The Cost Of Avoiding The Cross Part 1

We run wife's race to please Jesus sometimes go like leader.

We resist going in the direction toward which God is pointing resistance comes with a high price today, we learn about the cost of avoiding the cross from the Moody Church in Chicago this morning with Dr. Erwin Sir, whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line.

Insert where learning about the life of a man chiseled by the Masters and for Peter. The cross wasn't unthinkable and his masters life and end.

He tried unwittingly to prevent Dave. You're absolutely right.

It's a remarkable passage of Scripture, because in context, Peter has just declared that Jesus Christ is the son of the living God and Jesus said to him, flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but rather my father in heaven. So there he was speaking the words of God. And then moments later speaking the words of Satan trying to keep Jesus Christ from the cross because you see in the minds of the disciples, a crucified Christ was a week Christ they didn't understand that through this experience of the terrible experience of crucifixion tremendous victory would arise on. I think that many of you who have joined us today and we been praying that this broadcast will be a great blessing and we want to thank you in advance for helping us.

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In fact it was so bad that Cicero once wrote that those who died on crosses became mad before they died.

As their bodies arranged with pain and he says sometimes their tongues were cut out so that they could not cry out hanging on that hard to piece of wood, often with nails through the palms of their hands or their wrists crosses terrible. Yet the cross is a symbol of Christianity today, we have people who complain about people dying in electric chairs. They don't want criminals electrocuted. They don't want criminals being taken to the gas chamber because it is cruel and unusual punishment. Think of the cross and yet the cross stands there as a reminder of what God has done for us and what I'd like you to do is to take your Bibles because we are in a series on the life of Peter. If you turn to the 16th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. We want to see here how Peter unwittingly became a stumbling block to somebody whom he dearly love Jesus had commended Peter for saying about the sun of God. This is in chapter 16 verse 16 Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon. Because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my father who is in heaven.

Peter is speaking as a mouthpiece of God Almighty. And then it says in verse 20 he warned the disciples that they should tell no one that he was the Christ, we may say why that, after all, would Jesus want people to know well understand that the disciples knew who Christ was. They understood his person, but they did not understand his work as we shall see in a moment for them to have proclaimed the Messiah ship of Jesus without understanding what the Messiah was going to do would have been people confused and so Jesus said be quiet. But Jesus did begin to tell his disciples what was going to happen and were going to move very quickly today through three scenes of conversation is recorded here in the text says in verse 21.

First of all, Christ's teaching from that time Jesus began to show to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem. Why Jerusalem because Jerusalem remember was the city of sacrifice and he's going to give his life as a sacrifice for sinners, he must go to Jerusalem underline that little word must and must suffer from the elders and the chief priests shock that was to the disciples. These were the people who were admired and honored. He wanted to have a profession where you would receive respected would be to be a chief priest and elder and member of the Sanhedrin.

I want you to know that official religion has always been an enemy of Jesus. In fact, even unofficial Christendom is an enemy of Jesus and hero official Judaism nails into that cross and notice it says thirdly and he would be raised up on the third day there would be a resurrection. Why did Jesus tell the disciples these things. A couple of reasons. First of all he wanted them to understand that his impending death was not a tragedy. It was a tragedy.

Only through the eyes of man, not through the eyes of God. It was actually the fulfillment of the will and the purposes of God, if you please.

Later on, the apostles are going to be praying in acts chapter 4 verse 28 and they say pointillist Pilate and Herod gather together with all the Gentiles and the nation Israel to do all Lord what I hand the predetermined would be God to remember. Perhaps a year ago I preached a sermon showing that the death of every single Christian who walks in obedience is just as meticulously planned as the death of Christ. Even though we know that death awaits us like a concrete floor awaits a folding lightbulb. Whether it is by accident or whether it is by cancer. It is within God's providential care. So Jesus said, I don't want you to be discouraged because I am going to die this terrible death. Furthermore, he wanted to remind them that his kingdom was not a political one, as they had been thinking, but rather became first to die and then he would come back later in glory to capture the world as his kingdom, and then he wanted to make sure that they were aware and ready for the sorrow and the tragedy in the heart ache and the tears and the disappointment that was just around the corner that scene one. Christ's teaching, now let's look at Christ's temptation through the lips of Peter verse 22. He took him aside and began to rebuke him. Visualize the picture. The disciples are walking along and Jesus is made the statement and Peter comes and puts his arm around the Lord Jesus and says come on I got something to tell you. He said the Lord God shall never happen to you, not you. King of Kings and Lord of lords.

