As children mature, they are constantly being exposed to new things. The "new" things may be simple, like a new food, or they may be something big. Sometimes the "new" is something good and exciting like a trip to an amusement park. Sometimes the "new" is a sad or potentially scary situation. As a parent, we try to do our best to prepare our children for what is to come. In Matthew 16, we see Jesus preparing those around Him for what was to come. In particularly, He prepares them for His impending death. With the Pharisees, who peppered Jesus to show them a sign, He prepared them by saying the only sign they would have is the sign of Jonah-- a vague reference to the fact that He would be buried three days just like Jonah was "buried" in the giant fish. Then, Jesus prepares those closest to Him--His disciples. He warns them about the false doctrines of the Pharisees. He solicits their confession about who He really was--an important truth they would need to cling to in the coming days. Finally, He lays out some of the specifics of His death but then quickly turns that around to be an example to the disciples. As Christ would physically die, they needed to "die" to themselves in order to follow Christ. How can this prepare us today to what might come in our lives? While we don't know the future, learning to focus our faith on who Christ is will make a world of difference. We don't need to go through life like the Pharisees looking for God to prove Himself through signs. No, we need to act with a mature faith that confesses that Christ alone is sufficient for all we need as we daily deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Him.
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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.
