Following Jesus
Elaine Poproski Download: Audio
Scripture: Matthew 16:21 – 28 (NRSV)
21 From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. Read more…
Looking to Sunday
by Elaine Poproski
Many years ago, when ministry was new and fresh and the whole world of church was only just being discovered, I had a profound moment with God during which I distinctly heard Him say, “Elaine, you will never be great.”
I told my friend what I’d heard and she immediately responded with a mix of pity, disbelief, and absolute certainty that God would never dare say such a thing to her friend. We were caught up in this whole ultra-charismatic, energetic, prophetic ministry that we traveled two hours to get to almost every Sunday evening. It was a time of profound learning for me. My understanding of God’s Spirit grew dramatically during this time and my expectation and experience of Him actually speaking to me became increasingly normative, though it never lost its weightiness and I’ve never ceased being intensely moved by the idea that Almighty God would deign to speak to me.
On this particular occasion, it was as though God had spoken out loud. There was no denying what I’d heard. But as my friend tried to help me through what she assumed was a real blow to my faith and my mission as a Christian, all I felt was deep thankfulness and freedom.
You see, from the moment God called me to be an ordained minister and preacher, I have been hyper-aware of the temptation among clergy to be great – to be the one who grows a church from 12 to 12,000 in only a few years; to be the one whose sermons people rush to download and emulate. There is sometimes an unspoken (even unacknowledged, because we’re supposed to be better than this) assumption that if we’re faithful, God will reward our faithfulness with greatness and success. But that is dangerous ground to tread. More than a few pastors have fallen hard into sin when they tripped on this dangerous ground. Pride is a sneaky sin that catches us before we’re even aware we’re being chased.
When God said, as if out loud, to me, “Elaine, you’re never going to be great.” What I heard was, “Elaine, your faithfulness is enough. Your obedience is enough.” And I was able to breath and to rest. (Though, I must admit that faithfulness and obedience is often far from easy.)
That experience came to mind as I read Sunday’s scripture from Matthew 16:21 – 28. In this passage, Jesus is intent on showing and telling His disciples that He’s bound for Jerusalem, where He’ll endure great suffering and be killed. Peter could not stand to hear Jesus speak this way and went so far as to rebuke Jesus. Jesus response was this: “Get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things” (Mt. 16:23).
Sometimes, I think, human and divine things are synced. But often they aren’t. Jesus knew that His call – His mission – had to go through the cross and the tomb. On this side of those events, we perhaps understand better than Peter did. But then I think of my friend’s response to God’s words that I would not be great and I wonder if we really do understand. I think of the times I long for the kind of influence or reputation some of my colleagues enjoy, and I wonder if we understand any better than Peter did.
As you prepare for Sunday, I invite you to think of two or three areas in your life where the human mission or motivation and that of the divine are in danger of colliding. What are the stumbling blocks that threaten your ability or your will to live as one committed to Jesus? What do your colleagues, your family members, your neighbours, value that you struggle not to value? As you prepare for Sunday, perhaps spend some time holding those struggles and temptations out to God, inviting Him to take them from you.