The Suffering Servant

Nikolle Bauder • June 2, 2021

Summary of sermon on Matthew 16:21-23 from Pastor Nick Gainey.

In our passage last week, Peter got it right when he was the first person to declare that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.


This week, however, Peter gets it really really wrong.


Once His disciples knew who He was, Jesus began to share with them what His mission was -- to go to Jerusalem; to suffer and be killed; and on the third day, rise again.


Jesus’ disciples, like Peter, likely rejected this message. They focused in on Jesus’ suffering and dying, but ignored the hope in Him rising. Their expectation was that Jesus would be king over an earthly kingdom… they did not yet understand what it meant for Jesus to be King of God’s Kingdom.


Peter, being both the spokesman for the group and the bold man we know and love, decided to pull Jesus aside and rebuke Him, telling Jesus, “Far be it from you, Lord! This (suffering) shall never happen to you.”


Jesus, in turn, rebukes Peter’s rebuke saying, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on things of God, but on things of man.”


Peter and the disciples weren’t yet connecting the dots between who Jesus was and what was foretold about Him in scripture. He was indeed to be a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief… pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. (Isaiah 53:3-5)


At this point in Jesus’ ministry, there was a tension amongst the disciples in knowing who Jesus was (the promised Messiah) but not understanding yet what his mission was.


As Pastor Nick made clear on Sunday, we are Peter in this story. We forget that God is sovereign and that His plan is perfect. Like Peter, we have expectations of God that aren’t accurate and our minds are focused on our Kingdom and not God’s.


Jesus’ rebuke of Peter is harsh.


It is not written in scripture how Peter directly responded to Jesus in this moment, but we do  have a record of what happens after…


Peter sticks by Jesus. 


Instead of running away, He presses in.


Because of Jesus, there is hope for Peter.


Because of Jesus, there is hope for us.


If we fast forward in Peter’s ministry, we learn that he eventually gets it…


He says in Acts 2:22-24, “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst as you yourselves know -- this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.”


(See also Acts 2:37-41; Acts 4:8-12; and Acts 4:18-20)


Peter’s pressing in and focusing his mind on the things of God transforms his mind and steers his ministry.


His stance on suffering changes dramatically because he comes to see that Christ’s suffering was essential for our salvation. He also comes to see that following Jesus will include seasons of suffering for righteousness’ sake.


As foretold in Isaiah 53, upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace and with His wounds we are healed.


In our Christian walk, sometimes we (like Jesus) will suffer for doing good. Sometimes it is the will of God that we suffer.


More than that, Romans 5:3-5 tells us that we can rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that “suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”


When we encounter suffering, we can be certain that God will use it for His glory. Our reward is not in this life, but in the one to come.


“Only one life twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last.”  

— C.T. Studd


Peter is a great example of grace in obedience. He got it wrong a lot but he pressed in and let his mind be transformed. Peter finished his race well.


Let us take Peter’s example and do the same. 


Press in. Trust in God’s sovereignty. Be faithful. Focus on the things of God more than the things of the world. Be transformed by the power of the Spirit.



Discipleship Questions


What are some ways in which you’ve forgotten that God has a sovereign and perfect plan?


Have you had expectations of Jesus that aren’t accurate with scripture? 


In what ways have you been focused on your own kingdom and not the “things of God” and His Kingdom?


Have you pressed in following a rebuke or walking through a season of suffering? 


Knowing the rest of the story, share some hope you take from the example of Peter’s life.

