"Take Up Your Cross"_Matthew 16 Mar 6 2022

Intro

Hi everyone - we’re glad you’re with us

Bibles: Matthew 16

(Pray…)

The Setting

Before we get into chapter 16, I want to set the stage for where we’re at in Matthew

I want to give a broad, overall outline so far - for the first 15 chapters:

1-4 Birth, baptism, and temptation of Jesus - beginning of his ministry and the calling of his first disciples

5-7 Sermon on the Mount

8-9 Healings and miracles of Jesus

10 The calling, teaching, and sending of all 12 disciples

11 Jesus is questioned by JTB - more works of Jesus

12-13 Jesus is challenged by the Pharisees - healings, teachings, and parables by Jesus

14-15 More challenges from the Pharisees - more healings and teachings by Jesus

And now we come to chapter 16

Chapter 16 is significant in many ways

There is a shift in the teaching of Jesus

There is a significant event with Peter and his belief in the Lord as the Christ

V.18 is the first mention of the word “church” (ekklesia) in the entire NT

Remember, at this time in history, we’re not yet in the church age

That doesn’t come until the Book of Acts

Matthew is the only gospel that mentions this word

Chapter 16 is also the first time we see Jesus begin to teach his disciples about his: suffering, death, and resurrection

Pharisees and Sadducees Demand Signs

Lets get right into this

Chapter 16 starts off with the Pharisees trying to test Jesus - they ask for a sign from heaven

Matthew 16:2–4 ESV

He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ 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. An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.

So we have a problem here - when JTB asked Jesus if he was the true Messiah (Chpt 11), what did Jesus say?

He said, “Go tell John all the things you’ve witnessed: the blind can now see, the lame now walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf now hear, even the dead have been raised...”

If those are not signs, I don’t know what are

And now, here in chapter 16, Jesus says, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign.”

How can Jesus use his signs to proclaim his authenticity as Messiah - and later condemn signs - that only an evil and adulterous generations looks for them?

Jesus was telling the Pharisees - “You’re so good at telling the weather, but you’re blind to see who I am.”

The Pharisees walked in self-righteousness, but they didn’t have faith

John the Baptist walked in faith, but had doubts

The Pharisees, if they had the choice, would try and dictate what exactly what those signs would be

They could not be happy with the signs Jesus was already showing

Remember? Back in chapter 12?

Jesus was in the synagogue - and he healed the man with the withered hand?

But he healed the man on the Sabbath - so that wasn’t good enough for them

He miraculously healed that man’s hand right in front of their eyes

And what was their reaction?

It says they went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him

Have you ever heard an unbeliever say, “Ill believe God if only he would just...”

I knew an atheist scientist…we were talking about the existence of God…he finally just said he’d only believe God if he could test him in a laboratory - under his own conditions

The world wants God to act they way they want him to

That’s what an idol is - it’s picking a god that makes you feel good

Jesus said to the Pharisees, “You aint getting a sign - the only sign you’re getting is the sign of Jonah”

This is his same response he used against the Pharisees back in chapter 12

Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days & nights - so will the Son of man be in the earth for three days and nights

Jesus was hinting at his death and resurrection

That’s the gospel: Jesus dying on the cross - and the Resurrection three days later

Keep this in your mind, because Jesus focuses our attention on the gospel later in this chapter

Leaven of the Pharisees & Sadducees

Verses 5-12 Jesus talks about the “leaven” of the Pharisees

They travel along and the disciples suddenly realize they forgot to bring any bread for food

And Jesus says, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Of course, Jesus wasn’t talking about bread - he was talking about the false teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees

Throughout the Bible - there is a connection with leaven and sin

I don’t have time to go into that

But Jesus is saying, “Watch out for Pharisee leaven - it’s evil”

But the disciples aren’t thinking like that - they were only focused on how hungry they were

And Jesus said:

Matthew 16:8–12 ESV

But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ

Matthew 16:13–20 ESV

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 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. 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. 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.” Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

I have heard all sorts of interpretations to verse 18, “and on this rock I will build my church”

One theory is that Peter is just one of the disciples - and so he is nothing special

Another idea is that Peter was assigned by Christ to be the very first Pope - and therefore this verse is a favorite to Roman Catholics

I’ve heard another theory: The “rock” in this case has nothing to do with Peter - that Jesus was referring to a literal rock, on which he had been sitting

This literal rock was somewhere in the district of Caesarea Philippi

And Jesus was essentially saying, “You are Peter, and by gum, by golly, I think I’ll plant a church right here”

And people go to great lengths to explain that the actual first church was built in that location

I think what’s important to remember is that this is about belief

One scholar paraphrased the verse this way:

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8: Matthew, Mark, Luke a. The Confession (16:13–20)

“upon this rock of revealed truth—the truth you have just confessed—I will build my church”

When Peter says, “You are the Christ” he wasn’t referring to Jesus’ last name

The word, “Christ” means the Messiah, the Anointed One of God

Peter was acknowledging that Jesus is the Son of God

This is a significant place in the gospel of Matthew with the belief of Peter - basically, that the disciples are starting to catch on

There is nothing special about Peter (as Pope, etc).

