Text: Matthew 16:21-28
So why does a child need an education?
There are many answers that people will give. And it is apparent that most people think it is important. After all, consider the fact that virtually every election campaign features some sort of education plan, some sort of education reform – because they, the politicians, are looking to buy the votes of the mommies and daddies out there who are concerned for the future of their pride and joy, not to mention grandma’s and grandpa’s or aunts and uncles who have a vested, personal interest in seeing to the future success of that little boy or little girl. They want what’s best and therefore they want an education.
But that still doesn’t answer the question “why?” Why does Johnny or Sally need to go to school? What does he need to learn? What lessons does she need to take with her from her experience in the classroom to ensure her a solid future? Usually we answer the question with two key concepts; knowledge and skills. Johnny needs to know how to read, how to write, how to add, how to multiply and divide. Sally needs to know American history and world history and geography and science. They need knowledge. But they also needs skills, computer skills; how to access information on the internet, how to create a power point presentation, how to word process. Perhaps Johnny or Sally might also need trade skills; how to cook, how to build a birdhouse or a bookshelf out of wood, how to change oil or fix a flat, how to bandage a wound. These skills will help Johnny and Sally get jobs. Usually we think education involves knowledge. Usually we think education involves the development of skills. Maybe there is something more.
Last week in our Gospel text Peter the disciple of Jesus made the good confession. “Who do you say that I am?” asked Jesus. He had previously asked who others thought him to be; they answered with the popular ideas of the day – a prophet returned from Israel’s history. Not quite good enough. So Jesus asked the disciples directly who they believed him to be. Peter made the confession: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” This was neither knowledge, nor was it skill. It was revelation. This was not taught to them in a classroom. It was not learned by hands on experience. And it certainly wasn’t something that would earn them a paycheck somewhere down the road. It was revelation from God. “Blessed are you Simon Son of Jonah for flesh and blood did not reveal this to you but My Father who is in Heaven.” This was revelation. Knowledge and skill are two excellent targets to shoot for, but children need more. They need the revelation, the uncovering of the truth of God’s world and God’s Word that is only found in the Scriptures. They need the revelation of the Spirit that leads to the confession of Christ as the Son of God that comes from the Father in Heaven. How many other schools offer that as part of the curriculum? Not many. But you will definitely find it here.
We are told that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word. And so the word is present here every day. It begins the day as God’s Word is shared among the little Christians but also with the big ones. It is shared in staff devotions. It is studied and committed to memory even as a part of our curriculum. It is preached in chapel. It is taught during religion class. The Word that contains God’s revelation and gives to those who hear it faith and that good confession is woven into the daily fabric of our school. Knowledge and skills are good. They might prepare you to meet your future employer. Revelation prepares you to meet your maker.
Peter the disciple made this confession and he was commended by Jesus. But here today, after only a very brief turn around we see that he had become distracted from this revelation. You see, this revelation involves a cross. And not just a figurative cross. It involves a very real, very tangible wooden Roman cross, upon which our savior came to die. The life lived by Jesus was a life of suffering. It was a life in which he took up his cross to fulfill the will of his father.
Jesus commands us to do the same. Here in our text we are told that we must deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow.
Peter did not want to hear this message so when our Lord delivered it as his father’s revelation Peter inserted his own understanding. We do that too.
That’s not the way it should be Lord. You have gotten it all wrong. You need to change your conclusions here and there. Jesus, the real thing we need from you is your Jesus knowledge and your Jesus skills. Give us your Jesus knowledge. Teach us a few tips, give us a few pointers to make our lives easier and help us to manage better. And then use your Jesus skills, your divine power, work your magic to make some good things happen for me. Peter might have asked Jesus to defeat the Romans. Maybe you want him to defeat cancer or an angry boss or instructor or coach. Maybe you want him to work some magic to keep you and your family safe or make you a winner at life. That’s what we need. Jesus, I can use knowledge, I could use some of your Jesus skills to keep me going and to help me get what I want out of life. Give me those things and I’ll be fine.
God says No. It’s not about a little extra to supplement your knowledge and your skill.
It is about death.
The death of the Son of God for you and for your sin. And then your death. Your death to yourself so that your life is a living sacrifice. This is not a message that we will naturally gravitate toward. This is not a message we would like to hear. But this is a message we need to hear preached to us into our ears to repeat to us God’s will and God’s revelation because we so often fight against it.
Peter spoke his mind and was rebuked for it. Jesus spoke directly to Peter (and to us for that matter) to address his misunderstanding. “Get behind me Satan. You do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men.” Jesus does not mess around. He calls a thing what it is. He points out where and how we are mislead into thinking the thoughts of the Devil. It is like we are hearing that same temptation given to Jesus – “I will give you all the kingdoms of the earth.” We all want to live like kings and queens.
Remember the words, “If anyone would come after me he must deny himself take up his cross and follow me.” The cost to be a disciple of Jesus is high. One must deny one’s self. One must follow Jesus even to the cross. One must go so far as to willingly carry that cross. One must gladly take up the instrument of one’s own death if that is where Jesus will lead. Hardly a kingly throne. But this is where we must follow.
Heaven help us to do this.
Because we can not do it on our own. It goes against our nature. Our instinct is survival. Our instinct is self defense and self preservation. Whenever challenged we quickly go on the defensive. Whenever threatened we clam up and close up and protect ourselves. We become so bent on self preservation that the words of Jesus that call us out of our hiding places and into lives of service challenge us and will even sting us. “I’ve been burned before. I will not be burned again.”
Take up your cross, says Jesus. Follow me. Says Jesus. Take on yourself my burden and my yoke says Jesus. And still we do not.
Bur Jesus has. And Jesus does. And so we look to that Jesus whom God has revealed to us in the scriptures. The Jesus who did obey. The Jesus who did take the yoke. The Jesus who did pick up the cross and follow the will of His Father even unto his suffering and death. We look to Jesus who has done what we have been unable to do.
And we pray to him. Lord Jesus forgive me for my fear that would hide away when you call me to serve. And He does.
Lord Jesus forgive me for my refusal to answer your call to follow you even and especially when it calls on me to suffer. And he does.
Lord Jesus forgive me for looking to you only for a little extra knowledge or maybe a few additional life skills that will help me make my way through life. And Jesus forgives us.
Jesus forgive me for thinking of you only as my meal ticket, my ace in the hole to win me a better life. And Jesus forgives us.
Jesus forgives us for these sins and all our other sins. Jesus forgives us and washes us clean. We look to the one who did obey those commands that we have failed to keep and we see and we confess and we believe that thing that God has revealed to us: Jesus is my Jesus. Jesus did these things for me.
So why does a child need an education?
Certainly it is to pass along knowledge, knowledge about the world that God has made and the things that make it the way that it is. Children also benefit from the various skills that they pick up along the way, whether those have to do with computers or word processors or paintbrushes or scissors and glue. But more than any of these things, children benefit from hearing and studying and committing to memory that revelation, God’s revelation of himself. “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word.” Our student are hearing that word. May the Word of God’s revelation about His Son bless these children. May it bless their families and move the hearts of Johnny, Sally, mom & dad, and maybe even Grandma and Grandpa to believe in the Jesus who died for them.
Amen.
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