Matthew 16:13-18 (KJV) When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
[14] And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
[15] He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
[16] And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
[17] And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
[18] And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
VERY BRIEFLY THIS EVENING I WANT TO REASON
WITH YOU ON THE SUBJECT OF
(EVERYBODY NEED TO KNOW WHO JESUS IS)
Isaiah 40:8 (KJV) The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS
WE ARE LIVING IN A DAY AND TIME WHERE
EVERYBODY NEED TO KNOW WHO JESUS IS
AND IF IT`S EVER BEEN A TIME WHEN THE
CHURCH NEEDS TO BE ABOUT OUR FATHERS
BUSSINESS
NOW IS THE TIME
BECAUSE THE CHURCH IS A CALLED OUT
ASSEMBLY
THAT GOD HAS CALLED OUT OF DARKNESS INTO
THE MARVELOUS LIGHT
TO GO BACK OUT AND SHARE THE GOSPEL
MESSAGE WITH A SIN SICK WORLD
FOR GOD HAS A MESSAGE
A MESSAGE OF SALVATION-FORGIVINESS-HOPE
AND JUDGEMENT
AND IT`S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CHURCH
TO PROCLIAM THAT MESSAGE
YOU SEE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS
CHRISTIAN MEANS CHRIST-LIKE
AND IF WE WHO PROFESS TO BE CHRISTIANS OR
CHRIST-LIKE
THEN WE NEED TO LOVE LIKE JESUS LOVED
WE NEED TO FORGIVE LIKE JESUS FORGAVE
WE OUGHT TO HELP OTHERS LIKE JESUS DID
AND GIVE LIKE JESUS GAVE
BECAUSE EVERYBODY NEED TO KNOW WHO
JESUS IS
BUT AS WE EXAMINE THE TEXT BEFORE US
IT`S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT
After one has been instructed a while in school, examinations will be given.
So it was for the disciples at Caesarea Philippi.
They had been accompanying Christ for some time and had, as a result, received much teaching from Him.
Christ now gives them an exam. He asks them several questions regarding His identity.
First, as an introduction, He asked them who others thought He was.
Then He asked them who they thought He was—this was the key question, and it would reveal how well they had listened in class to His teaching.
It also was the question which solicited from Peter the second great confession of faith
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AND THIS BRINGS ME TO THE FRIST SPRITUAL
NUGGET I SEE IN THE TEXT
Whom do others say that I am?
?When Jesus came into the coasts [borders] of Caesarea
Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying,
Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elias [Elijah]; and others, Jeremias [Jeremiah], or one of the prophets?
Four popular opinions were mentioned in the disciples’ answer to Christ’s first question.
First, some thought Christ was John the Baptist
This was Herod’s view, for he thought Christ was John the Baptist come back to life .
NOW I NEED TO PAUSE AND TELL YOU
THAT JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS A GOOD MAN BUT JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS`NT JESUS CHRIST
John the Baptist was unique man. A FORERUNNER OF
JESUS CHRIST
Who wore odd clothes and ate strange food and preached an unusual message
REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND
JOHN THE BAPTIST AND JESUS HAD SOMETHING
IN COMMON
THEY BOTH DIED A CRUEL DEATH FOR TELLING
THE TRUTH
YOU DO REMEMBER THE STORY ABOUT A MAD
QUEEN NAME HERODIAS-A DANCING PRINCESS
NAME SALOME AND A PREACHER WHO GOT HIS
HEAD CUT OFF FOR TELLING THE TRUTH
JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS A GOOD MAN BUT JOHN
THE BAPTIST WAS`NT JESUS CHRIST
Second, some thought Christ was Elijah who had been prophesied by Malachi to return in advance of the Messiah.
