Matthew 16:18-20 "On This Rock I Will Build My Church"

Matthew 16:18-20 "On This Rock I Will Build My Church" Marc Transparenti / General The King's Road of Preparation / Rock; Foundation; Peter; Binding and Loosing; Keys of the Kingdom / Mt 16:18-20 Jesus lays the foundation for the church...the rock. Good Morning Calvary Chapel Lake City! • Parents you may dismiss your kids! • If you don't have a Bible... • Happy July 4th...Independence Day...a day we look back and celebrate our independence from Britain...freedom which we should not take for granted. • Today, is also the first Sunday of the month so we will partake in Communion, followed by our monthly fellowship lunch. I hope you can join us today! I know we are competing against family get together's for 4th of July, so we understand if you cannot. • This past Friday, we had our first Prayer Gathering, but it was more...it was a sweet time of prayer, worship, and sharing of testimonies with a bonfire in the background. So, moving forward we will be calling these Friday prayer gatherings "Campfire Worship." Join us next Friday. • If you are new to Calvary Chapel...I'm Pastor Marc, welcome! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well let's turn in our Bibles to Matthew 16, as we continue our chapter-by-chapter and verse-by-verse study through the Gospel of Matthew. Matt 16, picking up in verse 18. Last week we entered into a new theme (from Matt 16:13 to the end of Matt 20) which we are calling "The King's Road of Preparation" as Jesus turns His eyes intently on His Twelve Apostles...to prepare and disciple them... as the Cross looms in the background and is coming into focus. Soon, Jesus will hand the keys to the kingdom to these men...who in turn will take Jesus' message to the world. As a recap, let's read Matt 16:13-17...which is the same scene today... • Matt 16:13-17 "When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi [about 30 miles north of the Sea of Galilee...known for pagan worship], He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" [Son of Man- a Messianic Title] 14 So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." [All these men were prophets, but Jesus is divine...God incarnate...our Lord and Savior] 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." [This was a divine revelation]. • Today, we pick up in V18, and we are covering just 3 verses. I want you to know that it is my desire to cover 10-20 verses each time we meet, but sometimes...when you're eating a steak, and the word of God is compared to meat...well sometimes get a piece of steak in your mouth and it's so flavorful, but then you hit a piece of gristle...and I love this definition of gristle... "an unpleasant surprise in a bite of meat." • So, now you have to decide...do I spit it out?...Or, do I chew on it awhile and swallow? Well, when it comes to the gristle in the word of God...I am a meat eater, and I eat the gristle too...I do not spit it out. Thus, today we are going to slow it down and make sure we understand these verses. • And here's why...I do not want you to be stumbled in the future when someone comes and tells you some off-based theology on these verses, and boy do they exist. I feel a sense of responsibility not to skirt over the tough verses. So, today... Matt 16:18-20. The title of today's message is, "On This Rock I Will Build My Church." Let's pray! 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." 1. Following Peter's profession "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God", Jesus responds that Peter is blessed for this revelation came from heaven, and then Jesus makes this very confusing statement (that we just read in VSS 18 and 19). These verses are some of the most debated verses in church history. So, let's observe to word and accurately interpret. 2. Jesus says "on this rock I will build My church"...what rock? a. Some see this rock as Peter. There are whole church doctrines built around Peter being the rock on whom the church was built upon. i. Historically, debates have arisen because of Roman Catholic views, and Protestant Reformation reactions. ii. Catholics view V18 as a proof text for their doctrines of "apostolic succession," "primacy," the "infallibility of the Pope," and "exclusive authority." These are doctrines that try to fit a round peg in a square hole and historically were no more than man's attempt to seize power. Many false teachings try to make scripture bend to men's invented doctrines, versus men bending and yielding to the truth of what the scriptures are saying. Thus, Protestants reacted against these extreme interpretations. iii. But, still there are great scholars today, like D.A. Carson, who see the rock indeed as Peter without endorsing Roman Catholic views. I am not in alignment with this interpretation. b. Peter cannot be the rock...Peter is not the foundation for the church. Peter was used mightily by God, and is an amazing brother-in-the Lord, but he is not the rock. And there are several reasons why: i. In the early church, in Acts 15...we see who the first leader of the church was. Acts 15 records one of the first major meetings of the church called "The Jerusalem Council." Church leaders met to discuss a conflict that arose over whether Gentile believers should observe Jewish laws...specifically circumcision. Peter presented a case that the law would be a yoke of bondage upon the Gentiles,...then Paul and Barnabas shared testimony of all the miracles. 