Day 278 – Jesus’ Ministry at Caesarea Philippi

• Remember the man who had his sight healed in the last set of readings? We thought about the disciple’s increasing, but not yet complete, understanding of Jesus and His mission. We see this clearly today in Peter who – wonderfully – confesses that Jesus is the “Christ”, but moments later cannot fathom why Jesus had to die.
• Peter was asked to say who *he* thought Jesus was, rather than what other people thought. This is a difficult step for many people. It’s easy to say that “Christians say Jesus is Lord”, but a lot harder to say to a friend “I think Jesus is Lord”. Your friends may know you as a Christian, but have you ever said something like that to them?
• Peter calls Jesus “the Christ”. What does this mean?
• Who does Jesus say gave Peter his understanding, in Matthew 16:7?
• Peter was rebuked, strongly, in verses 21-23. Did Jesus actually think Peter was Satan? If not, why did He say it?
• What do you think Peter expected Jesus to do instead of dying?
• Matthew 16:24-28 are well known. They encourage Christians to “take up their cross” in their own lives. You’ll have heard this message before, I expect. What does it mean? How can we do this in practise, and why is it so hard? Why would Jesus ask so much of us?
• Read verses 25-26 again. They is challenging truth in them. Consider the choices you make in your life. Are you living to “save your life” or “lose it”? Are you trying to gain the world at the expense of your soul? Are you trying to gain both?
• The words in the passage in 1 John are simple and encouraging, aren’t they? Do you think that you “abide in love”?
• The Philippians passage is a beautifully-worded summary of Jesus’ mission. It’s actually a poem. Spend time in these verses today; I encourage you to look at each verse individually and see what it says about Jesus. Start with verse 6. You might like to write out some of these verses in your journal.
• If you like to underline passages of scripture, the passage in Philippians is a good contender, as are the words we looked at in Matthew 16:24-26.

Do you know anything about what Peter would later do? Mark 14 (when Jesus is arrested) and Acts 2 and 3 (after Jesus’ ascension) show us two more famous moments involving Peter. We’ll read about them in time in this reading plan, but it will help you if you can start considering the stories of these men and how they struggled – and persevered – as they tried to live for Christ. Peter didn’t always “take up his cross”, but there are many examples of when he did! Later he became pivotal in the early church and worked powerfully for God.

I’d also like to spend a final few minutes in those verses in Philippians. I do love them, especially in the NIV translation. They picture such humility in Christ, despite who He is, and really pop our bubbles when we get self-obsessed or pretentious. I think they’re just beautiful words too. There is some real beauty in the Scriptures, aren’t there?

Psalm 23, Psalm 139, John 1, Jeremiah 29:11-13, Ecclesiastes 3, Romans 8:38-39, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; there are so many passages that just warm my heart and my soul. There are many more, of course. Sometimes when I read God’s Word I learn predominantly in my head, and at other times I experience God in my heart. Both are wonderful. What about you?

Perhaps you could share you favourite verses of encouragement or poetic beauty today?