnessed the outrage of the political and religious authorities and know they are on the verge of real trouble. They never know where they’ll find their next meal or where they may end their day and rest their exhausted bodies. Yet all of this difficult work has become routine and comfortable over time for the disciples. Peter isn’t ready for change. And yet, change must come for Jesus’ purpose to be fulfilled.
But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said.
Mark 8: 33(a), NIV
The Devil loves the status quo because keeping us still keeps us from doing God’s will. The Devil loves the status quo because our happy little routines keep us distracted from the truth of the world’s great needs. The Devil loves the status quo because those who have no motivation to change are never going to do something as hard as following Jesus.
Jesus calls Peter and you and I to a better model of living our faith. What good would it be to hang on so tightly to the Jesus we are comfortable with that he is never able to do his most important work of salvation on the cross? What would Peter, or you, or I have gained by preventing Jesus’ death, only to prevent our own redemption? To silence the Son of Man for shame of his death would prevent me from any worthiness to call myself his disciple and enjoy my freedom in his resurrection. Get behind me, indeed.
The core emotion that drives “The Rock” to rebuke his Messiah is fear. The only antidote for fear is love. I do love. I love deeply. But I fear more. And so do you. And so did Peter.
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
Mark 8: 34-38, NIV
What good would it be for me to go back to the “good old days” only to return to a life with less direction, less motivation, and less purpose? I could ‘save my life’ from the hard work of following Jesus, but I’d lose my soul in the process. If we live our lives afraid to make the changes Christ calls us to, we die comfortably for nothing. I’d rather keep the Devil guessing. I’d rather live so unashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that I am willing to follow wherever the Spirit leads, without concern for my own comfort. I’d rather Jesus were proud of me, a sinner in need of redeeming, than the Devil be attracted to my lazy, changeless, meaningless existence.
Get up. Get to work. Get ready to change.
J.M.D.