Matthew 16:13-23 "Who do you say that I am?"

Good Morning Calvary Chapel Lake City!

Parents…you may dismiss you kids

If you don’t have a Bible...

If you are new to Calvary Chapel…I’m Pastor Marc. Thanks for joining us today.

Please turn in your Bibles to Matthew 16, picking up in verse 13, where we enter into a new theme from Matt 16:13 through Chapter 20…leading up to The Triumphal Entry in Chapter 21.

Since we are starting a new theme today, let’s take a moment to reflect back on what we have read thus far in Matthew…a quick re-cap.

Matthew’s Gospel is the account of Jesus written to the Jews proving that Jesus is their Messiah and King…the long awaited Son of David. Matthew established Jesus is the King in various ways:

In Chapters 1-10 the overarching theme is “The King Revealed” as Matthew unveils...

Jesus’ Davidic lineage... Fulfilled prophecy in birth... Kingly gifts from Wise Men.

Jesus is announced by the forerunner John the Baptist…as a King would be announced by a forerunner.

Jesus was divinely approved by the Father and the Holy Spirit at His baptism.

He was victorious over Satan during the wilderness temptations.

Jesus delivered the Sermon of the King / The Sermon on the Mount…which laid out principals for the King’s citizens.

Jesus then demonstrated had Kingly Authority through various miracles, teachings, and power over man and nature.

Starting in Chapter 11, the theme shifts to “The King Rejected.”

In Chapters 11-12, the theme was “Opposition to the King” and that opposition was from John, the Jews, and the Religious Leaders.

Chapter 13, in response to the opposition, Jesus spoke in parables…8 parables…and depending on the soil of one’s heart…good or bad…the truth of the parable was either concealed or revealed.

From Matthew 13:54 to Matt 16:12 we observed “The Grace of the King” where despite rising hostility and opposition to the Jesus, the King of kings…Jesus continued to have compassion on both Jews and Gentiles alike (healing, feeding, and ministering to them), AND He did not smite the Religious Leaders with tumors (hemorrhoids by definition), which I thought would be fitting, but who am I?

Now, from Matt 16:13 to Chapter 20, we will observe Jesus turning His eyes inward…focusing on His disciples.

We are in Jesus’ third and final year of ministry. He has been demonstrating, to the multitudes, through teaching, preaching and healing that He is their Messiah and King. Jesus’ focus was on the multitudes…first to the Jews, and then the Gentiles, and all along the disciples were there, and they had break through moments where they seemed to understand who Jesus is, but more times than not…they were a little dull…a little doubting…little faith.

And now…the Cross awaits. Jesus knows His appointed time is coming to redeem mankind from their sin…that time is closing in.

And, Jesus knows He is about to pass the keys of the kingdom to the Twelve Apostles...twelve stooges…foolish things of the world…uneducated and untrained men…the same men that would be used by God to turn the World upside down…not because of their own merit, but because of what the Jewish High Council observed of them in Acts 4 “...they realized that they had been with Jesus.”

And, as Jesus is on the road to the cross with His disciples, the time has come for intense discipleship. From Matt 16:13 to Chapter 20, we will see King Jesus preparing and instructing His disciples of His impending rejection and principles they will need to know and live as Jesus builds His church through them. Thus, our general theme for the weeks ahead is “The King’s Road of Preparation.”

And, this begins with a very significant scene today…and Jesus takes His disciples to a center of Pagan worship…Caesarea Philippi, where Jesus will ask the most significant question in all of life and eternity, and this question will be the title of our sermon today “…Who do you say that I am?”

Let’s Pray!

Matt 16:13 “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?”

Our setting, chronologically, took us from the region of Magdala on the Northwest coast of the Sea of Galilee, then they sailed to the other side, and in Mark’s account we read they went to Bethsaida, which is on the Northeast coast of the Sea of Galilee. And, now Jesus takes His disciples about 30 miles north, about a 9 hour walk to Caesarea Philippi which has had several names historically.

This area was renamed several times as new rulers took over the land. “Banias,” “Caesarea Philippi,” “Neronias,” and “Paneas,” giving a nod to the Greek god “Pan.”

Caesarea Philippi is a name that recognizes the Roman Caesar and Herod Philipp who ruled this area during Jesus time.

Matt 16:14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

Matt 16:15-17 “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.”

Matt 16:18-20 “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.

Matt 16:21-23 “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.”