16:1-16:20 – “But who do you say I am? (Request for a sign – And who is the son of man?)

16:1-16:20 – “But who do you say I am? (Request for a sign – And who is the son of man?)

Big questions in life, what is the meaning of life? Do I have a purpose? Was made for something? Dose what I do matter? Does any one care about me? Today Jesus will ask his disciples who they believe the son of man to be. They did worship him as God on the boat, but here on dry land with out all the emotions of almost drowning. Jesus will ask them. Matthew has from the first sentence said who Jesus is, Jesus is the Christ, The Lord, God, the messiah. What are about you who is Jesus? Are you ready? Let’s go.

Pharisees and Sadducees (Who are normally miles apart in what they believe – come together to fight a mutual enemy) Thy come to test Jesus, and want a sign form heaven as a proof. All of what Jesus have done it not enough. What a big contrast to the people Jesus has just meet. The Canaanite woman, that kept pleading with Jesus because she had a great faith in Jesus, the many that were seeking Jesus for healing. The were seeking after Jesus because of faith and hope in Jesus. They see many signs.

This is the 2 time that Pharisees and Sadducees come to test Jesus and want a sign, they get the same response from Jesus as the 1 time they came. (Matthew 13:38-41 The sign of Jonah)

Jesus like is he’s costume does not answer their question, but instead, talk with them about what the sky looks like. (A small caution - Jesus talking about the weather here is not found in the early manuscripts, what does that mean, don’t build your theological foundation on this alone). What are you doing Jesus, now a weatherman? No, Jesus takes time to point out common knowledge about the weather, and then asks if you understand the signs in the sky, why don’t you understand what is going on now? I am here! And you don’t get it why? Strange that everyone sees signs but not you. You are spiritually blind. The kingdom of heaven is near and the king is here.

You don’t what to see, and you are an evil and adulterous generation. I will not do a to signs for you… Except the biggest one, the sign of Jonah. (Jesus’s death and resurrection). Grace to understand after Jesus’ death and restriction?

After saying that Jesus leaves and sail to the other side of the lake.

What about us? (Boldness and reverence Hebrews).

How do you approach God? How do we come to Jesus? As Lord God or that he needs to prove himself for us? With faith like the woman, or lack of it and skepticism? Hoping to prove him wrong? (What is that like? Like the people at his Nazareth, they did not have hearts to believe, are you like that?)

If you’re really in doubt and just don’t know, I think you’re in a different place than the Pharisees and Sadducees, they come to test because they don’t believe. If you’re trying to find out about God and who Jesus is, I think you’re on the right path, keep asking God to let you see who Jesus is. (Even better, give your life over to Jesus if you believe in him. Repent of you sins and rebellion against God. Submit to Jesus as you lord and savior and receive the Holy Spirt as a gift, God to live in and with you).

In verse 5 Jesus and the disciples get to the other side, Jesus speaks in metaphor, and the disciples misunderstand. Jesus is warning the disciples about the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees, but the way he did it He said: (Beware of the leaven (sin Paul uses the Same metaphor in cor and glatiens, ) of the P and S) the disciples they, link it to the fact that the forgot to bring bread. And the disciples start talking about how they forgot to bring bread.

Jesus, intervenes with the words we have heard before: (and they might hit us as well).” O you of little faith” (this is the 4th time Jesus say this; and commentators link it to the lack of trusting in God ability to provide), how come you talk about the lack of bred? Have you forgotten the to times I made bread for many people? And how much did you gather as leftovers? Jesus reminding them, and stating the same again, beware of the leaven of the P and S. Why do you fail to understand that I did not talk about bread?

Jesus does not explain but restates: “Beware of the leaven of the P and S. After that the disciples understand Jesus was talking about the teaching of the P and S. They got it the second time, it was not about the leaven in bread it was about the teaching of the P and S.

(What about us? Do we forget what Jesus have done? And doubt if he will provide for us? Forget all the prayers that have been answered? We Pray for a long time, and God helps, and then a new problem or need of courage, and we forget that he is with us? I mean you don’t but some might forget.

(And or weekly reminder that we are properly not a lot smarter that the disciples, so when we laugh at them or think they are funny or why do they have so little faith, we may need to take a look at our self). Many of us properly would have been just like the disciples in the story.)

Do I understand Jesus? Do I remember all he has done?

And what about false teaching? Am I aware of the gospel so much we can spot a false one? Beware and not deceived).

In verse 13 MAP Caesarea Philippi. Jesus asks his disciples who the people say the son of Man is. (That is Jesus’ title for himself. We talked about it a few times, the title indicates: los and humility and then glory).

The disciples respond with many different answers; Some say John the Baptist, (Herod), others say Elijah (look up), Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.

But then Jesus asks: who do you say I am?

Peter replied “You are the Christ, the son of the living God”. The great confession, but Jesus tells Peter and the others that Peter has not in his brilliance figured this out. No, who blessed and showed Peter who Jesus was? Jesus’ father who is in heaven, God made Peter able to see and understand that Jesus is the Christ, (As Matthew has said from the beginning). Just like God does today.

Jesus said to Peter, verse 18. You are Peter, rock, on you or what you said? It is a play on words.

Will Jesus build on Peter or on what God said to Peter?

The great promise is that Jesus will build his Church, and the death and devil and evil will never win against it. The gates of hell, can’t even attack it, gates are defense, death will try to keep people in the realm of the dead, but can’t hold people death and can’t destroy or disrupt Jesus’ plan for growing his Church.

Then in contrast Jesus gives Peter the key to the kingdom of heaven, and Peter can forgive and loosen, on earth and it will loosen in heaven, and bound. In 18:18 this is given to all the disciples. (It all of this about Peter the rock, or is this mandate for the church?

[This will be very different from what background you come from, Catholic – Peter is the pope, - infallible, - protestant, the authority is in the word of God, and in the people that live as followers of Jesus.]

Then we might think that Jesus would get his followers and say hi all I am the Christ, listen everyone, but the opposite, happens Jesus in verse 20 strictly tell the disciples to say it to no one that Jesus is the Christ. That must have been strange for the disciples, what is all this mystery and secrecy, - well we find out later God’s plan was different that Peters. There is a timeline… And Gods plan.

The big questions in the beginning depends on who Jesus is?

Do you believe that Jesus is Lord God, savior of the word, the promised one, then your life changes and does have meaning, there is a plan for you, there is purpose in what you do!

What is that? That depends, but in short it is to love God, with all your heat mind and strength, and your neighbor as yourself. (Enjoying and worshiping God) Paul writes to the Thessalonians that “Giving thanks in all circumstances” that is the will of God for us. Luke ) take up your cross and follow Jesus, give up living for you self and live for God.