You Are Already Dead
Click Here to Read the Texts (Jeremiah 15:15–21; Psalm 26; Romans 12:9–21; Matthew 16:21–28)
Jeremiah’s ministry was plagued with doubt and persecution and the promise of death. God encouraged him to harden his face like a strong stone because hardship was going to come. After being mocked, ignored, and persecuted by the people of Judah and feeling like he has been forgotten by God Jeremiah cried out.
Jeremiah reminds God that he has listened to His word and loves it. He has not turned away like God’s people keep doing in their stubborn sin.
God however knows Jeremiahs heart and calls him out. He knows Jeremiah’s doubt and his sin and he tells him to practice what he is supposed to be preaching, Repentance.
Turn and be saved. Turn and be protected. Turn and be a light to your people, to God’s people.
This is not the promise of protection against suffering and persecution but that Jeremiah as a messenger of God will not be given over to evil people and their desires.
God promises him salvation, deliverance, and redemption.
Psalm 26 is a commitment from David to live the way he knows he is meant to and it is an encouragement to the people in his kingdom to do the same. It is a promise to take part in the gathering of God’s people and to received the gifts of forgiveness and God’s presence.
The final two verses model a good summary,
[11] But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;
redeem me, and be gracious to me.
[12] My foot stands on level ground;
in the great assembly I will bless the LORD. (Psalm 26:11–12)
David promises to live in a God honouring way yet he knows he needs redemption that he cannot provide for himself. And in that redemption which he knows he has in God we will give thanks.
There is little I can teach from Romans 12.9-21 because these are words of law spoken plainly so that we can live at peace as a redeemed people together and in our vocations as neighbours. Paul has just finished eleven chapters of teaching about our faith and salvation through Jesus alone and now he wants you to know what a new life carrying an identity given by Jesus looks like.
I cannot help but read the world good in the context of God being the only one who is truly good. How do we overcome the evil of this world which was a know all too well? We live in our new identity and share that Good News about Jesus while also share the good fruit being grown in us by Him.
Last week you will remember the Peter made this great confession that Jesus was God. No turning back now, right?
Immediately after that Peter goes full anti-Christ. “Jesus, you will not suffer and be killed”. We know that Peter still could not believe this later and cut off a dude’s ear in his disbelief.
Jesus turns to Peter and says, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Matthew 16:23)
Satan! Really the man that just made a good confession is somehow against the mission of Jesus? Yes.
I would even say that when we place the cross out of sight, look only to the moral teachings of Jesus, or even to our glorification with Jesus only these same hard words are spoken to us.
The call to take up our cross that immediately follows is not a call to prove you can suffer for your faith. Though missionaries and pastors really like to prove their worth by claiming such a thing.
You are called to daily repent, daily being killing your sin through the power of the Holy Spirit, and daily be devoting yourself to love of God and love of neighbour.
Your life outside of Christ was no life at all but rather a slow descent to the grave and hell. Whereas what seems like death in the here and now is actually the promise the Jesus has claimed you, saved, gone before you in all difficulty and is present with you now this very moment.