Sermon Tone Analysis

! Disciples Response to the Cross.

!

Walk to the Cross

AWANA Sunday Washington EFCA 3~/25~/07

 

Every movement has a symbol.

Modern *JUDAISM* uses the so-called *STAR OF DAVID*

*Islam* is recognized by the *CRESCENT*

In 1917 the *HAMMER AND SICKLE* was adopted by the *SOVIET* government.

*HITLER* adopted the *SWASTIKA* as the symbol of his own special brand of bigotry.

*CHRISTIANS* ALSO HAS a symbol.

What does the Cross mean to you?

For most people the Cross has little meaning.

It’s a piece of Jewelry, or part of a church.

I see many women wearing a necklace or earrings in the shape of cross.

There are a number of men who wear crosses as necklaces and when I see it I want to ask, does that cross have any meaning or is that just a piece of jewelry?

It was the symbol of the Crucifixion & death of our Lord.

In the past if a person wore a cross it was an outward sign they were redeemed and you could expect them to act like a Christian.

Not any more.

If you look around you will see this symbol dominates the world.

Church steeples abound with crosses.

While several symbols for redemption were used in the first century, [the Fish, ICKTHUS, empty Tomb] only one became universally accepted by the second century.

It was the symbol of the cross.

If you look you will see this symbol dominates the world.

Church steeples abound with crosses.

Some famous churches are in the form of a free-standing cross, such as San Marco in Venice.

Many Cathedrals are designed as a cross.

You enter at the foot of the cross, and the High alter is at the head with, prayer chapels on each side.

*ILL.*

Officer Peter O'Hanlon was patrolling on night duty in northern England some years ago when he heard a quivering sob.

Turning in the direction that it came from, he saw in the shadows a little boy sitting on a doorstep.

With tears rolling down his cheeks, the child whimpered, *"I'm lost.

Take me home*."

The policeman began naming street after street, trying to help him remember where he lived.

When that failed, he repeated the names of the shops and hotels in the area, but all without success.

Then he remembered that in the center of the city was a well-known *church with a large white cross* towering high above the surrounding landscape.

He pointed to it and said, "Do you live anywhere near that?"

The boy's face immediately brightened.

"*Yes, take me to the cross.

I can find my way home from there!"*

  Like that familiar landmark, the cross of Christ directs lost souls to their eternal home in Glory.

*The events recorded in Matthew 16 form a dramatic turning point in our Lord's ministry.

*

For the first time, He mentioned the *church* (16:18) and again He openly spoke about *His death* on *the cross* (16:21).

He began to prepare the disciples for His arrest, crucifixion and resurrection.

But, as we shall see, they were slow to learn their lessons.

(Luke 9:18‑26)

(1)   The Response to the Cross

(2)   We were born into the world to Live.

(3)   Our Lord was unique in His coming to earth.

(4)   He was born into the world to die.

I want to walk you through 5 responses our Lord received when he told his disciples his purpose for coming to earth.

!!  

!! Jesus asks the most important questions.

*MATT 16:13* *NOW WHEN JESUS CAME INTO THE DISTRICT OF CAESAREA PHILIPPI, HE BEGAN ASKING HIS DISCIPLES, SAYING, ‘WHO DO PEOPLE SAY THAT THE SON OF MAN IS?”*

V14 AND THEY SAID, ‘SOME SAY ‘JOHN THE BAPTIST, SOME ELIJAH, AND OTHERS, JEREMIAH, OR ONE OF THE PROPHETS.”

This passage represents the climax of Jesus’ *teaching ministry*.

*It was, in effect, the apostles’ final examination,* consisting of but one question, the ultimate question that every human being must face: *Who is Jesus Christ?*

A person’s answer is of the most monumental importance, because on it hinges his eternal destiny.

It is a question that no one can escape or avoid.

Every soul, as it were, will be pinned against the wall of eternity and forced to answer that question.

For some two and a half years Jesus had been moving to this moment-teaching and re-teaching, affirming and re-affirming, demonstrating and re-demonstrating, building and re-building *the truth of who He was* in order to establish it completely and securely in the minds and hearts of the Twelve.[1]

*The most unusual place to ask a question*.

The city of *Caesarea Philippi* was originally named Paneas (or Panias), after the Greek god Pan, who, according to pagan mythology, was born in a nearby cave.

Caesar Augustus had given the region to Herod the Great, who built a temple in Paneas in honor of the emperor.

*Caesarea Philippi* was located some 25 miles northeast of the Sea of Galilee there was a mountain with a cave and the water coming out of the cave was the headwaters of the Jordan.[2]

People believed that this was the entrance into the underworld, the entrance into Hades or Hell v18.

V15 As our Lord stood at the entrance of this cave *HE SAID TO THEM, “BUT WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?*

This is the question we must all answer.

This question will determine our eternal destiny.

*Liberal* churches, collages and Seminaries say,

Jesus was a good man, a wonderful teacher, an example to follow.

He died as a human being but did not raise from the dead physically.

They say they have found the box with Jesus bones, there is no resurrection.

*Islam *says, Jesus was a teacher and a prophet, along with Mohamed

                        He did not die.

*Buddhism* says, Jesus is a reincarnation of another great teacher.

!!  

!! Peter responded “THOU ART THE CHRIST [MESSIAH] THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD”

!! This was one of the greatest revelations to man ever given.

In V17 Jesus says “*Flesh and blood has not revealed this but my father in heaven*.”

Then Jesus says *READ V18*

            The Question is Peter the person he is going to build his church on – R.C. View

            Or is he going to build it on Peter’s marvelous statement?

- Protestant view.

He says the gates of Hades – Hell shall not overpower it.

He says this as He is standing at what was believed to be the entrance into Hell.

*Then Jesus says the 2nd most amazing thing*.

Matt 16:21 *FROM THAT TIME JESUS BEGAN TO SHOW HIS DISCIPLES THAT HE MUST GO [not like to but] MUST GO TO JERUSALEM, AND SUFFER MANY THINGS FROM THE ELDERS AND CHIEF PRIESTS AND SCRIBES, AND BE KILLED, [CRUCIFIED ON A CROSS] AND BE RAIED UP ON THE THIRD DAY.”*

We have Ivory towered so called theologians says Jesus did not know he was going to die, or he faked his death.

All I can say is they have not read the text.

5 different times Jesus clearly tells his disciples, I must go to Jerusalem to die.

I don’t know about you but if I knew I had to go to Jerusalem to die I would say hay boys we are going in the opposite direction.

What is amazing to me and scary is:

People one minute says the most amazing truth ever spoken.

Not 5 minutes later v22 Our Lord must rebuke Peter and say Get thee behind me Satan.

One minute we can speak the very words of God from heaven and the next we can be the mouthpiece of Satan, speaking from Hell.

How would you respond if you were one of Jesus Disciples and as a question on the final exam He said to you.

My purpose for coming to earth is to be rejected, not to be a celebrity and have everyone like me, but my purpose is to be rejected and be crucified, and die in Jerusalem.

!! How would you respond?

Let us see if you are any different than the disciples.

We think the world revolves around us.

A certain sea captain and his chief engineer were arguing about which of them was the more essential to the operation of the ship.

Since they couldn't agree, they decided to switch places and see what happened.

The chief went up to the bridge and the captain went down to the engine room.