Our Declaration Our Faith!
Matthew 16:13-19
Dr. Larry L. Thompson (2002)
“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" [14] They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." [15] "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" [16] Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." [17] Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. [18] And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. [19] I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
INTRODUCTION:
The concept for this sermon series was birthed out of a discussion regarding how to continually equip and involve our fellowship in the activity of the Lord. We know what a great opportunity we have in the Fort Lauderdale Christmas Pageant…it is a gift from God and we honor and respect that gift. The question is how can we better equip and prepare ourselves to use the Gift that God has given? The answer comes in the series entitled, CROSSPOINTS… an biblically examination of the second act of our pageant which proclaims the life of Jesus Christ. Here is the mission statement for this series:
MISSION STATEMENT FOR CROSSPOINTS:
“To equip our Community of believers with the Truth that is revealed through scripture and demonstrated in the Pageant for the purpose of allowing the God to lead us to invite family, friends, neighbors, classmates and work associates who need a personal relationship with Christ.”
VISION FOR CROSSPOINTS SERMON SERIES:
Hundreds of New Believers building radical relationships with Christ as a result of Believers preparing, planning and praying for God’s leadership to intentionally bring guests whose lives are changed as our Pageant introduces them to the Savior, the Christ of Christmas.
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND & Introduction:
The city of Caesarea Philippi was originally named Paneas, after the Greek god Pan. Caesar Augustus had given the region to Herod the Great, who built a temple in Paneas in honor of the emperor. Herod’s son, Philip, inherited the land, and in his greed enlarged the city, and renamed it after Caesar. He added the name Philippi to gain honor for himself and to distinguish this Caesarea from the one on the Mediterranean coast west of Jerusalem.
Caesarea Philippi (USE MAP ON SCREEN-Forwarded Power Point Slide)
Caesarea Philippi was located some 25 miles northeast of the Sea of Galilee and 40 miles southwest of Damascus, on a beautiful plateau near the headwaters of the Jordan River. A few miles to the north, snow-covered Mount Hermon rises to a height of more than 9,000 feet above sea level. On clear days the majestic mountain can easily be seen from northern Galilee towns such as Capernaum, Cana, and Nazareth. Caesarea Philippi had been considered the northernmost boundary of the Promised Land and it was the last outpost of Israel and had always been especially susceptible to pagan influence.
This location offered Jesus and the disciples welcome relief from the hot Galilean lowlands and from the pressure of the Jewish leaders and the threat from Herod Antipas.
From Luke 9:18 we learn that Jesus posed His all-important question to the disciples just after He had spent time praying alone, and from Mark 8:27 that the group had not yet arrived in the city of Caesarea Philippi proper but were passing through some of the villages on the outskirts. At this crossroads of paganism, heathenism and Judaism, Jesus left a time of intimate fellowship with His heavenly Father and confronted His disciples with the question that every person must one day answer! The question is the KEY REASON why the Lord has blessed us with the FORT LAUDERDALE CHRISTMAS PAGEANT FOR 19 YEARS. We invest our time, our talents and our treasure into this pageant so that People, like you and me will see and hear the answer to the question posed by Christ, “What about you? Who do you say that I am?”
BACKGROUND:
The story begins when Jesus has taken his disciples into a remote area to spend time alone with them. They have been together, at this point, for about two and a half years. They’ve heard His teachings and have seen Him work hundreds and hundreds of miracles. And now, alone with Him, He asked them a question.
(13) “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” (14) “They replied, "Some say, John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
It’s interesting that Jesus was compared to these three men.
Many people believed that Jesus was one of these great men re-incarnated, or raised from the dead. His preaching was similar to the preaching of these great prophets. As John Macarthur illustrates in his commentary...
“Some saw in Jesus something of the character and message of John the Baptist. Some saw in him the fire and intensity of Elijah; and still others saw in him the lament and grief of Jeremiah.”
People who believed Jesus might be one of these great prophets were paying him a compliment and setting him in a high place...but the place was not high enough. He was more than a prophet. So Jesus asked his disciples a pressing question. He said...
(15) “But what about you? ... Who do you say I am?”
This is the ultimate question that we pray every person who sees the Fort Lauderdale Christmas pageant must answer: "WHO IS JESUS CHRIST TO YOU?" A good teacher? A role model? An ancient historical figure? A myth? An influential religious leader? A fake? A con artist? A misguided fool? What do you believe about Jesus Christ?
When Jesus asked His disciples “Who do you say I am?” it was Peter who spoke up. He said...