Jesus asked the question to all of his disciples and it was Peter who gave the correct answer.

He didn’t win the spiritual lottery just because he correctly answered the question.

This passage is about the fact that the disciples are beginning to see Jesus in a fuller sense

(Which won’t be completed until the Day of Pentecost, and truly not completed until our day with the Lord in Heaven)

The other thing happening in this passage is that Jesus was actually giving a play on words, a pun

Peter, or Petros literally means “stone” or “rock”

We use the term “petroleum oil,” or “petrol,” which literally refers to the oil that’s found naturally in rock beds under ground

Jesus was essentially saying, “Hey Rocky, on this rock I will build my church”

Also, this is not a comparison between Jesus as our Rock and Peter, the rock

Jesus is the Rock

1 Corinthians 10:4 ESV

and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.

In this particular passage in Matthew, Jesus refers to himself as the builder of his church - not the Rock

And in order for Jesus to build his church, he needs to build it on a solid foundation - the belief of his disciples

Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus

This turns the corner of the ministry of Jesus.

V.21 sets a new tone - the mood is more solemn.

This is the first mention that he will suffer (on the cross) and that he will be killed (and be raised on the third day).

From this point, Jesus is looking toward Jerusalem and Calvary.

Matthew 16:21–23 ESV

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. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 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.”

One of the hard-to-understand Bible verses is here in V.23 where Jesus calls Peter, “Satan”

It’s hard for us to wrap our minds around this one

Jesus first calls Peter, “blessed” for correctly proclaiming his belief in Jesus as the Messiah - and then he refers to that type of faith as a “rock”

I don’t know about you, but if Jesus called me “Satan,” I would want to crawl under a rock

I want you to notice that in v.21, Jesus is very specific in his prediction

It’s not a direct quote, but it describes that he began to teach his disciples these certain things:

1.) he must go to Jerusalem

2.) he must suffer many things (from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes)

3.) he will be killed

4.) and on the third day, be raised

He doesn’t say why - this is all matter-of-fact

But notice that whenever Jesus predicts his own death - he always includes his Resurrection

Mark 8:31 ESV

And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Mark 9:30–31 ESV

They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.”

Luke 9:22 ESV

saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

Matthew 20:17–19 ESV

And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”

Matthew 17:22–23 ESV

As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed.

Don’t be distressed!

Jesus told the disciples over and over what was going to happen - they were blind to the fact that he would be raised

They couldn’t see the full picture until after Jesus came back to life

Jesus always preached the full story - he always included his Resurrection

In other words - the essential truth of the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ: that Jesus died on a cross and was raised on the third day

[INCLUDE PETER - THE REASON HE SAID GET BEHIND ME SATAN - PETER WAS GOING AGAINST THE PLAN OF REDEMPTION]

You cannot express the Gospel without including his Resurrection

You can’t have a Resurrection without the cross

And the cross is meaningless unless you have the Resurrection

All this teaching about the “sign of Jonah,” and, “on this rock I will build my church,” and all this talk about suffering and dying and being raised

Imagine being one of the twelve disciples - and how they processed all of this

At the time, they didn’t have the full picture, like we do

Matthew 16 is all about true belief in the true Messiah

It was a turning point for the disciples and a turning point for us

And then, Jesus wraps it all up:

Matthew 16:24–28 ESV

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Last week we looked at, in the book of Matthew, how people came to Jesus - in a close, personal way:

The leper who came and knelt before Jesus

The woman who had been bleeding for years came to Jesus to touch the hem of his garment

The two blind men who came to Jesus for healing

The disciples who repeatedly came to Jesus

The Canaanite woman who came out to Jesus and begged him to heal her daughter

And over and over, the crowds that came to Jesus in their need

And in my sermon last week, I taught that we need to come to Jesus in:

Reverence - of who he is

Remembrance - of what he’s done for us

Romans 5:8 ESV

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Rest - that we rest in him - all who labor and are heavy laden

And now, in verse 24, Jesus instructs us how to come to him - his teaching is the ultimate way we come to him

That if anyone would come after him, there are three requirements:

1.) Deny ourselves

2.) Take up our cross

3.) Follow him

What does it mean to deny ourselves?

Jesus gives us a hint in verse 25: “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Notice, that when we lose our life, it’s for “his sake” - in other words, there is nothing to be gained to simply lose our life

We need to lose our life, so to speak, for his sake

This is what repentance is all about

Repentance is agreeing with God - you agree with God that your sinful life is an affront to God, and it’s hurting you

To agree with God means you agree that you need him

To never repent really means that you continually defend your sinful way of life

It means you continually reject the reality that you need Jesus

It means that you’ve decided you will do life on your own terms