ELIJAH Was the most famous and dramatic of Israel’s prophets •
Predicted the beginning and end of a three-year drought TO
OLD HENPECKED AHAB AND WICKED JEZEBEL•
•Was used by God to restore a dead child to his mother
•Represented God in a showdown with priests of Baal and
Asherah
•Appeared with Moses and Jesus in the New Testament transfiguration scene
ELIJAH AND JESUS HAD SOMETHING IN COMMON
THEY BOTH KNEW THAT IT POWER IN PRAYER
YOU DO REMEMBER ELIJAH ON MT.CARMEL
WHEN HE PRAYED AND GOD SENT FIRE FROM
HEAVEN AND COMSUMED THE WATER SOAKED
SACRIFICE
ELIJAH WAS A GOOD GOD FEARING MAN BUT
ELIJAH WAS`NT JESUS CHRIST
Third, some thought Christ was Jeremiah. coming back to prepare the way for the Messiah
JEREMIAH WAS A GOOD MAN BUT JEREMIAH
WAS`NT JESUS CHRIST
•Acted as God’s faithful messenger in spite of many attempts on his life
•Was so deeply sorrowful for the fallen condition of Judah that he earned the title ?weeping prophet?
JEREMIAH AND JESUS HAD SOMETHING IN
COMMON THEY BOTH WEPT OVER THE PEOPLE
UNBELIEF
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WELL MY BROTHER AND SISTERS THE 2ND
SPRITUAL NUGGET I SEE IN THE TEXT IS
Whom do you say that I am?
The disciples had expressed themselves at times regarding their faith in Christ and their belief in Who He was.
But this is the first time in which Scripture records Christ pointedly and plainly asking them who they thought He was
Christ’s second question becomes very personal for the disciples.
It examines their own hearts. In terms of one’s relationship with Christ, it reminds us that it matters not what others think of Christ; but what really matters is what we ourselves think of Christ.
The answer to this second question was given solely by Peter.
He said, ?Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God?
Here was another great confession about Christ.
Though shorter than the one made in Capernaum,
it still attested to two vital truths about Jesus Christ—His
Messiahship and His Divinity—
While this particular confession by Peter is recorded in the other two Synoptic Gospels,
only Matthew records the significant response of Christ to it.
This response, given in verses 17–19 of Matthew 16, spoke of two things.
It spoke of the revelation about Christ and of the revelation about the church.
The revelation about Christ.
After Peter made his confession regarding Christ’s identity, Christ said, ?Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven?
Christ said two things here about the truth of Christ being revealed to man.
He spoke of the favor in possessing the revelation and of the Father in giving the revelation.
?Blessed art thou? speaks of the great blessing it is to possess this spiritual knowledge of Christ.
WE ARE LIVING IN A DAY AND TIME WE`RE
Most men count their blessings in terms of money or material things.
But we need to count them instead in terms of spiritual knowledge.
To know the truth about Christ is more important than to possess all the money in the world.
The knowledge Peter possessed about Christ, which was expressed in his confession of Him, would bless him eternally.
Not many folk today indicate they esteem the possession of spiritual knowledge a thing of much value.
This is evidenced by their poor interest in the Word of God and their poor attendance at church where the Word is taught.
It would be of immeasurable benefit to many people if they got a better sense of values,
a sense of values that would greatly esteem the possession
of spiritual truth.
Second, Christ spoke of the Father in giving the revelation.
?Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my
Father which is in heaven?
No natural wisdom or genius or ability had obtained this
truth about Christ, but it was a truth revealed by God
Almighty
REVEREND DR PAUL ---amplifies this fact-IN HIS 1ST
LETTER TO THE CHUCH AT CORINTH 2ND CHAPTER
when he says, ?Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit . . . the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned?
The revelation about the church.
Christ next spoke to Peter about the church.
This is the first time Scripture records Christ speaking about the church.
This revelation about the church was inseparably
connected to Peter’s confession,
for it was given to Peter as a reward for his having honorably received the revelation about Christ.
God had revealed unto him one truth—the truth about Jesus Christ—and Peter had believed it and unashamedly declared it.
Christ taught Peter three important truths about the church.
First, the foundation of the church. ?Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church
It is most fitting that after Peter makes such a great declaration of Christ, it is then revealed that Christ is the foundation of the church.
Second, the endurance of the church. Christ revealed to
Peter that the church would endure through the ages when
He said, ?the gates of hell shall not prevail against it?
Third, the authority of the church.
Jesus concluded His revelation to Peter about the church when He said,
?I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven?
Keys spoke of authority. The person with the keys has the authority to open or lock, bind or loose.
HAVE A BLESSED DAY DEEP EAST TEXAS DISTRICT ASSOCIATION
BUT EVERYBODY NEED TO KNOW WHO JESUS IS