1. Then the leader of the church in Jerusalem made the final decision...and the leader of the early church, whom Peter submitted to was James, the brother of Jesus. If Peter were the rock...why was he not the leader of this council? ii. If Peter were the rock, why...just 5 verses later in Matthew 16:23, does Jesus rebuke Peter? Jesus said to Peter, "...get behind Me, Satan!" Surely Jesus was mistaken...He probably just didn't know that Peter was going to be the first Pope! I'm pretty sure Peter never knew that either. iii. But, one of the most significant arguments is what we see in the original language...in Greek there is a play-on-words that you miss in English. "...you are Peter/ Petros (Gk. masculine), and on this rock/petra (Gk. feminine) I will build My church." a. The play-on-words deals with these two Greek words... Petros and Petra. b. In Jn 1:42, Simon was given a new name... Cephas which is Aramaic. The same name in Gk. is Petros/ Peter. i. Petros means "a stone." Not a small stone...the definition more accurately is a large stone. By def. "a piece of rock larger than a millstone." Thayer's defines Peter's name as "a detached, but large fragment..." like a boulder. It's a manly name and suits Peter well. c. But, Petra...the rock on which Jesus will build His church...Petra is defined as a "mass of rock." It's also the Christian Rock band formed in 1972 Fort Wayne...and I requested our worship team to play one of their songs, but they said, "No." Unbelievable. i. Thayer's defines Petra as "the massive living rock." Some have described this as bedrock or the pinnacle of a mountain....much more substantial and connected than a loose boulder. ii. It's as if Jesus is saying... 'Peter...you're a boulder man (which is a huge compliment), and on this bedrock...that's going to be the foundation of my church...' But, Jesus did NOT say 'on you Petros I will build My church...' d. Consistent with the play-on-words of 'Petros' and 'Petra'...there is also a play-on-phrases (if you will)... Peter states "Your are the Christ..." V16... Jesus responds "...you are Peter..." as if to say, "You know who I am, and let me tell you who you are...you're a boulder...and on this bedrock...this mountain...on that I will build my church." iv. We can't see the non-verbal cues in this scene, but I do wonder if when Jesus said "...on this rock..." did He pat His chest subtlety communicating to the disciples that He's the rock? I don't know...just a thought. We weren't there, but non-verbal behaviors comprise some 60% of a message and we miss a lot of that in Scripture. 1. And, when Jesus makes this statement, notice none of the other Apostles object...and these guys were jostling for position all the way up to the last supper. If Peter were chosen as the top dog...the rock...the foundation of the church...why do the other Apostles keep trying to get the top spot? Listen to this...all after Matt 16... a. In Luke 9:46 we read, "Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be the greatest." If Peter were already chosen as the rock, wouldn't he have just said, "Guys, I'm the rock...remember?" b. In Matt 20, James and John, the "Sons of Thunder" had their mommy come and ask Jesus to let her baby boys sit at His right and left hand...the top positions of honor. Wouldn't it have been assumed that Peter had the top spot already...the right hand spot? c. During the last supper, who was it that sat at Jesus' right hand? It was the disciple whom Jesus loved...John. Not Peter. John 13:24 d. As a point of application, when these disciples were arguing about who is the greatest...remember how Jesus responded... i. Mark 9:35 Jesus said, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all." ii. Then, in Matt 18:3-4 we read He took a child and set him in the midst of them and told them, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." iii. For all of us here today, let this serve as a reminder of how God ranks His people...the last...the servant...the humble of heart are great in God's eyes. iv. The disciples would eventually be baptized in the Holy Spirit and would be great, but during Jesus' earthly ministry, they failed miserable. c. With all that said...hopefully we have established that Peter is not the rock. So, than what or who is the rock? Two thoughts...some scholars see them as different...I see them more in harmony. i. The first thought is Jesus is referring to Peter's profession and the second thought is Jesus is referring to Himself. ii. The reason I see these views in harmony is because Peter's profession is, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Peter's profession is that Jesus is Messiah and God...Peter's profession points to Jesus and Jesus is the rock. Seems like they are in harmony to me. iii. But, if I had to pick one, I would say Jesus is referring to Himself...Jesus is the rock, and I say this because Scripture says this. There are numerous cross references in support of Jesus being the rock... 1. Ps 118:22 states, "The stone which the builders rejected, Has become the chief cornerstone." a. And that verse is quoted 5x in the New Testament all referring to Christ. All the synoptic gospels quote this verse. Also, Acts 4:11 and 1 Pet 2:7 ...Peter himself said Jesus is the chief cornerstone...another support that Peter is not THE rock. 2. In 1 Pet 2:6 Peter also quotes Isa 28:16 where Peter states, "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame." 3. 