A class called “Get behind me, Satan”
Churches have all kinds of programs today. I just found one that is missing.
We have classes for ministers in training, groups for teachers, a music team, and so on.
However, core to Jesus’s ministerial training methods was identifying pride.
A rabbi walked in front of his disciples. A disciple was never to walk alongside the rabbi, but to stay behind him.
One day, Peter stepped out of line. He was getting pretty self-confident. He knew a lot. He was close to the big Man.
Peter had been in the MIT (Ministers in Training) class for a while. He’d preached a few times and gotten people to come to Jesus. He was big stuff.
Pride nudged him forward. He was no longer following Jesus but trying to lead Him.
“Get behind Me!” Jesus told him.
Yes, pastors, please add another item to the already crowded church agenda. We need a “get behind me” class. Pride sneaks in easily yet most Bible schools and church training programs only move participants forward instead of back.
Sometimes a person needs to be set down.
Sometimes you and I need to take a step back.
We got too big for our britches.
We thought we could lead God.
We need to get back to following Him even if it messes up our finely tuned path to prominence.
“Satan.”
It was one thing to be told to get back in line, but is it really fair to call a preacher “Satan”?
Jesus had already told Peter he had the keys to the kingdom. He was just promoted, so to speak. And now this slam.
The word “Satan” means accuser.
Peter was doing more than just asserting his own ideas as better than others. He was doing more than just trying to ascend as high as Jesus. He was confronting the Man of God.
“Don’t talk like that, Jesus! Don’t talk about death and sacrifice and all that stuff. We are above that.”
Satan hates the idea of suffering unless he is causing it.
Peter was confronting Jesus on His very purpose in life.
Why? Pride.
A minister can go bad.
What happens then?
They have their preaching license.
They have their ordination papers.
Who stops them?
This is one of the biggest challenges of modern denominations and church organizations.
We have a poorly defined exit path.
We want to save our faces and not admit that preachers might need to be set down for a time.
We don’t want the world to see that some of our finest have become satanic in how they treat others.
It is time to confront pride on every level—especially in leadership.
Pray for those who lead—they have to be bold and quick to help those they lead not develop pride. Pride and controlling God (so to speak) are the key elements that destroyed the Jerusalem worship scene.
Check yourself before you wreck yourself. Do you need to chill?
Do you need to get back in line following Jesus rather than trying to get Him to see your vision?
2 Comments
Love this post. Let me Live according to it.
Yes, I want to follow close behind Jesus!