Great Purposes and Interruptive Voices. "From that time forth began Jesus to show unto His disciples how that He must go." Special emphasis should be laid upon the word "must," in order to discover the depth and range of the idea which the speaker seeks to convey. The emphasis, so placed, gives us the utterance of a great purpose. "Then Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him." This is an interruptive voice. Christ and Peter set before us the broadest contrasts in human development.
I. The majesty of a purpose imparts to its possessor tranquillity in anticipation of the severest trials. What are the constituent elements of heroism? I answer, a great purpose, and faith in it. Given the purpose and the faith, and you have strength, and patience, and hope, and surest victory.
II. Superficial natures cannot interpret the majesty of a great purpose. Did ever a great idea realize its "must go" without having to encounter interruptive Peters? Little ideas, respectable enterprises, decent actions have passed along the world's highway without much incommodation; but the ideas that have given love to the heart and direction to the understanding, of an age or an empire, have had to fight their way to Jerusalem step by step.
III. Great purposes are necessarily associated with self-sacrifice. (1) Whoso follows a great leader must expect great sacrifices. (2) The spirit and example of a great moral leader must ever be reproduced.
IV. Great purposes always correctly estimate the value of material possessions.
V. Superficial natures always proceed on a self-defeating policy. Christ's testimony is clear: "For whosoever shall save his life shall lose it, and whosoever shall lose his life for My sake shall find it."
Parker, Hidden Springs,p. 361; see also Christian World Pulpit,vol. ii., p. 177.
References: Matthew 16:21. Homiletic Quarterly,vol. ii., p. 271; R. Thomas, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xxiii., p. 376. Matthew 16:21-23. C. Morris, Preacher's Lantern,vol. iii., p. 47. Matthew 16:21-26. Parker, Hidden Springs,p. 61.Matthew 16:21-28. A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve,p. 173.Matthew 16:22. J. Keble, Sermons from Lent to Passiontide,p. 376. Matthew 16:23. W. H. Murray, The Fruits of the Spirit,p. 345.