power of Caesar

Thursday September 4^th, Matthew 16:  21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.  22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!"  So close Peter, Sooooo close, Peter almost had it didn’t he?  Just last week he represented the disciples by saying that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God.  In doing so he, standing in Caesarea Philippi at the foot of the power that destroyed the temple in Jerusalem, standing in the town named after the power of war and the power of Caesar also known as the son of god, Peter spoke for the disciples in his proclamation of faith.  Now, unfortunately he seems to speak for most of the rest of us.  You don’t really need to do that Lord.  I think you can bypass Jerusalem, I think you can let me walk on water, I think you can turn these stones into bread if you are hungry, I think you can wow everyone with stunts, I think you can have the whole world (if only you will….) I think you can be a follower of Christ and fit in worship whenever it is comfortable for you….No!! Says Jesus.  Pick up your cross and let’s get going.  There is work to do