13x in the OT, Scripture refers to God as "my Rock." For ex., a. 2 Sam 22:2 "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer..." b. Ps 28:1 "To You I will cry, O LORD my Rock..." c. Ps 62:6 "He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved." iv. The OT declares God is the Rock...and the NT harmonizes with the OT that Jesus is the chief cornerstone...the key foundation stone of any building. v. Jesus is the Rock. 1. And, I hope you are blessed by that. You should never look to any man...any woman as the rock and foundation of your life. Sometimes you will hear a married person say of their spouse, "Oh, he's my rock. I don't know what I'd do without him." And, while that's intended to be sweet...people fail people. Jesus is the only true rock. 2. In Matt 7:24-27, the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall." 3. Make sure Jesus is the rock on which you stand. 3. Notice in V18, next Jesus says "...I will build My church..." a. This is the 1st mention of the word "church" in the Bible. Gk. ĕkklēsia by definition "a calling out; an assembly." Some say "called out ones." Thayer's defines church as "a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place; an assembly. In a Christian sense, "an assembly of Christians gathered for worship." i. The church is the people...it's not the building. ii. When Jesus says "I will build My Church..." He is the builder and His church growth plan is not about a building. It's about people...it's about salvation coming to the hearts of many people... called out ones. Eph 1:4 states, "He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world..." 1. And, Rev 5:11 gives us a beautiful future picture of this assembly which is innumerable, "Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures [cherubim Ezk 10], and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain." 2. In this heavenly scene are angelic beings, cherubim and elders (which many scholars interpret as representatives of the church) numbering into the hundreds of millions or even billions. 3. In creation and over the past 6000 years, Jesus has indeed built His assembly...His church. And, in Rev 5 they give glory to Him...not to Peter. "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain." b. Also, notice...who's church is it? "...My church..." It's Jesus' church. i. After Peter denied Christ, in John 21, Jesus instructed Him, "Feed My lambs," "Tend My sheep," "Feed My sheep." They're Jesus' sheep. ii. Peter knew who's flock it was...Peter himself exhorted the elders and said, 1 Pet 5:2 "Shepherd the flock of God which is among you..." It's God's flock. iii. And, Jesus had all the rights to the flock because not only did He say "I will build My church"...Not only is He the builder, but He is also the purchaser. Jesus purchased the flock with His blood...Acts 20:28 tells us, "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." 1. It's His flock...He purchased it...He is building it...and He is the rock the foundation for it all. iv. As a point of application...I don't know about you, but I'm glad this is Jesus' church. I don't know how to build a church. I am not wise when it comes to church growth plans. 1. I want to be like Paul when he said in 1 Cor 3:10-11 "According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." a. I aim to be a wise master builder laying a foundation of Jesus Christ for you all...equipping you, so you can equip your kids and personally seek God outside these walls. i. Let me say this, especially since this is a church plant...if you want more from this church...help us build this church. I invite your ideas and involvement. Don't keep your feedback to yourself. 1. Because the reality is...we are being led by the Spirit, and if the Spirit is pressing you to do something, and you don't...well then you are fighting against God. 2. I'm not building this church, I'm just being obedient to the Holy Spirit and watching what He does, and you should be led by the Spirit is all that is happening as well. ii. But, no doubt...this is God's church, and He is the builder. 1. Ps 127:1 states, "Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it..." 2. Acts 2:47 reads, "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." 