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Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 27, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:11-17 This is the beginning of a section addressing how God's people now function in this world. It begins with aliens and exiles and continues with servants, wives, husbands, and finally, all of you. 1.) Our identity defines our actions. We are sojourners and exiles (temporary, passing through, not at home) We have a heavenly citizenship Actions We abstain from the passions of the flesh Keep conduct among the Gentiles honorable (our conduct is for the benefit of other people) Honorable conduct wins souls… sojourners, exiles, and soul winners “Peter’s point is that believers’ behavior creates a context in which people will listen to God’s word. He is not teaching that ‘good deeds’ in themselves convert unbelievers, but they establish an environment for the Gospel-word to do so.” -Barnett 2.) Our identity defines our expectations (Unbelievers will respond to honorable conduct in 1 of 2 ways) Some will speak evil against us as though we are evildoers Some will see our good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation 3.) Our identity defines our view of authority (Does anyone here ever just want to do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it? That’s why laws exist) Be subject to every human institution (for the Lord's sake) This includes governors and emperors (no distinction between good/bad) The will of God... by doing good, we silence the ignorance of foolish people 4.) Our identity defines our view of freedom Don't use freedom as a cover-up for evil We are freed to serve God Honor, Love, and Fear Discipleship Questions: 1.)Why is it so important to understand our identity before talking about our behavior? 2.) How might this reality impact your parenting? For real, what are 3 ways that you can apply that this week? 3.) How is good conduct a form of evangelism? 4.) What do these verses say that we can expect from others? 5.) How can we honor a government that isn't always honorable? Seriously, what are 5 things we should immediately stop doing and 5 things we should immediately start doing? 6.) What are some tangible ways to honor others? Love the brotherhood? Fear God? Honor the Emperor? 7.) Should we fear the Emperor?

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Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, April 20, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:4-10 Everyone must accept or reject Jesus. He is the cornerstone. We choose to accept Him as the foundation of our lives or toss the truth aside. When we come to Jesus… We become part of His People 1 Pe 2:4-5 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. The cornerstone is The New Temple. From this we learn that following Christ entails joining his community, the church…The freelance Christian, who follows Jesus but is too good, too busy, or too self-sufficient for the church, is a walking contradiction. -Daniel M. Doriani We join a royal, holy, priesthood 1 Pet. 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Because of who Jesus makes us. We receive God’s mercy Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms….Now repentance is no fun at all. It is something much harder than merely eating humble pie. It means unlearning all the self-conceit and self-will that we have been training ourselves into for thousands of years. It means undergoing a kind of death. Acts 17:30-31 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Discipleship Questions: Why is it impossible to be neutral about Jesus? Why do you believe that Jesus truly is the Son of God? Do you ever have doubts about this? If yes, what are they? According to 1 Peter 2:9, who are we after we come to Christ? Why does Paul say (in 1 Corinthians) that if Christ is not risen, our faith is in vain?

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Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 13, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:2-3 Why do our souls ache for certainty? We are so eager for certainty that we will look for it in all the wrong places. - Certainty in our Finances [show slide from news] - Certainty in our Jobs [Acts 17:24-27] - Certainty in our Health [Covid] - Certainty in our Abilities [Ecclesiastes 3:11 “God has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”] “Things that have never happened before are happening every day.” -Morgan Housel In these verses, God gives us what our souls ache for! 1.) You must be born again of imperishable seed - We have all been born of perishable seed o Impure souls o Disobedient to truth o Unloving insincerity toward others o Lack of loving effort o Impure hearts - We are withering grass and falling flowers - The imperishable seed is the living and abiding Word of God o Does not wither o Does not fall o Does not let us down o It remains forever o It MUST BE PREACHED! But still, how can we be certain that we have been born again? 2.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your relationships When your relationship with God changes, God changes your relationships! - Sincere brotherly love - Love earnestly - Put away… o Malice o Deceit o Hypocrisy o Envy o All Slander 3.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your appetite for God’s Word - Like newborn infants - Long for the pure spiritual milk Discipleship Questions: 1.) Where are some unhealthy places where you look for certainty? 2.) Why do you do that? 3.) What were some evidences of your perishable seed before you came to Christ? Any of that still lingering that needs to be repented from? 4.) Why does Peter call the Word of God the imperishable seed? 5.) In light of the text, how would you describe being "born again" to a 5-year-old? 6.) How has imperishable hope proven itself in your relationships? OR How might it if you lean into loving others earnestly? 7.) Why does Peter tell us that hope will be seen in our appetite for God's Word?
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