FINAL LIFT OC // MATTHEW 16

LAST WEEK

WE LOOKED AT THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES

We looked at the guise of Hypocrisy

We saw how a small amount of leaven can effect the outcome of a spiritually good thing.

THIS WEEK

WE ARE GOING TO SEAL THE FRUIT OF THIS MINISTRY WITH A CONCEPT THAT CAN CHANGE OUR ENTIRE PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE

IT IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT. IT IS A JESUS CONCEPT.

WHERE SHOULD WE START

I WANT YOU TO ASK YOURSELF:

If there was one thing you could do to most represent Christ, what would it be?

If there was one thing I could encourage you to do forever, what would it be?

If we wanted to give the world the best example in regards to the Christian Mantra, what would it be?

WOULD IT BE OUR STANCE ON PRO LIFE?

WOULD IT BE OUR CONSERVATIVE LIFESTYLE?

WOULD IT BE THE FISH ON THE BACK OF OUR CAR?

WOULD IT BE OUR ABSTINENCE FROM ALCOHOL OR RATED R MOVIES?

HOW ABOUT SOMETHING THAT TRUMPS ALL OF THESE?

TURN TO

Matthew 16:13–26 NKJV

13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some 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 answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to 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 also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ. 21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” 23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” 24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

MATT 16:13

PRAY

MATT 16:

Matthew 16:13–14 NKJV

13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

Matthew 16:13–18 NKJV

13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some 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 answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to 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 also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

JESUS COMES INTO THE REGION OF CAESAREA PHILIPPI

A city that was about 25 miles north of Capernaum

A city known for its plethora of shrines dedicated to the god of nature, Pan.

A city that also hosted a Temple for Zeus

A CITY IN THE UPPERMOST REGION OF OT BASHAN

Which was considered in the Ancient Near East to be the gateway to the Underworld

IT WAS IN THIS CITY, THAT JESUS ASKS HIS DISCIPLES A SIMPLE QUESTION

“WHO DO MEN SAY THAT I, THE SON OF MAN, AM?”

This wasn’t a question about their personal faith

Jesus wanted to know what the general public was saying

What would happen if Jesus asked us this today?

Who do your unsaved friends say Jesus is?

Who does your family say Jesus is?

Who does your neighbor say Jesus is?

Would they be excited to share that even though they do not believe in Jesus

The followers they know have been showing him/her great love

Those who follow him, have been very generous and kind

Those who go to church often are inviting and welcoming to all people.

What would they say?

AS JESUS ASKED THIS QUESTION

THE DISCIPLES WERE QUICK TO ANSWER

SOME SAY JOHN THE BAPTIST

SOME SAY ELIJAH

SOME SAY JEREMIAH

SOME SAY YOU ARE A PROPHET

THOUGH JESUS HAD THE PROPHETIC RESEMBLANCE OF THESE CHARACTERS, THIS QUESTIONS WAS PLACED TO DRAW A DEEPER RESULT.

Matthew 16:15–18 NKJV

15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to 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 also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

JESUS, THEN TAKES A GENERAL QUESTION AND MAKES IT PERSONAL

TODAY, WE MAY KNOW WHAT THE WORLD SAYS ABOUT JESUS

It may not be pretty

It may not be true

It may not be biblical

BUT, WHAT JESUS IS TRYING TO DRAW OUT IS THE REALIZATION THAT THOSE WHO FOLLOW HIM KNOW HIM BETTER THAN THOSE WHO DON’T

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

It means we are guided by His Voice

For those who know Him hear his voice and follow Him.

It means we know our destination

For He has told us that He goes to prepare a place for us, that where He is, we would be also.

It means we are valued

For God so loved the world, believing and unbelieving, that He sent His only Son, that whosoever would believe in Him, would not perish but have everlasting life.

For Jesus himself was sent on our behalf,

SO WHO DO YOU SAY JESUS IS?

Is He your Shepherd?

Is He the source of your Destiny?

is He where you find your worth?

WHO DO YOU SAY HE IS?

PETER SAID

Su Emi Ho Christos, Ho Huios Theos Ho Zao Theos

Ho Huios Theos Ho Zao Theos

You are the Christ, the Son God of the Life Giving God

Peter is declaring who Jesus is surrounded by a culture that said otherwise

Peter is declaring Jesus as Messiah

But had he gone to the cross yet?

Peter was declaring who Jesus was by faith in what He had heard in the secret and the quiet place.

AM I CRAZY? A LITTLE.

BUT WHAT DID JESUS SAY?

“BLESSED ARE YOU SIMON, SON OF JONAH, FOR FLESH AND BLOOD HAS NOT REVEALED THIS TO YOU, BUT MY FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN”

Jesus had not gone to the cross yet

Jesus hadn’t said “Tetelasti” yet

How has God revealed His Son to you?

How has Jesus come alive to you?

Jesus hadn’t robbed the grave of its power yet

It was the Father, who in His Goodness, gives Petros clarity about who Jesus is.

LET’S PAINT THE PICTURE:

Not only was Caesarea Philippi a very pagan city

The Center of Worship for Pan was carved into a mountain

I could see Jesus pointing to that rock as a way to contrast what He was about to say

SEE THAT ROCK OVER THERE

I KNOW IT MAY BE KNOWN AS A SPIRITUAL STRONGHOLD

BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW PETER

THAT WHAT YOU HAVE DECLARED WILL CONQUER ALL THE POWERS OF HELL

IN FACT

“IN THE SAME WAY THAT YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED ME, I IDENTIFY YOU”

“YOU ARE PETER, AND ON THE TRUTH OF WHO I AM, ON THIS ROCK, I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH, AND GUESS WHAT, THE GATES OD HADES SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT”

We have been able to minister to many in this place who have been attacked spiritually

We have been a community that has, by the power of Jesus Christ, advanced in our journey

Living out the truths that, no weapon formed against us will prosper.

We have been able to see Marriages restored

Husbands who are now fearlessly following Jesus

Wives who are enduring patiently for the sake of the Gospel

Students who are being restored to their parents after making poor decisions

Ministry leaders encouraged to keep serving the Lord faithfully

Pastors who listen faithfully on the radio are now calling their congregations to respond

Though this chapter might seem like its ending

I think it is just another chapter that is about to begin

One that is filled with more stories of faith

More decisions made out of curiosity of what God is able to do.

You’ve learned a ton here church

It is time for us to show the world how much God loves them.

You know how?

Matthew 16:24–26 NKJV

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Matthew 16:24-26

CARRY YOUR CROSS

DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT

WHAT DO I MEAN?

Serve Relentlessly

Give Generously

Lose your identity and embrace who you are in Christ

For what does it profit a man to have everything

At the cost of your soul

EVERY WEEK, WE CAME FORWARD IN CONVICTION

EVERY WEEK, WE COURAGEOUSLY MADE DECISIONS THAT ENTHRONED JESUS

EVERY WEEK, NO MATTER WHAT WE WERE GOING THROUGH, WE RESPONDED.

TODAY HE CALLS OUT TO US ONE MORE TIME, HE ASKS THE QUESTION

“WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?”

WE WOULD SAY

“YOU ARE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD”

THOUGH FLESH AND BLOOD HASN’T

EVEN THOUGH THIS IS THE LAST NIGHT OF LIFT OC, I HAVE ONE MORE PETITION

IN THE WORDS OF ZACH DE LA ROCHA

“HELL CANT STOP US NOW”