3. I'm glad it's His church and not my church. He build it, He maintains it, and when you see the Holy Spirit moving...you know who to give glory to...not Pastor Marc, but God. 4. Well, we have covered a lot thus far...just the first half of V18...let's look at the second half, and maybe I'll get you out of here by dinner time... a. After Jesus establishes that He will build His church on the Rock...Himself...He says another heavily debated phrase, "...and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." So, what does this mean? i. Well, it's not an easy interpretation...especially since this phrase "gates of Hades" is only mentioned 1x in all of scripture. ii. The only other reference remotely close is Isa 38:10, where Hezekiah sings after eluding death. He sings, "In the prime of my life I shall go to the gates of Sheol..." This speaks symbolically of his near death experience...and Sheol in Hebrew and Hades in Greek are equivalent. b. And, I see this phrase "gate of Hades" also as symbolic...symbolic for power. i. Fortress gates were the entry and exit points... and were the most vulnerable points of a city...it's where enemies attacked because the strength of a city was determined by the power of it's gates. 1. And, defensive power could be demonstrated with strong gates and good design where gates formed a choke point and were heavily defended...where the defending army would shower their enemies with oil, fire, arrows and boulders. ii. The gates of the city were also where the key leaders gathered to observe what is coming in the city and going out of the city (people, finance, threats, opportunities, ambassadors from other cities). They strategized for war at the gates, did business, and gates were a place for legal proceedings. 1. In Gen 19, Lot was sitting at the gates when the angels came to Sodom. Lot had an important role in the city. 2. In Ruth 4, Boaz gathered at the gate with his close relative and ten elders of the city to discuss the matter of Naomi, Ruth and the land of their brother...the legal matter of who would be the kinsmen redeemer. 3. In Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles... Kings and leaders gathered at the gates. 4. In Esther, Mordecai sat within the king's gate...likely indicating that Mordecai held an official position in the judicial system. 5. And, so as we consider that at the gates stood the officials...all the power brokers of a city...what are the gates of Hades? It's the power of hell. It's the power brokers of hell...Satan and his minions who have been coming against Jesus and His church throughout the ages. a. We read in Eph 6:11-13 we read, "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." b. Those are the gates of hades. 6. So, is Jesus saying Satan will persecute the church and not prevail? Well certainly... a. If you have never read the end of the book...spoiler alert...Jesus wins...the church wins... i. Rev 20:10 At the end of the millennium..."The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." 1. Satan knows the end of his story, and he knows time is ticking down...his end is coming soon...he will not prevail against the church. 2. All the crazy influences Satan now has, and has always had on society...it's nothing new... 1 Jn 2:16 "For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." 3. Satan is using these tools of temptation since the garden when he tempted Eve with the fruit. 4. These are not new and the gates of Hades shall not prevail. "...he who does the will of God abides [remains] forever." Hold onto that promise. b. But, besides Satan persecuting the church and not prevailing...also consider that hades at this time, prior to Jesus' death and resurrection was a place where the dead went...Lazarus was comforted in Abraham's bosom and the rich man tormented in Hades on the other side. i. Today, because Jesus conquered death, the righteous, upon death are in the presence of the Lord...no more Hades...except for the unrighteous. ii. In the future...there will be no more death and no more Hades...only Heaven eternally for the righteous, and the Lake of Fire eternally for the unrighteous. 1. Rev 20:14 the Great White Throne Judgement... "Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." Death is defeated and shall not prevail against the church. iii. Peter wrote, 1 Pet 1:3-5 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead [our hope is since Jesus rose again, we too will rise again], 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." iv. But listen, this is important...resurrection is promised to all. Paul said in Acts 24:15 "...there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust." v. And, in Rev 20, when death and hades were cast into the lake of fire...that not all that was cast into the lake of fire. Rev 20:15 warns, "...anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire." vi. The Book of Life has the names of all those who confess Jesus is Lord and believe in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead. The church. This is our membership book. vii. If you don't know Jesus, if you have never made that faith profession in Him...consider this. We have about 70 years on this earth more or less. After that, where do you want to spend the next million years? How about the next billion years? Eternity is greater than any number we can fathom. viii. Heaven is a promise for all those who have faith in Jesus Christ. Don't over-complicate it...we can pray together today, and today will be the day of your salvation. Jesus continues in V19, "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." 