Hell Shall Not Prevail

MATTHEW 16:18 “HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL”

A) Christ came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, and He withdrew Himself to be alone with

His disciples!

* He was facing the end very, very soon ... There was much to reveal and teach them.

* It was time for them to learn that He was building a church ... An assembly of people who would

be confessing Him to be the Messiah.

B) Jesus asked them a critical question, “Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am?”

* We must know what others say about Jesus, just who He is.

* What men think of Jesus determines their destiny and how we are to reach them.

* There were false confessions regarding Christ ... Peter’s confession is not the confession of the

world. * Jesus was considered one of the greatest of men.

C) Some said Jesus was John the Baptist! * Herod thought this – Matt. 14:1-2 “At that .......”

* He was professing that Jesus was a great spirit that was willing to be killed for His faith.

D) Some said He was Elijah ... Elijah was considered to be the greatest prophet of all time!

* William Barclay points out that even today the Jews expect Elijah to return before the Messiah.

* In the celebration of the Passover, they always leave a chair vacant for him to occupy.

E) Some people said Jesus was Jeremiah!

* They were professing Jesus to be a prophet who was revealing some very important things about

God and religion to men.

* The Apocrypha (2 Maccabees 2:1-12 and Esdras 2:18) says that Jeremiah was going to return to

earth right before the Messiah and bring with him the Tabernacle, ark, and altar of incense.

* He was said to have taken these and hid them in Mt. Nebo right before he died.

F) Some said Jesus was one of the Prophets!

* They were professing Him to be a great prophet, who was brought back to life or, one in whom

the spirit of a great prophet dwelt who had been sent for their day and time.

* Read Deut. 18:15; 18 “The Lord thy God shall raise up ... The Lord thy God will raise up .......”

G) It should be noted that the same false confessions about Christ exists in every generation!

* There are some people who think that Jesus was only a great man of righteousness who was

martyred for His faith and leaves us an example of how to live and stand up for what we believe.

* There’s others who think He was one of the great teachers and prophets of history.

H) There are still others who think that Jesus was only a great man who revealed some very

important things to us about God and religion!

* There are some others who think that Jesus was just a great man and prophet sent to the people

(Jews) of His day.

* Early Christian writings not included in the New Testament.

I) Then Jesus asked a second critical question, “But whom say ye that I am?”

* The answer to this question is all important ... It determines a person’s eternal destiny.

* Note Peter’s words, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

* Jesus’ response – v.17-19 “And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art .......”

J) Some believe the church is built on Peter, but that’s not what Jesus said!

* Peter, in the Greek, is “Petros” meaning a single stone ... This speaks of a stone that can be

tossed aside, crushed, chipped, or lost.

* “Rock” in the Greek is “Petra” which means “a solid, immovable rock, a great mass like a cliff.”

K) The “Rock” that the church is built upon cannot be tossed aside, crushed, chipped, lost, or

destroyed in any way ... Why? ... Because that “Rock” is Jesus!

* And hell cannot prevail against that which is built on that “Rock.”

* Let me tell you why hell cannot prevail against the church.

(1) BECAUSE OF THE BASIS OF HER FOUNDATION – THE ROCK!

A) Speaking of the Lord, Moses said in Deut. 32:4 “He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all

his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.”

* 1 Sam. 2:2 Hannah said, “There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither

is there any rock like our God.”

* 2 Sam. 22:2 David said, “The Lord is my rock,” ... v.32 “... who is a rock save our God?”

* v.47 “The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my ...”