The Great Confession
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Introduction
Introduction
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Passage
Passage
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
Context
Context
Ceasarea Philippi is about 30 miles north of the sea of Galilee
This is all happening before Jesus begins His ministry in Jerusalem.
There in Caesarea Philippi was a shrine built within a cave ghat contained the source of the Jordan River.
The God, Pan, the God of the forests and deserted places, as well as flocks and shepherds, was worshipped there.
Also the center for Baal Worship
The cave to the pagan mind was the gate to the underworld, where the God’s of fertility lived during the winter months.
In order to “bring the god’s back,” the people would create horrible acts of worship through prostitution and even sexual acts with goats.
There were also infant sacrifices as well, turning the water into blood…
The disciples must have been absolutely shocked… This was like their red light district.
The Question
The Question
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
Think about what has happened up unto this point…
Peter walked on water
Feeding of the 5,000
Healing of the blind, the lepar, the lame etc
The disciples were experience Jesus work at miraculous levels…
Why would Jesus ask this question?
His person and work must go together and never be separated.
His person and work must go together and never be separated.
The source of Jesus’ leadership and service was rooted in who He was - fully God, the son of God.
1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
19 There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
People were confused… There was a pursuit to understand who He was and how he was accomplishing those works…
14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Why do you think they were confused?
Then Peter chimes in…
16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
(Christos and Theos)
What is implied in Peter’s proclamation here?
Christ- Christos (Rubbing ointment, the bathe, to heal)
God- Theos (God, Creator)
Peter is declaring that Christ is the messiah, the CHRIST, who has come to redeem His people from the persecution and evil of the world!
But then the response of Jesus to Peter is stunning…
16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
The Charge
The Charge
Imagine these jewish men… They knew the scriptures well.
“Rock”was a common metaphor and symbol of God.
4 “The Rock, his work is perfect,
for all his ways are justice.
A God of faithfulness and without iniquity,
just and upright is he.
2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
But let’s dig for a second into the words Jesus used…
You are… PETER (Petros)
This word, peter, is the greek word used to describe a stone, or the little rocks on the river bed that come before the big rock at the bottom.
And upon this ROCK (Petra)
Large Rock
Why are these words significant?
Here, Jesus is declaring that the church will be built on Himself, and Peter, those whom confess Jesus Christ as Lord, will be used to the build the church!
This is the first time we see the word “church” used.
Ekkesia: a called-out assembly.
This word wasn’t new to the disciples. In their context, it was used when referring to the assembly of greeks that helped govern a city or district.
When the OT was translated into greek, this word was used when Israel was gathering for religious activity.
Jesus was using this word to show the contrast of those assemblies in comparison to His.
He was bringing unity to form a new body…
Peter explains it best in His own writing…
4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
And as Jesus began building His church…
The Declaration
The Declaration
18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The gate to the underworld, Satan himself, would not be able to stop it.
How do we know this truth?
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Binding and loosing: forbidding or permitting.
Whatever you bind on earth (forbid to be done)… whatever you loose on earth (permit to be done)…
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Thirteen: The King’s Surprise (Matthew 16)
Jesus did not say that God would obey what they did on earth, but that they should do on earth whatever God had already willed. The church does not get man’s will done in heaven; it obeys God’s will on earth.
This leads us to our final point…
The Question FOR YOU
The Question FOR YOU
Who do you say He is?
Is He to you what others say? Do you know Him for His works or do you know Him for who He is?
This personal relationship is what brings confidence to our experience of being His method for reaching people and redeeming a world…
We can’t lose. We don’t lose. All because we know HIM.