The Solid Rock of Our Confession
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
Mom’s are important in shaping the life of their children.
What people believe about God is often transmitted by parents to their children.
The children who grow up to be faithful followers of Christ do not do so because Christ is occaisionally mentioned in the home. They do so because He is introduced to these children day by day.
It is the confession of faith in Christ that many mothers make that will lead a child to faith in Christ.
Moms are often the reason children come to church. They may be the reason some of you are here today who otherwise might not be in church today.
It was a mother and a grandmother that led to Timothy’s salvation. Paul said he had a faith that first dwelt in his mother and grandmother and was implanted into Timothy.
Today, we are going to talk about that faith. That faith is a confession in a Person. It is a house that is built upon a foundation.
If the foundation is weak, the confession will be weak. If the foundation is unfailing, the confession will stand the test of time.
Let’s take a look at our text this morning.
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.
Pray
Where we’ve been:
Jesus is Denied
Jesus is Misunderstood
Jesus is Confessed
Jesus is Served
1. The Noise of the Crowds (vv.13-14)
1. The Noise of the Crowds (vv.13-14)
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.”
2. The Conviction of the Spirit (vv. 15-17)
2. The Conviction of the Spirit (vv. 15-17)
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.
3. The Charge of the Church (vv.18-20)
3. The Charge of the Church (vv.18-20)
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.
Location: Gates of Hades
Rephaim
Bashan
History of the Name - Pan to Caesarea Philippi
Worship of Pan - only god who could cross back and forth between the place of the living to the place of the dead
Became the place of emperor worship
Place of the Underworld
Gates of Hades
Different Interpretations of v. 18
Play on words with Peter’s name
Confession or Peter
Problems with this passage referring to Peter as the first Pope
Peter held no universal authority in the first church, though he was a leader
He had to submit to James’ leadership (Acts
He calls himself a fellow elder, not an archbishop in 1 Peter 5.1
1 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed:
The first century church did not see Rome as the hierarchy to the other churches
Peter was speaking in a role that was representative of the other disciples when he made his confession
What did Jesus mean
Gates are a defensive weapon
The church is to go on the offensive
Rather than Pan being the one who crosses back and forth, we are the ones to go and snatch people out of the realm of the dead and into the Kingdom of Darkness
Rather than worshiping the emperor king, we are to lead people to worship the King of kings
Rather than being bound in hades, we are to bind people for the kingdom of God
Conclusion
Spurgeon said:
If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies.
Charles Spurgeon
How many of us are laying down and rolling over rather than grabbing at the ankles of those that are plunging headlong into eternal destruction?
Our confession has the power to break the chains of darkness and free souls from hell.
Unlike the teaching of the Roman Catholic church, this cannot be done later, but must be done now.
The confession that must be made is in this life, not in the life to come or in Purgatory.
No dead saint, no dead pope, not even Mary herself can get you out of hell.
Only Jesus can do that and you must decide today if you will follow Him.
On what is your confession?
On Christ the Solid Rock I stand by Edward Mote
verse 1
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
verse 2
When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil.
verse 3
His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.
verse 4
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
O may I then in Him be found,
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
refrain
On Christ, the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
