As we spoke about the word “fear” last week, it doesn’t connote running from God because of dread but running to God, clinging to Him, loving, and serving Him. The fear or reverence of the Lord is our response to His love, His majesty, holiness, as well as His wrath. This kind of fear is not repulsive. It doesn’t drive us away. It draws us in. More than ever, we as God’s people need to live in the fear of the Lord. The Fear of the Beginning of wisdom.
For today, the first Sunday of 2025, I have been asking the Lord, what does He want to say to us as His church? Where is He leading us? As we continue to open up His word He will continue to unfold His plan. What I have found interesting in this day and age, that even though fewer and fewer people are attending church, hunger for truth, meaning and purpose is increasing - in fact in 2024 Bible sales have gone through the roof. This is why it is more important than ever that the Church be a healthy place where people can come, grow in the Lord and in their faith.
Let’s turn to Matt 16:13-18
13 Now when Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you yourselves say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.
As Jesus was traveling to the northern region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples: (SL 3)
Who do people say that the Son of Man is?
Based on His teaching, miracles, and way of life, the word on the street was He was John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets. All of these descriptions of Jesus were partially correct as He was a prophet. To them He was like a lion, as with all prophets - they have a roar about them. Jesus roared against injustices and turned over the tables of hypocrisy.
How do people view Jesus today? For some, He is the opposite of a lion and they view Him as a lamb - a meek social reformer, a gentle moralist, a wise teacher, or a sympathetic healer. He is both though, isn’t He? He is a lion and a lamb. He is a prophet and He is a King.
Various world religions would tell us that Jesus was the enlightened one, one of many prophets, a good man, a little god, Jesus was a holy man and wise teacher with an aspect of divinity. Some see Him as a fanatic itinerant teacher with many followers. The world sees him as many things but not for who He truly is.
In verse 15 Jesus asks,
But who do you say that I am?
Why did Jesus ask these questions when He already knew their thoughts? He was provoking them with questions to reveal their level of their faith. Are you sticking with the conventional wisdom about Me? Or do you have another, more insightful answer? What is your conviction?
Simon Peter, speaking for the group said, “You are the Christ (the King), the Son of the living God.” Peter adds the adjective “living,” a characteristically Jewish way of referring to God to distinguish Him from lifeless idols and also a reminder that only Yahweh has life in Himself which He can impart to others.
If Jesus asked you this question, how would you answer?
We could all give theologically correct answers and describe Jesus as the second Person in the Trinity - all powerful, perfect, holy, healer, redeemer, etc. These may all be true descriptions of who Jesus is but is this who He really is in our hearts? We can pore over the Bible, questioning and analyzing who Jesus was… but when His life changes us, His Word begins poring over our lives and analyzing us.
Why is the question about who Jesus is so important? How we answer moves our lives, ministries, and destinies in one direction or another.
Is Jesus only a crutch or is He really our King? As Tim Keller said: “We need a king. We all (whether we want to admit or not) serve something or somebody. Let Jesus be your King.” In other words, treat Jesus as the omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient King that He is because if we believe He is who He says He is, we will trust Him to hear our prayers and answer them in the best way and in His perfect timing. (Roland’s testimony about God’s answer to prayer.
Why should we let Jesus be King in our lives, make Him more important than any other person, and seek His Kingdom first? Well what characterizes the Trinity? The Father, Son, and Spirit are pouring love, joy, and adoration into the other, each serving the other and infinitely seeking one another’s glory. By contrast, a self-centered life is static and the self-centered person wants to be the center around which everything else orbits. Self-centeredness makes everything else a means to an end whereas the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are characterized in their very essence by mutually self-giving love. Which life is more satisfying? The Spirit filled Christian life is characterized by fullness and selfless service to God that flows from love for Him and His people. This overflow can only happen as we running to, clinging to and abiding in his life.
In verse 17 Jesus praises Peter for his right answer - calling Simon Bar Jonah, a shortened version of bar Johanan, which means “Peter son of John.” You didn’t come to understand who I am through what your dad taught you about Me. In fact…no earthly father or mother or rabbi or teacher could have opened your heart to understand My identity. Only your heavenly Father could reveal to you His correct understanding of who I am.
Jesus said to him, “you are Peter, a little stone”(v. 18) - like stones that make up the structure of a building. But you will play a leading part along with the other apostles and prophets in laying the foundation (which is Jesus) for the church. Jesus is our Rock, our immovable foundation. He is the Chief Cornerstone of the church (Eph 2:20), the Cornerstone which guides the work of the structure. He is the foundation (truth) by Whom the remaining construction is measured - whether it is properly aligned or not.
Jesus said I will build my church < Ekklesia. The word build here is in the future indicative active - used metaphorically to describe the growth and development of the Christian community, with the emphasis on having a strong foundation in the Word. The church was meant to grow, flourish, and multiply. He will build His “church.” He has given all that is needed to make it happen.
For Greeks living in the time of Jesus, the ekklesia was a gathering of people called from within the city. It was a democratic assembly that made decisions for the city who later would be known as the city council which worked alongside the king. Their role was to extend his kingdom and its influence.
God chose this model for His church. The church, in the same way, is an assembly, or a council gathered around its King whose purpose is to extend or multiply His kingdom. Jesus Christ sees His church as a multitude that He called out of the world to be His people (cf. Acts 15:14) to be sent into the world to share the good news of the King (John 17:16-18).
Jesus came to deliver us from the kingdom of darkness and bring us into His Kingdom. His church is made up of all the men, women and children who have ever lived (past, present and future) who have accepted Jesus as their Savior. Each local church is a group of disciples who come together to carry out Jesus’ mandate to make disciples and extend His Kingdom.
In Genesis, to “be fruitful and multiply” was God’s mandate to populate the earth, and in Noah’s case - to repopulate the earth. Discipleship is another way of fulfilling this mandate. In the New Testament, the command to be fruitful and multiply does not appear directly. While it is still a part of God’s order and it should be done, the focus shifts to multiplying the family of God by bringing them into the kingdom and then discipleship them. When a sinner repents and accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior, that person is a new person, with a new life and purpose.
Mentoring that person in their new faith will bring them closer to their Savior, they will get to know who Jesus really is and be transformed in this new relationship with Him - this was Jesus’ final directive before His ascension to Heaven: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt 28:19-20).
Matt 13:31 talks about the power of the Kingdom of heaven’s influence upon the earth, it’s like a little mustard seed that when planted grows very quickly, overtaking boundaries. That’s what the gospel does, it reaches people from every age, race, language, culture or social class (Col 3:11: I Cor 12:13). Our faith needs to go beyond these four walls into the community, into the city, into this country, and into the world.
When Christ is the cornerstone of the church and its foundation is the word of God in action, the church will grow and will weather the greatest storms. The gates of Hell will not overpower the church. Gates could speak of Satan's strong will to resist the furtherance of the gospel and the growth of the church. Jews understood gates as the power of death, the ultimate weapon of Satan (Heb 2:14-15). Jesus said He will build an eternal, invincible assembly against which even the powers of the devil and death cannot prevent the ultimate triumph of God's purposes in history.”
Why would Jesus teach us to, “seek the Kingdom of God above all else” (Matt 6:33). What does that mean? Putting God’s Kingdom first means we give Him top priority over everything else. He is the principal figure in our lives and central to all we do and think. It means removing things from our lives that distract us from being present, engaged, and totally invested in our relationship with God.
We want to see His life transform us and transform the lives of others. We want to further His Kingdom and to multiply and all we need is the faith the size of a mustard seed. I am believing that 2025 will be a year of multiplication.