Did Peter do say this because he didn't love Jesus all know you said it because he loved Jesus very much terrible advice, but it is advice born out of the heart of love be saying not you, why he couldn't.

He couldn't put together the incompatibility of it all. Here is Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of lords, the son of God, and over here at terrible criminals death in Joss does not add up.

Peter was saying if this how can it be that if they cannot be be so I said, not you, Lord want you to think about this for just a moment because Peter was thinking surely there's another way you could just became just just decide to became avoid the cross. Don't let them do that to you. And remember, Jesus had the power to make sure that they wouldn't if he had so desired.

He said that he could have called legions of angels that could have delivered him. Why be a victim when you don't have to be. Are you aware the fact my friend today that we should stand in all of Peter's heart because it is so much like ours.

Furthermore, you realize that when Peter suggested to Jesus that Easter be canceled that he was in effect saying that if that were to happen, he himself would be in hell forever and ever and ever.

Peter's salvation rested on the obedience of Christ. Going to the cross and I Peter didn't understand all that but we know that to be the truth. And so, in effect, Peter.

His suggestion was going to undercut the very thing that God was going to do to redeem people like Peter and people like you and me so that we can belong to him forever and sing hallelujah to the Lamb. Peter's is not so, Lord, not so without the cross. Though there would be no salvation that seemed to look at scene three verse 23. But Jesus turned and said to Peter why is your finger on the text because I'm not making this up, get behind me Satan. Another translation says, rather accurately out of my sight. You are a stumbling block to me, for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but on man's couple of observations very quickly.

First, Jesus is rebuking Satan in that strong statement to get the behind me.

He is rebuking the satanic suggestion he's not rebuking his apostle Peter.

As such, you imagine what that would be like to be standing in the presence of the holy son of God, the one whom you have just confessed to be the son of God in you been commended for it for him to look into your eyes and say be gone. The forever Peter get behind me know. Peter undoubtedly was jolted anyway.

Jesus said to Satan, get behind me out of my sight, that doesn't mean that Peter was demon possessed what it means, though, is that Peter's suggestion though old man so well. His suggestion was right in line with what the devil himself desired. Remember, Matthew chapter 4 Satan said to the Lord Jesus you know if you down and worship me. You can have all the kingdoms you don't have to go to the cross.

You don't have to die after the oldest humiliation.

All this pain avoid the cross grass the crown without the cross and now all things, the very same suggestion coming through the mouth of someone who dearly love the Lord. Peter himself Lord know not you do it ever realized that this is scary. Some people who because of love. Tell people. Other things to do and give them terrible advice. They, in effect, tell them they should be disobedient to God because they have these people's best interest and love at heart. And yet Jesus said to Peter. Notice that he says you are not setting your mind on God's interests rather but you are just thinking like an actual human being who is always thinking of ways to make the Christian life convenient without process.

What a statement. Are you by the way surprised her trouble by the fact that Peter could at one moment to speak is the agent of the living God and speak under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit thou are the Christ, the son of the living God, and a moment later speak under the inspiration and according to the wisdom of Satan troubled by that you troubled by the fact that Jesus said to Peter you are the rock and you are going to have a place in the foundation of the building of the church and then just a few verses later in our Bible Jesus Christ says in the middle of verse €23 stumbling to me and instead of being that platform that rock upon which the church should be, if not built, at least he would have a part in introducing the Gentiles to the church which is involved in the power the keys as we noticed in a previous message and now this rock becomes a stone of the fans trying unwittingly to trip Christ. You surprised that well maybe but you shouldn't be because all of us can be like that at times there times when we can sing songs, we can praise God with our lips and we can say beautiful things which are right, and even save them under the inspiration and the guidance of God's blessing, Holy Spirit, and moments later be saying some very vile thing is that the devil would be very happy to hear tell you it is worse are no better than Peter.

We may be worse. But we are no better than he that's for sure. And you know something is also possible for us to nullify the cross see if there's anything that Satan doesn't like it is the cross you say well yes, but Satan didn't to prevent Christ from going to the cross. It is now a historical fact that Jesus died. Yes, so you and I can't be in the position of talking Christ out of going to the cross or trying to do as Peter did as true, but you and I can diminish the cross to because by nature.

We don't like the cross. The cross is if it's anything. It is the the weapon that goes to the depths of our being and runs across grain to everything that we would actually think about salvation. What said is true, of course, but it's also true that the apostle Paul who had a proper perspective of the cross said, God forbid that I should glory except in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ and today of course we want to exalt the cross. If you're a regular listener to running to win. You know that the centrality of our ministry is always the gospel of Jesus Christ which includes the cross, the resurrection, and of course his ascension into heaven.

