"THE WORD MESSIAH" COMES FROM A HEBREW WORD WHICH MEANS TO "ANOINT," AND THEREFORE "THE MESSIAH" IS THE "ANOINTED ONE." AMONG THE JEWS, PEOPLE WERE "ANOINTED" INTO CERTAIN HIGH OFFICES, EXAMPLE PROPHETS (1 KINGS 19:16), PRIESTS (EXOD. 28:41), AND KINGS (1 SAM.16:12,13; Ps. 69:20). THE WORD "MESSIAH" IS USED ONLY TWICE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AND ON BOTH OCCASIONS, IT IS TRANSLATED BY THE WORD "CHRIST" (JOHN 1:41; 4:25), "CHRIST" IS THE GREEK WORD FOR THE "ANOINTED ONE.".JUST AS "MESSIAH" IS THE HEBREW WORD FOR IT. JESUS BEGAN TO SHOW HIS DISCIPLES THAT HE MUST GO TO JERUSALEM, AND SUFFER MANY THINGS. FROM THE ELDERS AND CHIEF PRIESTS AND SCRIBES, AND BE KILLED, AND BE RAISED ON THE THIRD DAY.
THEN PETER TOOK HIM , " ASIDE AND BEGAN TO REBUKE HIM, SAYING, "FAR BE IT FROM YOU, LORD; THIS SHALL NOT HAPPEN TO YOU. IF WE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT SAINT PETER, IN HIS TRAVELS WITH JESUS OVER THE THREE YEAR PERIOD, WAS THAT HE PUT HIS FOOT IN HIS MOUTH MANY TIMES OVER. JESUS SAID TO PETER
"GET BEHIND ME SATAN! JESUS TURNED AND SAID YOU ARE OFFENSE TO ME, FOR YOU ARE NOT MINDFUL OF THE THINGS OF GOD, BUT THE THINGS OF MEN. BY BLOCKING THE MESSIAH'S APPOINTED WAY, PETER BECOMES AN OBSTACLE TO CHRIST AND BECOMES UNWITTINGLY THE TOOL OF SATAN. THEN JESUS SAYS TO HIS DISCIPLES, " IF ANYONE DESIRES TO COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS AND FOLLOW ME. FOR WHOEVER DESIRES TO SAVE HIS LIFE WILL LOSE IT. ,BUT WHO EVER LOSES HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE WILL FIND IT. WE MUST NOW TALK ABOUT THE LEGEND OF CHARLEMAGNE, AND THE INTERESTING STORY OF HIS BURIAL, AND HOW 200 HUNDRED YEARS LATER, WHEN DUG UP, FOUND SITTING ON HIS LAP A BIBLE AND A BONEY FINGER POINTING TO THIS PASSAGE IN MATTHEW 16:26: FOR WHAT PROFITS A MAN IF HE GAINS THE WHOLE WORLD, AND LOSES HIS OWN SOUL? FOR THE SON OF MAN WILL COME IN THE GLORY OF HIS FATHER WITH HIS ANGELS, AND THEN HE WILL REWARD EACH ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS. "BUT WHOEVER WANTS TO KNOW GOD AND HIS WILL CORRECTLY, SHOULD GO THE RIGHT WAY. THE RIGHT WAY IS CHRIST THE LORD, WHEN HE SAYS" NO MAN COMES UNTO THE FATHER BUT BY ME. YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SON TO GET TO THE FATHER.WHOEVER WANTS TO KNOW THE FATHER AND COME TO HIM, LET HIM COME TO CHRIST FIRST. THAT CHRIST IS THE SON-OF GOD AND THE ALMIGHTY, ETERNAL GOD. YOU MAY ASK JUST WHAT THE SON OF GOD DO? HE BECOMES MAN FOR OUR SAKE, HE BECOMES SUBJECT TO THE LAW, IN ORDER TO REDEEM US FROM THE LAW. HE PERMITS HIMSELF TO BE CRUCIFIED AND DIE ON THE CROSS, IN ORDER TO PAY FOR OUR SINS; AND HE RISES FROM THE DEAD, IN ORDER TO MAKE, BY HIS RESURRECTION AND ENTRANCE INTO ETERNAL LIFE, AND BRING HELP AGAINST ETERNAL DEATH. AND HE SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, IN ORDER TO ADVOCATE FOR US, SENDING THE INTO OUR LIFE THROUGH BAPTISM, THE HOLY SPIRIT, BY WHOM WE MAY BE RULED AND LED AND KEPT AGAINST EVERY TEMPTATION AND SUGGESTION OF THE DEVIL. THAT MEANS TO KNOW CHRIST RIGHTLY. WHEN, THEN, THIS KNOWLEDGE IS GOOD AND FIRM IN YOUR HEART, THEN BEGIN TO THINK OF HEAVEN AND TRY TO SOUGHT IT OUT. IT IS NOT HIS WILL THAT WE SHOULD BE LOST, BECAUSE HE USES ALL OF HIS SUPREME MEANS TO HELP US TO LIFE. IN THIS WAY WE MAY COME TO GOD IN THE RIGHT MANNER, AS CHRIST HIMSELF PREACHES; IN JOHN 3;16: "FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE." JUST HOLD THESE THOUGHTS IN THE TIME THE DEVIL TRY'S TO PLANT OTHER THOUGHTS WHEN TRYING TO DRAW US AWAY, IN TIMES OF WEAKNESS, AND DISTRESS, WHERE WE FEEL SEPARATED FROM GOD, THINKING THAT WE CAN EXPECT NOTHING GOOD FROM GOD. WE MUST FIRST LEARN TO KNOW CHRIST THE LORD FIRST, AND THEN ALL DEVILISH THOUGHTS TURN OUT TO BE BLASPHEMIES. FOR THAT REASON GOD HAS THE GOSPEL PREACHED SO GENERALLY AND PUBLICLY THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HEAR, BELIEVE, AND ACCEPT IT AND THUS BE SAVED. BUT SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T GO LIKE THAT? AS THE GOSPEL TELLS US: " MANY ARE CALLED, BUT FEW
ARE CHOSEN, THAT IS FEW ACCEPT THE ATTITUDE TOWARD THE GOSPEL THAT TELLS THEM THAT GOD LOVES THEM. SO SOME HEAR IT AND PAY NO ATTENTION.