(16) “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus said, (LLT paraphrasing), “MINT! That’s exactly right, Peter. That’s who I am.”
This is the question that Jesus asks each one of you: “Who do YOU say that I am?” It’s a question we all must answer, because it determines our destiny not only for this life, but for all eternity as well. The Christian life begins with this confession: “Jesus Christ is Lord.”
In the book of Romans, Paul explains...
“If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord" and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” (Romans 10:9-10)
Today I am issuing an invitation to everyone who is listening to this message. If you have never made this declaration of faith in Jesus Christ, I urge you to make it today. And if you have made this declaration in the past, I encourage you to renew it today. Affirm in your heart once again that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.
When Peter made this affirmation, listen to what Jesus said to him...
(17-19) “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gate of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Peter’s declaration of faith resulted in revealing three spiritual truths regarding our faith; the same three truths which are given to all believers who claim Jesus Christ as Lord. Before we look at them, I want you to notice what Jesus said to Peter...
(17) "...this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven..."
A proper understanding of Jesus Christ is not something we attain through our own efforts, our own cerebral pursuits; it’s something that is revealed to us through seeking God. God the Father revealed to Peter the truth about the nature of Jesus, because Peter’s heart and mind were open to the truth; he was listening to God. You can’t approach an examination of the claims of Christ with a closed mind, or you’ll never understand fully who Jesus really is. You must examine the claims of Christianity--looking at the historical and Biblical evidence—however; the underlying motive of this examination must be a quest for truth. Your heart and mind must be open to the revelation of God. That’s because faith is not something we manufacture intellectually; it’s a gift from God above. Paul said...
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God...” (Ephesians 2:8)
You can receive this gift only if you’re open to receiving it. God can reveal something to you, only if you’re willing to listen. Peter listened, and God gave him a revelation of faith. If you’re listening, he will reveal himself to you, too.
Peter’s declaration of faith resulted in three spiritual truths that are available to all believers. Let’s take a look at them. The first spiritual truth, when you confess, Jesus Christ as Lord...
1. YOU ARE EQUIPPED TO BUILD
Jesus said... (18) "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."
There’s a play on words happening here. The word "Peter" in the Greek is the masculine "petros"; the word "rock" in the Greek is the feminine "petra". Jesus is saying, "You are a rock, and on this rock I will build my church."
The Catholics interpret this statement to mean that Peter was the first Pope. In response, many times Protestants try to interpret this verse in any way possible to discredit the idea that Jesus was ordaining Peter as Pope. They say the rock that Jesus referred to was actually himself; they say the rock Jesus referred to was actually the rock of confessing Christ as Lord; they say the rock Jesus referred to was actually the rock of faith.
But the text is clear. Jesus is saying, plain and simple, “you are a rock, and upon this rock [i.e. you] I will build my church.” Does mean that Jesus made Peter the Pope? No, it means that HE MADE HIM A CHRISTIAN. Jesus builds his church with people…not just any people, only CHRISTIAN PEOPLE. He is the foundation, the corner stone (1 Peter 2:7), and we are the building blocks that he uses. He used Peter to build his church, he used the other Apostles to build his church, and today he uses us.
“You are...members of God’s household, built on the foundations of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” (Ephesians 2:20)
“As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him--you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood...”(1 Peter 2:4-5)
Jesus isn’t saying that Peter is the foundation of the church; he’s saying that he is the first rock in the building. He was the first rock because he was the first to make the statement, "You are the Christ."
Today, God continues to build his church on people who confess his name. We are the stones that make up the building of his church.
In the Bible, the church is referred to as the bride of Christ and the body of Christ. God’s plan for eternity is that the church--all who claim Jesus Christ as Lord--will spend eternity in heaven, in the presence of Jesus. You are part of that plan. You are one of the living stones. He wants to use you to build his church. Secondly...
2. You are Empowered for Battle
(17) “...on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
[Other translations say "the gates of hell."]
The picture Jesus is painting here is that of a fortified city, protected by gates. Now, in this analogy, who is the offense and who is the defense? Too often we get the idea of spiritual warfare backwards. We think that we’re on the defensive...that we’re the ones under attack. That’s not how Jesus planned it. We’re to be on the offensive in this battle. An army doesn’t bring its gates with it when it attacks the enemy; an army defends its gates. Jesus is saying here that we, the church, are to be on the offensive. We’re to be a proactive force in the world.
After 9/11, I’m a little reluctant to use military analogies to describe the work of our faith. But I think that everyone understands that we’re talking about spiritual warfare, not physical warfare. As Paul said...