Would you consider helping us in this ministry. Here's what you can do and by the way, this is now the period of time when we have matching gifts. By that I mean there are those who say they are willing to match what ever you send to the ministry of running to win.

So if you give $20. It becomes 40 or 50, it becomes 100 you can help us and multiply your gift. Now here's what you do go to RTW offer.com I'm going to be giving you that contact info again.

RTW offer.com or you can pick up the phone right now and call 1-888-218-9337 I'm so thankful to be able to share with you the expansion of this ministry, as we continue to think about how God wants us to spread the good news of the gospel go to RTW offer right now RTW offer.com I should say RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 I'm not for another chance for you to ask Pastor lutes or a question about the Bible or the Christian life. Is it possible to love your children more than God loves them. Beverly sister running to win and she thinks this may be the case here is her story of always been taught that God loves all people unconditionally, and that when we accept Jesus as Savior we go to heaven if not then we go to hell without any opportunity for repentance. I have two children whom I love and would die for. If they someday would turn against me or commit heinous crimes. I would be heartbroken but would continue to love them. What is that spirit of grace come from. Surely not Satan who only wishes ill to befall all of God's creation, the spirit of unconditional love must come from God and whose image we were created.

However, God does not hold to the same standard. He made it clear that when our physical lives and so does any hope of mercy. If we've not accepted Christ.

Suppose I were to tell my children that if they left me, I would punish them forever. I could never tell them that. Why does it seem that God does that. I want to love and serve God with joy at this point is making it very difficult for me to do so any clarification would be appreciated. Beverly, I've been a pastor for many many years and had many many questions asked me, and in many respects, I have to say that what you've asked is one of the most difficult questions that I've ever had put to me.

Now the good news is that it's not as if I haven't thought about these things I thought about them for years, but they are very difficult and I can only hope that I speak here in accordance with God's word. Couple of things I have to challenge your premise that God loves everyone unconditionally.

I know that we hear that a lot, but you know the Bible says, for example in the book of Psalms that God is angry with the wicked every day. I don't think you could prove from the Bible that God loves everyone unconditionally.

I believe that he loves his children unconditionally and that's a different kind of love. I think Jesus made this clear in the 17th chapter the book of John where he talks about the love wherewith you have loved me. That is the love with which I have loved them, but that's a reference to his children and not the world generally.

So that's the first point I'd like to make as a matter fact, if you study the word love in the Bible you know that there are different ways that God loves people and I think he loves his own children unconditionally, but I can't say that about everyone. Secondly, you ask whether or not God plays by different set of rules. I think he does. God doesn't do the same things that we do.

I could give examples of for example if you are beside a swimming pool in the little two-year-old fell in and you just sat there and watched them drown. You'd be culpable because there's something that you could do about it. God sees that kind of thing happen every day and does nothing and yet we don't hold him culpable and say that quote, it's his fault, so you can see here that God is God and we aren't so even though you love your children unconditionally and think that you would never turn against them. The simple fact is that God loves the world differently and yes it is true he has chosen that if they do not respond to him. They will be punished and that leads me to another point. Remember this God deals differently with people because he not only has love but also his justice needs to be balanced with that love you.

Think of your love toward the children and all that you think of basically is love and you don't have to worry about the justice and of it. God does because of his searing holiness justice enters into the picture and so justice demands that people who turn against God pay for their sin on their own if they don't accept Christ as of the justice of God is fulfilled when we think of the doctrine of hell we don't necessarily think of the love of God, but we do think of the justice of God and that enters into the picture. Beverly have to commend you for wrestling with huge issue and I hope that you continue to wrestle with it. Even as I do, and at the end of the day we bow and simply say let God be God. Thanks for asking. And thank you Pastor Luther for answering if you'd like to hear your question answered. Go to our website@rtwoffer.com and click on ask Pastor lutes or or call us at 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337 you can write to us the running to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614 running to win is all about helping you understand God's roadmap for your race of life. Peter could not imagine his master nailed to a cross and told him so. Then Jesus said in a Stern review. Get the behind me Satan.

Next time I'm running to win why Jesus would not allow anything to stand between him and the death God had planned for him from all eternity. Thanks for listening to our series on the life of Peter for Dr. Irwin lutes or this is Dave McAllister running to win is sponsored by the Moody Church