SOME HEAR IT AND DO NOT CLING FIRMLY TO IT, AND ALSO DO NOT WANT TO SACRIFICE OR SUFFER FOR IT; SOME HEAR IT BUT PREFER MONEY AND GOODS AND WORLDLY LUSTS. BUT THAT IS NOT PLEASING TO GOD, AND HE DOES NOT WANT SUCH PEOPLE THAT IS WHAT CHRIST CALLS "NOT BEING CHOSEN," THAT,IS, NOT TO BEHAVE SO THAT GOD CAN BE WELL PLEASED WITH THEM. BUT THOSE ARE THE CHOSEN PEOPLE AND WELL PLEASING TO GOD, THAT HEAR THE GOSPEL DILIGENTLY, BELIEVE IN CHRIST, MANIFEST THEIR FAITH IN GOOD WORKS, AND SUFFER ON THAT ACCOUNT WHAT THEY MUST SUFFER. AT TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS THAT FLOOD US, IN THE WAYS OF THE DEVIL, AND HIS SUGGESTIONS, AND PRAY FOR PROTECTION, PATIENCE, AND AND ASSISTANCE AND THINGS WILL GO WELL. LISTEN TO GOD'S COMMAND: THOU SHALL HEAR THE WORD OF GOD AND BELIEVE IN CHRIST, THAT HE HIS OUR SAVIOR AND HAS PAID FOR OUR SINS. REMEMBER THIS COMMAND, TO FOLLOW IT. IF YOU FIND YOURSELF WITHOUT FAITH, OR WEAK, PRAY GOD FOR HIS HOLY SPIRIT AND DO NOT DOUBT THAT CHRIST IS THE SAVIOR AND YOU SHALL BE SAVED THROUGH HIM. TODAY'S GOSPEL READING REMINDS US THAT LIFE IN CHRIST, RATHER THAN SIMPLY COMFORTING US OR EXCUSING US FROM THE PAIN OF THIS WORLD, STRENGTHENS US TO FACE WHAT WE FEAR MOST: SUFFERING AND DEATH. JESUS DOES NOT TURN FROM PAIN AND LOSS; INDEED HE OFFERS STRENGTH AND HOPE TO HIS PEOPLE. GOD'S ADOPTION OF US IN THE WATERS OF BAPTISM AND OUR COMMUNION IN CHRIST'S BODY AND BLOOD- SIGN S OF HEALING AND COMMUNITY---STRENGTHEN US TO OFFER OURSELVES AS SERVANTS TO A WEARY AND FRIGHTEN WORLD. JESUS SET HIS FACE TOWARDS JERUSALEM. HE PUT HIS BEST FOOT FORWARD, MOVING CONFIDENTLY INTO SERVANT HOOD. ALL ALONG THE WAY THE DISCIPLES HAD BEEN SAYING SENSIBLE THINGS LIKE SEND THE CROWDS AWAY. LET THEM GET THEIR OWN FOOD. ASSOCIATE WITH YOUR OWN KIND. TAKE CARE OF YOUR SELF'S FIRST. THE DISCIPLES WERE INTERESTED IN THE SAFEST ROUTE, BENT ON SELF-- PRESERVATION. THE DISCIPLES WERE GOOD WITH SURVIVAL SKILLS, BUT JESUS WAS GOOD WITH GOSPEL SKILLS. THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD'S REIGN IN LOVE WOULD ENLARGE THEIR LIVES BEYOND SURVIVAL SKILLS.
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