Say, “No”

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Say, “no”

Nobody wants to be called names. Imagine that this morning I came up to you after our worship time and I told you that you were a “damned demon.” You would be offended, right? Now imagine if Jesus came up to you and told you that you were Satan? How would you respond? In the words we look at this morning, that’s exactly what Jesus did to Peter. In Matthew 16 we read: “²¹ From then on Jesus began to point out to his disciples that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day. ²² Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, “Oh no, Lord! This will never happen to you!” ²³ Jesus turned and told Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!” (Matt. 16:21–23 CSB17)

This is a fascinating part of the bible. Jesus is laying out in front of his disciples his plan to save and redeem the world of its sin. He is telling them the sort of details that prophets and angels yearned to know. But they were left without an answer. Jesus tells his disciples precisely how he would redeem them. And Peter then confronts Jesus.¹ And in the strongest way possible in human speech to say no, Peter tells Jesus that what Jesus said will never, ever, ever happen!² And notice how Jesus acts and responds. Jesus is amazing because he is perfectly able to treat people according to how they were created and how they are. To people who are timid, he speaks clearly and gently. Peter is not one of those kinds of people. Peter speaks and acts boldly. So Jesus treats him according to who he is and how he is. He tells Peter that he is Satan. And then we find out why Jesus calls Peter, ‘Satan.’: “You are a hindrance to me because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns but human concerns.”” (Matt. 16:23 CSB17)

Harmful, sinful, human concerns are what Peter was concerned about. He did not know and did not want to know what Jesus’ path and plan was. After Jesus drops this shocking sort of bomb on Peter, he begins to teach Peter the proper path to follow. We read: “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matt. 16:24 CSB17)

These words are so very important for us to hear today and every day. The first and foremost person you need to say, “no” to is yourself. Before you say, “no” to those out there, you first need to say, “no” to yourself. This is one of the most difficult teachings in the entire bible. It is difficult for a person on the outside of the church to hear and conclude that, as we come into this world, we are not good. Instead, as God’s word tells us, “every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood.” (Gen. 8:21 NIV) But it is just as difficult for us on the inside of the church too. For we know this truth. But we live as if we don’t. When it comes to our opinions and desires, we say “yes” to them even when we know they are wrong. That’s why Jesus says that the very first and foremost action we are to take every day is to say, “no” to ourselves.³ In in what follows Jesus tells us what is at stake if we do not say, “no” to ourselves: “²⁵ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it. ²⁶ For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life?” (Matt. 16:25–26 CSB17)

If we live our lives saying “yes” to our sinful natures, what will we lose? We will lose our souls. We will lose eternal life—even if we were to gain the world. We need to say no first and foremost to ourselves. But how do we do this? The answer to this question is, “God’s word.'” First of all, God’s word shows. How do we know what to say, “no” to? God’s word shows us. Notice what I did not say though. Reason and emotion are not the place to start. There are many thoughts and desires that makes sense and feel right. But later on, we realize that they were wicked. We start with God’s word. Only God’s word is full of truth and wisdom. This means that the work that parents above all, but also pastors and teachers do is so vital. Martin Luther used to say that if children do not learn to respect their parents and they keep saying, “no” to them, where do they end up? They end up in prison. For if you keep saying, “no” to the authority figures in your house, don’t be surprised if you keep saying “no” to authority figures when you are outside of your house. It is parents, guided by God’s word where this starts. It then flows then into the work that pastors and teachers provide. Each of us then needs to pray for them and their work, that when they will say, “no” to their children when they need to, and that the “no’s'” that they say will be guided by God’s word. But also, you, each of you, needs to pray for yourself. Each of you needs to pray for yourself that instead of letting that bible set there on your shelf collecting dust, you would pick it up and read it. For there, and only there, will you find truth that you can trust.

We tern to God’s word. For God’s word shows us what to say “no” to. But God’s word shows us even more. It also saves us. It does so by pointing us to Jesus. Just look at these words. Peter said “no” to Jesus when he should have said “no” to himself. And we can see why. Peter wanted glory, power, and perfection right now. But notice what Jesus provided. Jesus said that a Christian’s life was going to be filled with persecution, pain, and promises—real and true promises from Jesus.

Isn’t our sin the same as Peter’s. We want peace, power, and perfection now. And when Jesus tells us to receive correction, even if it hurts for a little while, we say, “no.” Jesus tells us that perfection is waiting there on the other side, when we die, or when Jesus comes again. And we say, “no.” And so, we need forgiveness too—just like Peter. And that’s where it’s so wonderful to focus in again on what the bible tells us about Jesus. Jesus wants each of you to know that each of you are forgiven—even for the times that you told Jesus, “no” instead of yourselves, “no.” You are forgiven because Jesus heard, “no.” When Jesus died on the cross to pay for yours sins, he cried out to his Father, ““My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”” (Matt. 27:46 NIV) And his Father said in his own way, “no, I will not listen to you.” Jesus heard “no” in our place. But Jesus also said “no.” Think of Jesus being tempted by Satan for 40 days in the desert. Again and again, when Satan tempted Jesus to say, “yes” to his own desires, putting them above his Father’s desires, Jesus said, “no.” Jesus did this in your place. All of this we find in God’s word. God’s word shows us what to say, “no” to. But God’s word also saves us because it shows us a Savior who heard, “no” in our place and said “no” in our place.

God’s word shows us what to say “no” to. It saves us from the times we should have said “no” to ourselves, but didn’t. But God’s word does even more. It sinks into our souls. God’s word is able to change our hearts so that we don’t just know what the right direction is—we also go in that direction. And that’s why it should always surprise us not when the details in our lives and in the world go wrong. Instead it should and as we are in God’s word more, it will surprise us when the details go right. When children obey their parents; when parents read and study God’s word so that they can be sure they are saying “no” to their children the right times and the right ways; the times that each of us says, “yes” to God’s word—those are real and true miracles that, for each, we should pause and praise God for. And all of this shows us that, yes, God’s word shows us what to say “no” to, and God’s word saves us from the times we did not say “no” to ourselves. But God’s word does more. It sinks into our soul. It changes our heart and moves us both to say, “no” to our harmful human desires and follow Jesus.

And so, my dear friends in Christ, with all this in mind, say “no” to yourself. Amen.

¹ “ⲡⲣⲟⲥⲗⲁⲃⲟⲙⲉⲛⲟⲥ” (Matt. 16:22 GNT-WAS)

² “ⲟⲩⲙⲏⲉⲥⲧⲁⲓⲥⲟⲓⲧⲟⲩⲧⲟ” (Matt. 16:22 GNT-WAS)

³ “ⲁⲡⲁⲣⲛⲏⲥⲁⲥⲑⲱⲁⲩⲧⲟⲛ” (Matt. 16:24 GNT-WAS)