1. Again, another verse with vast interpretations. But, keep with the context and the interpretation is much more simple. 2. Some people want to stray in their interpretation and interpret V19 as a proof text for binding Satan. I'm far from this interpretation because the context has to do with Jesus as "the Christ, the Son of the Living God..." and Jesus as the rock on which He will build His church. a. Keys allow access, and only those with authority can hold the keys. The keys in this verse allowed entrance into the kingdom of heaven. i. Now, Peter was initially a major player in the early church, and shared the gospel in Acts 2 and three thousand were saved... and then again in Act 3, Peter preached the gospel and the number grew to five thousand. Peter indeed had the keys to the Kingdom of heaven, but it was not himself...it was the message...the gospel message... ii. We have those same keys today, and that same authority today, because Jesus commissioned us in Matt 28:18-19 "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you..." 1. When you share the Gospel, if a person accepts Christ, they are no longer bound in their sins, and they will be permitted to enter heaven freely. 2. If a person rejects Christ, they remain bound in their sins, and they will be restricted from entering heaven. 3. It's a similar idea to John 20:23 "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." iii. I like how William MacDonald interprets this verse...He says, "The only way in which the verse is true today is in a declarative sense. When a sinner truly repents of his sins and receives Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, a Christian can declare that person's sins to be forgiven. When a sinner rejects the Savior, a Christian worker can declare his sins to be retained." 3. Don't forget who you represent. You have the keys to the kingdom of heaven...speak truth in love and share the gospel. a. You are not responsible if someone accepts or rejects that message. I shared the gospel with 2 Walmart workers the other day. One got distracted and walked off, the other professed Jesus as Lord. They started a conversation with me, and so I did my part to share that there is freedom in Christ. What they do with that is eternally on them. And, whether I share the keys to the kingdom is eternally on me...and eternally on you too. Wrapping up...V20 Matt 16:20 "Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ." 1. Typically, Jesus restricted people from sharing who He was was to prevent crowds from trying to make Him a political Messiah...or because His time had not yet come to go to the cross...or because the crowds would throng Him for the wrong reasons impeding His ministry. 2. But now, Jesus is just with His disciples, so we must wonder if Jesus is closing the door to the nation. At this point, Israel's unbelief has bound them in their sin. 3. There comes a point in everyone's life when God's patience...His longsuffering towards an unbeliever draws to a close. a. In Rom 1:28, we see that sad line crossed, "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness..." b. If you do not know God, we've got the keys to the kingdom right here...right now...it's not too late. c. Tomorrow is not promised, James said, "...you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." d. Make that profession today... Jesus "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." You're my Savior, my Lord, my God...You alone are my Rock! Let's Pray! Communion Reading: 1 Cor 11:23-29 "...the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. 27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body." Please distribute the elements... As the communion elements are being distributed, please take a moment to praise Jesus...remembering His broken body and shed blood for you on the cross. And, examine yourself...take communion in a worthy manner. Is there anything you need to confess privately to God and ask forgiveness for? Once you have prayed, go ahead and take the communion elements, when you are ready. Our worship team will play one worship song, and then close us in prayer. ---------------------------------------------- If you are not saved, if you have never confessed Jesus is your Lord, you have a couple options, either let the cup pass and do not partake in communion -or- the better option... accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior today. Pray to God and tell Him you believe in Jesus and accept Him as your Lord and Savior, and then take communion. If you pray that prayer today, if today is your day of salvation, tell us that great news afterwards. ‌ Page . Exported from Logos Bible Software, 10:41 PM July 3, 2021.