Christmas Kingdom

Intro Talk

-These few weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are my favorite season

-I love everything about this season

-Fireplaces

-Christmas music

-Snow

-Puppies

-Most of all, I love this season because I LOVE giving presents

-Giving presents is an art form to me.

-Every gift is thought through and sometimes thought through to the point that the person receiving it doesn’t even understand the connection I made.

-Today we are going to talk through the gift Jesus gave us when He came to earth.

-Before we talk about the gift we’ve been given, I want to tie our passage for today into the Christmas narrative of Christ’s birth.

Matthew 16:13–16 ESV

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.”

Matthew 16:13–19 ESV

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.”

-Simon calls Jesus, “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” the word popularly believed to be used was, Messiah.

-With Simon using the word Messiah, he is referencing all the Old Testament prophecy about the savior of the world that was to come.

-As Christians, we believe the savior of the world is Jesus and that he came on the first Noel, which is celebrated today every year under the name Christmas.

-Tadah. Ok, let’s move on.

Matthew 16:17–19 ESV

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.”

Matthew 16:

Name v. 17-18

-The first thing Jesus does when Simon declares Jesus as the Son of God is bless him.

-That tells me Jesus is waiting to bless us, it’s up to us to accept His blessing

-Next Jesus mentions that this was reveled to Simon through His Father and not through flesh and blood

-This reminds us that true revival and revelation can only come from God above

-Jesus then takes time to rename Simon in a powerful exchange.

-This moment is an expression of adoption into the family of God and the beginning of Peter’s introduction into the Kingdom of God.

-In the same way kid’s receive a new last name when they are adopted her on Earth, we to receive the Kingdom name God’s family when we accept Him as our Father and His Son as our savior.

-This initial response of Jesus to Peter’s confession shows us that Jesus wants to bless us by inviting us into His Father’s Kingdom.

Keys v. 19a

-Not only does Jesus give Peter a new powerful name, but his name symbolizes the power Jesus wants to give him.

-But before Peter is given power, he is given keys to the Kingdom of heaven.

-This is a crucial exchange because these keys give Peter access to EVERYTHING God has in His Kingdom

-Jesus is telling Peter that whatever he needs, whenever he needs it, he can have access to it.

-Jesus is telling Peter that he not only loves him and wants him to be part of his family but he trusts him.

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-You don’t give the keys to your house or your car if you don’t trust the person

Invitation v. 19b

-Lastly Peter is invited into the work of God’s Kingdom

-Peter is told that with his new name and his keys to the Kingdom that he has the power and authority of God to do work here on earth.

-We are given that same power in our lives, it’s just up to us to use it.

-Jesus propositions all of these things to Peter as an invitation and not a command.

-Jesus does this because he wants to see Peter freely choose it for himself and thrive