Looking Ahead

Matthew 16: Turning Point (7)

Pray Psalm 132.6, 7.
Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
We found it in the fields of the woods.
Let us go into His tabernacle;
Let us worship at His footstool.

Sing Psalm 132.6, 7.
Finlandia: Be Still My Soul
The word throughout the chosen nation spread, 
to Ephrathah, and in the fields of Jaar:
“Now let us go,” the faithful people said, 
“and worship where our Savior’s dwellings are!
Around His footstool let our worship spread;
come, gather to Him, all from near and far!”

Read and meditate on Matthew 16.1-28.

Prepare.
1. To what is Jesus looking ahead in this chapter?

2. How can we avoid being found where Peter was when Jesus rebuked him?

Meditate.
In Matthew 16, the work of Jesus turns a corner and defines a more precise heading. He will not be distracted by hypocrites or well-meaning disciples (vv. 1-4, 22, 23); and He warns His followers to guard themselves against false teaching (vv. 5-12). Only as they believe in Jesus as Son of God and Christ, and pay close attention to His Word—no matter how difficult it may seem—will they be His disciples, indeed (vv. 13-23). Following Jesus won’t be easy (vv. 24-28), but it is the way of life, and it is what Jesus expects of those who become His Body, the Church.

Jesus is preparing for His suffering. But beyond that, He’s looking ahead to the beginnings of the Christian Church, and to the progress of His Kingdom that the Church will realize through its worship, walk, and works. All who want to know true life and the enrichment of their souls will look at themselves and their history through the eyes of Christ. There will be opposition. We will falter and stumble. Hardship, suffering, sacrifice, and self-denial are the order of the day every day.

But life is the reward! True and full and glorious eternal life in Jesus, in His third-day resurrection (v. 21), where not even death can keep us from the joy of salvation and the fullness of the Kingdom of God.

So we work eagerly for the coming of His Kingdom, increasingly in our lifetime (v. 28), and beyond that, to the full realization of the rule of Jesus in the resurrection to come. And with those benchmarks as the commanding perspectives of our vision, we get behind Jesus, receive and obey His every word, and go forward together into eternal life with Him.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Jesus answered the Pharisees’ and Sadducees’ request for a “sign” like this:
“When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’;
and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’
Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.
A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah” (Matt. 16.2-4).

And with that astute answer, He left them and departed.

Red sky at night, sailors delight.
Red sky in the morning, sailor take warning.

This is a weather ditty, quite familiar, that most of us know.
And with access to the internet, we can know just about anything else we set our minds to know.
But do we, like the Pharisees and Sadducees, know lots of stuff about lots of things and people, 
but not much about God and His times and workings? His Kingdom? His Son? His salvation? His Law? 
His demands for His children? His Word? Could we be classified, in Jesus’ mind, as hypocrites?

Are we as noble and fair-minded as the Bereans, who searched the Scriptures daily 
to make sure everything they knew and thought was in accordance with God’s Word? (Acts 17.11)

We, as members of Christ’s household, hold fast to His Words of hope, firmly to the end.
So the Holy Spirit says to us: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts…” (Heb. 3.6, 7).

“But the Word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it. 
See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that 
I command you today to love the LORD your God, 
to walk in His ways, and 
to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, 
that you may live and multiply and the LORD your God will bless you 
in the land which you go to possess” (Deut. 30.14-16). Your Personal Mission Field.

See the signs of God’s love for you. See what Christ has done to make a way of salvation for you.
Know that you are known by Him, and that He has plans for those who see the signs and follow Him.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, 
thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jer. 29.11).

To successfully look ahead, we must first look back, 
and spurn those things which are unnecessary to know; 
or at least make knowing Christ and Him crucified of more value than anything else.

“Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, 
and revive me in Your way [Your Words]” (Ps. 119.37).

“For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2.2).

“Whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matt. 16.25).

Reflect.
1. In what ways are you increasing in the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ?

2. How have you seen Him working in or through you?

3. Whom will you encourage today in their walk with and work for the Lord? How?

So He now begins discussing more fully the outworkings of the future, not only with respect to His own suffering and death but with theirs as well. Unwillingness to die is grievous, but to be ready for death is good and of great profit. John Chrysostom (344-407), The Gospel of Matthew, Homily 55.1

Pray Psalm 132.11-18.
Commit all the details of your day to following Jesus and seeking His Kingdom. Wait on the Lord for guidance and direction, and prepare your heart to follow Him.

Sing Psalm 132.11-18.
Finlandia: Be Still My Soul
Remember, LORD, the oath You swore to David; 
do not turn back, do not deny Your Word:
“One of your sons, with your throne I will favor, 
and he shall keep My cov’nant evermore, 
and walk within My testimonies ever, 
thus he shall ever rule by Israel’s LORD.”

God dwells among us, and He will forever, 
to meet our needs and clothe us with His grace.
He has to us sent Jesus Christ, our Savior—
Beloved, eternal light and resting-place.
His foes are banished from His Presence ever, 
but we shall reign with Him before His face.

T. M. and Susie Moore

If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).

Other columns of interest: This week: Our Read Moore podcast continues our readings from the book, The Joy and Rejoicing of My Heart. Our Crosfigell teaching letter is pursuing a series on the spiritual poetry of the Celtic Revival. The ReVision column continues our study of the role of reason in the life of faith. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.