Title: Seeing Double Minded: A Blurry Path (Mat 16:21-23).

Class Outline:

Thursday June 5, 2025

 

Main Idea: When Jesus Christ reveals His suffering and death, Peter reveals his misunderstanding of the suffering Messiah, which results in his mind being on the things of man.  

 

Intro: The Galilean period of Jesus’ ministry has reached its climax at the most northerly point of His travels. It is time for Him to travel south to Jerusalem - to His destiny.

 

From Mat 11-12 His teaching and activity have changed. He teaches about the church to come, His own suffering and death, and this, mostly to the disciples alone. He does not perform near as many miracles.

 

MAT 17:22-23; 18:15-20; 20:17-19.

 

Significant for us is the continued antagonism in the world concerning Him and the false ideas of Satan that have infected the minds of all who have not been set free - all unbelievers. We believers who have been set free are not immune to the struggle of the things of God and the things of man. Like Peter, we can become God’s obstacle (stumbling block) rather than support. We will be both; one or the other from time to time. 

 

Text: MAT 16:21-23

 

Peter fails to understand the foundation of the gospel. 

 

Peter takes Him aside and says “Mercy Lord!”

 

Peter has a misconception of the word mercy or grace. Grace does not equate victory or success. (example: Paul’s thorn in the flesh. 2CO 12:9) 

 

The Lord calls him Satan and a stumbling block. 

 

Peter is influenced in the way of the devil’s thinking which corresponds to the thinking of the world (“things of mankind”) ACT 5:3. 

 

Stumbling block is a significant theme in the NT.

 

Conflict: things of God vs. the things of mankind. 

 

The reason the Lord commands Satan to get behind Him is that His death is of the things of God (HEB 10:7, 10). 

 

Jesus commands Peter / Satan to get behind Him because He is determined to fulfill the Father’s plan.

 

The reason the things of God are contrary to the things of man is because God seeks to save mankind. Satan desires to enslave man (evidenced by what we know of the Tribulation period).

 

Application: The conflict between the things of God and man still war within and without the believer. 

 

ROM 8:1-11. 

 

No condemnation: Gates of Hades has no victory. 

 

Same word (phroneo) used for the “mind set” on the flesh and on the Spirit. 

 

How do we overcome? A mind sets itself on what it believes.

 

We discover heaven’s atmosphere when we believe the truths about our blessings in the church (ROM 8:4).

 

If we believe that there is some life in the flesh then we will be minded towards it and then we fail.

 

What sins are you minded towards? Have you laid them before the Father and asked Him to show you their death? Are you putting that off? 

 

Don’t ask God to take them away. That’s incorrect. Ask Him to show you the death in those things. 

 

All who have faith in the life of the Spirit will eventually succeed - guaranteed.

 

COL 3:1-4. “Set your mind on the things above …”

 

This is a daily spiritual discipline: setting your mind on the things above. It must begin first thing in the morning. 

 

It is a matter of faith for you. Remember that Peter didn’t get it but eventually did. Keep learning.