Unstoppable
WDJD • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 40:00
0 ratings
· 154 viewsAre You Apart of the Community of Christ?
Files
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
INTRO
INTRO
Last week we talked about being disillusioned and building off of that let me ask you this question:
How many of you have been a part of something that you thought was really going to take off only to have it fail?
we all long to be part of something bigger then ourselves
PRAYER
Almighty God in heaven, grant us we pray that you might illuminate our hearts by your Word. Last week we were again reminded of how great and grievous is our poverty before you. Teach us to deny ourselves and seek after you so as to not hope in ourselves alone but rather rest fully in Christ. By your mercies let us be cast down in all humble meekness that we might rise in glory with the one who saves.
We praise you our God that your son is the great redeemer of the church and that what he has established will stand forever let us now go to your Word in Matthew 16 to be reminded and encouraged of your goodness, faithfulness, and power.
Amen
MESSAGE
MESSAGE
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.” 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. 21 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. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 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.”
First we see, Christ’s Church is...
A community of people who know Jesus unambiguously.
A community of people who know Jesus unambiguously.
2 He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ 3 And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
Matthew 16:13–17 (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.
A Confusion - Matt 16:2-3, 13-14
Fact / Fiction / Faith
A true understanding of Christ comes not from human invention.
A Confession - Matt 16:15-17
Man
Messiah
41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).
49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. 20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.
A true understanding of Christ comes only from divine revelation.
Jesus asked for this confession of faith from Peter and He asks you today as well!! How will you respond?… Unambiguously!
Secondly Christ’s Church is...
A community of people who proclaim Jesus unshakably.
A community of people who proclaim Jesus unshakably.
Matthew 16:18–19 (ESV)
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.”
The Power = Matt 16:18-19
the Messiah is unstoppable!
sin cannot destroy the church
satan cannot destroy the church
people cannot destroy the church
first time Church is mentioned in scripture = Jesus’ Church!!
Christ gives His authority to the church.
authority to open
door of faith
7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
authority to overcome
18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.
authority to oppose
The Promise
The ROCK of the CHURCH: the people of God proclaiming the gospel of Christ
This text is not about a supreme pope it is about a sovereign savior!!
4 “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.
2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
31 For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?—
4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Jesus freely gives this power of faith to those who are His both then and today, will you receive it? will you live it? will you proclaim it?… Unshakably!
Lastly Christ’s Church is...
A community of people who obey Jesus unselfishly.
A community of people who obey Jesus unselfishly.
Matthew 16:20–23 (ESV)
20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. 21 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. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 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.”
Disciple - Matt 16.20
Dissident - Matt 16.22-23
Jesus would suffer necessarily. = Matt 16:21
We now suffer willingly. = Matt 16:24-25
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
His glory is the goal, the promise and the end!!
Venerable Bede !!
Jesus came to seek and save the lost, He came not to be served but to serve, He came to teach us how to live in His kingdom. How will you participate in His kingdom?… Unselfishly!
Main Point
Main Point
Jesus will build His church and it will be unstoppable.
The Church of Christ is a community of people who know Jesus unambiguously, confess Jesus unshakably, and obey Jesus unselfishly!
Exalting Jesus in Matthew The Church in Matthew 16 (Matthew 16:13–28)
Matthew 16 should cause each of us to ask the following questions: Have you died to yourself? Have you taken up your cross? Are you following Jesus? Have you found your life in Him? Are you eagerly proclaiming the good news of the kingdom as you eagerly await the return of the King? This is what it means to be a disciple. This is what it means to be a part of Christ’s church.
PRAYER
Saviour, come and extend your kingdom over all the world, sway your sceptre over all hearts! Make me your temple, and honour me by making me an instrument of good in your hands! Lord, save me from pride and from sloth, my two great enemies; keep me, oh, keep and preserve me! I am an erring sheep. It is in your power that I trust, upon your strength I rely; I am less than nothing, hold me by your own right hand… and never let me go!
CHARLES SPURGEON
Digging Deeper
Digging Deeper
Getting to Know
Pastor said, “we all want to be part of something bigger then ourselves” How has being a member of The Church made a difference in your life?
Into the Bible
To the best of your ability define “The Church” and its function here on earth. What can you add to your neighbors description?
If a true understanding of Christ is God’s work, how should that affect our evangelism? How should it affect your pride in receiving the gospel?
Explain why Christ’s identity is foundational for the church.
How do you think your unbelieving neighbors and coworkers would answer Jesus’ question, “Who do you say that I am?” How could you work a similar question into an evangelistic conversation?
How would you respond to a Catholic neighbor who asked, “Why don’t you recognize the Pope as legitimate?”
What does Jesus’ rebuke to Peter in verse 23 say about the place of the cross in God’s plan?
What does it mean for someone to “take up his cross” (v. 24)?
Application
How should this truth “The kingdom of God is unstoppable” help you in suffering well in this present age? Who is someone in your life right now that needs to be reminded of this? How can we pray for them?
.