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12)
There’s a spiritual battle against good and evil taking place in our world; God’s will is that the church not run from that battle, but meet the challenge head on. We’re not on the defensive, we’re on the offensive.
In a practical sense, what does this mean? It means that, as a living stone upon which the church is built, your job is to seek out opportunities to make an impact in this spiritual battle against our Enemy. Every time you share the love of God with someone who doesn’t know him, you attack the gates of hell. Every time you reach out to someone in need, and do so in the Name and Power of Jesus Christ, you attack the gates of hell. Every time you make a bold stand for Jesus Christ, you attack the gates of hell.
Throughout history there have been some who have described the church as “a harassed, beleaguered remnant trying to hold on long enough for Jesus to come back and rescue them.” That’s not the picture that Jesus painted of the church. We are to be a proactive force in this world...a powerful force for good...a force that the gates of hell cannot defend itself against. Your job, as a follower of Jesus Christ and a member of his church, is to understand the spiritual truth that we are in a spiritual battle to change the world.
When you make a declaration of faith in Jesus Christ -- when you proclaim him as your Lord -- God will use you to build his church, he’ll use to change the world, and thirdly...
3. You are Entrusted with Blessings
(19) “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Jesus entrust the blessing to bus by giving us the keys to the kingdom. Jesus is telling Peter--and all of us who are believers---that we have been made stewards of God’s kingdom. We have been given the keys to the kingdom in order to open the door--to unlock it--so that others may come in.
We see how this played out in Peter’s life. After the death and resurrection of Jesus, on the day of Pentecost, Peter preached a simple sermon in Jerusalem and unlocked the doors for 3,000 people who came to be saved. In Acts 10, and in Acts 15, we see how God used Peter to unlock the door for the Gentiles to come into the church. God used Peter to open the doors of the kingdom for multiplied thousands of people to enter in. Today, we have the same blessing but also the same responsibility. We’re to be opening the doors of God’s kingdom, sharing the blessings of eternal life with others, so that all who want to know Jesus may receive His wonderful gift of eternal life, His gift of relationship.
Binding and loosing. Scholars debate about how these phrases should be translated. The verbs are written in the future perfect passive tense, and therefore, can be translated "whatever you bind on earth SHALL HAVE BEEN bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth, SHALL HAVE BEEN loosed on earth." In other words, we’re doing the "binding and loosing" in response to God’s will, not our own whim. It is at HIS DIRECTION that we bind and loose. As we act in obedience to His will we are entrusted with His blessings.
This is another example of our stewardship responsibility, or the spiritual management of our life. He has given us the authority and the responsibility to do his will; it’s a job we must take seriously. New Testament scholar Craig Bloomberg said it this way...
“God has delegated his authority to the church, such a glorious blessing, in which He entrusts His power to us as we take the initiative to bring more and more people into His eternal kingdom...” Craig Bloomberg
We therefore must understand this spiritual truth: We have been entrusted with an eternal blessing, and as a result, we MUST take the initiative to introduce as many people as we can to the LIFE OF Jesus CHRIST in order that they may choose to say, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” and join us in personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
CONCLUSION
GOD WANTS TO EQUIP YOU TO SPIRITUALLY BUILD HIS CHURCH, TO EMPOWER YOU FOR THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE TO CHANGE THE WORLD, and to ENTRUST YOU WITH THE BLESSINGS OF BEING USED BY HIM TO BRING OTHERS TO A SAVING KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST.
You will be used to open doors of truth for people to find their way to Him. As the living stones upon which his church is built, he’s given us the keys to the kingdom--the responsibility of taking his message to all of South Florida and eventually to this lost and dying world. Our orders are not to retreat; our orders are to charge forward. We’re not to be inactive, we’re to be proactive. As members of God’s church, our job is to seek opportunities to open the doors of kingdom so that others may come in and find life. There is not a finer opportunity to open the doors of truth to the kingdom of God and that personal relationship with Christ than through the witness of the Fort Lauderdale Christmas Pageant.
TODAY’S CROSSPOINT:
Everything we do in pageant is for the sole purpose to Point people to Christ, the Messiah and Savior of our life.
WHO IS GOD REVEALING TO YOU RIGHT NOW THAT NEEDS THEIR HEART UNLOCKED AND THEIR EYES OPENED TO THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL. WRITE DOWN THEIR NAME; NOW COMMIT TO BRING THEM TO PAGEANT AND PRAY FOR THEM DAILY UNTIL THEY JOIN YOU.
