The Most Important Question
Matthew 16 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Turn to Matthew 16. Every year, nearly 1,000 climbers attempt to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. They spend years training and preparing. The cost can be over $100,000. But
Nearly 1,000 climbers attempt Mt. Everest each year. Roughly 60% almost make it to the summit.
They try. For many, the summit is within eyesight, but they turn around. Almost, but not quite. How frustrating that must be to spend all that time, energy, and money for an “almost, but not quite” experience.
“Almost, but not quite” moments are all around us. Almost caught the pass. Almost came in first. Almost got that promotion. Almost made it to the bathroom, but not quite. There are a lot of “almost, but not quite” moments in our lives. I would say the same is true for the Christian as well. I wonder how many of us live a life of “almost, but not quite?” What am I talking about? Let’s find out. Matthew 16.
A few weeks ago, we talked about the background to this event – that Caesarea Philippi was the epicenter of satanic worship and Jesus took His disciples there to declare that the Church will win, and the gates of Hell will not prevail. Let’s look at this from a different angle.
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
If you’re not familiar with those names, these are some great men of God in Biblical history, but their answer reflects what others say. If this were asked today, it might sound like this - “Jesus was a great religious leader. A good man - a good role model.” All of which is true, but it falls short of the reality and totality of who Jesus was and is. This is what “others” say, and by asking the question, “What do others say about me,” Jesus was making a critical point that we need to pay attention to. He knows there are all kinds of opinions and speculations about who His is (then and now), but here’s the thing - none of those opinions matter. So what does matter?
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Close your eyes and imagine Jesus standing in front of you, looking you in the eyes, and He asks, “Who do you say I am?”
This is the most important question that you must answer in this life. No one can answer it for you. Why is your answer critical?
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
There are only two options: kneel now in this life, willingly with reverence and without shame, or kneel in the next life, unwillingly because God’s glory and power and holiness are unbearable because of sin and shame.
Same may find kneeling before Jesus and His authority offensive or weak. It’s only offensive if you don’t know Jesus and you have sin and rebellion in your heart. Kneeling in reverence and gratitude to someone you love is never a problem. I find it interesting that a man will kneel before a woman to propose yet refuse to kneel before Jesus. Football players kneel for an injured player yet refuse to kneel before. Anyway, the most important question every person must answer is this - who do you say Jesus is?
Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Up to this point, the disciples where not entirely sure who Jesus was. They knew he was the Messiah, but they still had some questions and doubts. But now, they’re convinced, “This Jesus is the Christ, the Savior, He is the Lord of All.” This would be the equivalent of what we call “accepting Jesus” or receiving the gift of salvation (sins are forgiven, you get eternal life). But accepting Jesus is only the beginning. See, “just accepting Jesus” would be like the 60% who almost made it to the top, but not quite. What do I mean?
From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
Wait a minute. That doesn’t fit the job description of a Messiah.
And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”
Peter is a little big for his britches - scolding Jesus. “Bad Messiah! Our job description says that the Messiah will conquer the Roman Empire and restore Israel. It also says that as Messiah, you have a responsibility to make our lives better, easier, and comfortable. And there’s a bonus if you accommodate our desires. And you can remain employed as Messiah as long you don’t require too much from us.” Even though Peter had recently confessed Jesus as the Christ, he was unwilling to let go of what he wanted the Messiah to do and be. Perhaps Peter was implying,
“Jesus, you may be the Christ, but I’m in charge.”
Can anyone relate?
But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
One moment Jesus said, “You got it, Peter! You’re a Rock!” Next moment – “You’re like a little pebble in my shoe – a hindrance. You almost got it, but not quite!”
Interesting. We can confess Christ as Savior, but be an adversary to the things of God, asserting our will over His.
What is your mind set on?
On Christ, the Jesus you want Him to be, or on self?
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
Everyone has a cross to bear – that’s a cliché. What we mean and what Jesus means is not the same. We mean, “You have to deal with that? Bummer, you have to carry that cross.” That’s not what Jesus is saying. Jesus says that if you want to follow Him, then you must come to the cross, believe, receive that gift of salvation, then die with Him so you can live for Him. At the cross we find forgiveness, victory over sin, death, and the demonic. But the cross is also a place where we die to self and find new life.
Think of it like this.
We are called to a surrendered life, not just a saved life.
A.W. Tozer explains it best.
A. W. Tozer ~ “The old cross … stands for the abrupt, violent end of a human being. The cross made no compromise, modified nothing, spared nothing; it slew all of the man, completely….
It did not try to keep on good terms with its victims. … when it finished its work, the man [the old sinful nature] was no more.”
The cross is a place to die, but with God, death on a cross is not the end. See,
“God offers life, but not an improved old self. The life He offers is a life out of death.
The cross that ended the earthly life of Jesus now puts an end to the sinner; and the power that raised Christ from the dead now raises him to a new life along with Christ.”
But here’s the reality of it – our sinful nature (old man, person) – doesn’t die easy. It wants to live. Death on a cross is not quick – it’s slow, painful, gasping …. But without dying to self, the old person lives – and you will continue to live an “almost, but not quite” Christian life.
C.S. Lewis ~ “The more I resist [Jesus] and try to live on my own, the more I become dominated by my own heredity and upbringing and surroundings and natural desires.
It is when I turn to Christ, when I give up to His personality, that I first began to have a real personality of my own. Until you have given up your self to Him you will not have a real self.”
“Give up your self, and you will find your real self. Lose your life and you will save it. Submit to death, death of your ambitions … submit with every fiber of your being, and you will find eternal life. Keep nothing back.
Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead. Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. But look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else ….”
This is not about an angry God … or about how bad you are …. This is about how good and loving God is.
So what do we do to get beyond the “almost, but not quite” Christian life? Repent and believe. He must forsake his sins – that’s the beginning. Then [continue] on to forsake himself. Leave your old self on … on the cross.
If you have not died to self, you’re almost there – but not quite.
Pray. Ask. Seek. Keep seeking until it happens.
