Sermons

S.R. Matthew 16:13-28

Introduction

1. Kristina Katerina and the Box.
2. With the myriad of church options available have you ever thought about starting your own church? A club for just you and your sometimes friends.
3. If someone were to ask you: “Does Jesus have a church?” One church?
   1. How would you answer?
   2. Maybe more importantly: How would He answer?

Outline

1. What Do People Say? (Matthew 16:13-14)
   1. Survey then:
      1. John the Baptist (none greater among men)
      2. Elijah (the Messiah’s forerunner) Isaiah 40:3; Malachi 3:1
      3. Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets
      4. All these would have been a complement to a mere man, but of Jesus?
   2. Who do people today say that Jesus is?
2. What Do You Say?
   1. What really matters is a personal evaluation and declaration.
      1. Jesus only permitted two options: Matthew 10:32-33 
   2. Peter speaks up and makes a bold declaration. Matthew 16:16 
      1. Earlier statements: John 6:69 
         1. John 6:69 
         2. Matthew 14:33
      2. On this occasion Peter says:
   3. Unpack that Statement:
      1. Peter acknowledges, declares and confesses that Jesus is the Messiah (the anointed of God),
      2. He is the Unique and exclusive Son of the Father (Psalm 2, Hebrews 1)
      3. He is unlike the dead pagan god’s of the Gentiles.
      4. He is the eternal “living” God. (Isaiah 9:6-7)
3. What Does Jesus Say?
   1. Matthew 16:17 
      1. Blessed are you Simon, son of Jonah (John 1:42 – NASB) 
      2. “flesh and blood” colloquialism for man cf. Galatians1:12) did not reveal. 
      3. This was “divine revelation” (signs – John 5:31-39) 
   2. Matthew 16:18 
      1. Peter – nickname given Simon by Jesus (cf. John 1:42)
         1. Jesus anticipates future stability (Acts 4:10).
      2. Upon this rock (Ck. Petra) I will build my church. – future reality
         1. Church is a reference to a called out group of people. (Acts 19) 
         2. Only other use in Matthew is Matthew 18:17. “tell it to the church” 
         3. Church is always a reference to people (2 Thessalonians 2:14) “called out” 
      3. Two possibilities regarding the foundation upon which Jesus would build:
   3. Who or what is the foundation upon which Jesus would build His church?
      1. First: Old Testament references to my Rock – is always a reference to God\
      2. Secondly: When Peter speaks of the rock he never identifies himself as the rock, but rather says, (Acts 4:10-11) 
      3. Thirdly: Paul taught: (1 Corinthians 3:11)
      4. The foundation is Christ, as Holy Spirit guided apostles and prophets proclaimed (Ephesians 1:3-13; 2:20) 
   4. Satan cannot overpower or keep among the dead the Founder or His family.
      1. Jesus would triumph over death and defeat Satan in the process. (Hebrews 2:14)
      2. Death would not stop Christ from building nor defeat those who would comprise this family.
   5. Matthew 16:19 
      1. Keys of the kingdom (Luke 11:52; Matthew 7:21; 13:52)
         1. Remember Peter’s teaching to Jews and Gentiles (Acts 2,10)
      2. Bind and loose (common rabbinic phrases of Jewish scribes. 
      3. Was God saying to Peter and later to all the apostles (Matthew 18:1, 18) that whatever they decided would be bound and loosed on earth God would be compelled to enforce from heaven? (John 14:26, 15:26; 16:13 – 15) 
      4. Peter and the rest of the apostles were only free to teach on earth what God had willed in heaven. 
         1. “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
         2. The apostles had no right to legislate law. They were authorized to report the laws of heaven to those on earth.
   6. We would do well to give due diligence to the apostles teaching (Acts 2:42) as did first century Disciples of Christ and members of His church.
4. Conclusion: 
   1. It is one thing to believe that Jesus is the Christ. Is quite another to comprehend what that demands. (Matthew 16:21-23)  
      1. Peter fails miserably at this point to realize what Jesus is about.
      2. At one moment Peter speaks what God has revealed. You are the Christ.
      3. In the next, he is trying to tell the King how to administer His kingdom.
      4. Peter finds himself in one moment the voice of God – then the voice of Satan.
   2. Christ does not leave His apostles clueless as to the events of the next few weeks.
      1. In no uncertain terms Jesus describes His agenda (Matthew 16:21)
      2. He next offers for them and us to embrace it along with Him.
   3. Anyone – whoever (Matthew 16:24-28)
      1. Count the cost. – Take up your cross – “follow me.”
         1. Where He leads me I will follow.
      2. The cross always comes before the crown of victory.
      3. Be not dismayed, the King has come and will come in Victory.
   4. Hebrews 5:7-9