JCSLK #38 Jesus The Rock Matthew 16:15-19

 

JCSLK #38 Jesus The Rock
Matthew 16:15-19

Introduction: Perfect Church Plan

A very famous and wealthy architect went to his pastor and said, "I’ve talked with the deacons and the church and we want you and take the family to the Europe, the Mediterranean Islands and then the Holy Land everything will be my gift to you. While you’re gone we are going to do some work on the auditorium and it will be a surprise when you get back.” The pastor had always wanted to take a long vacation  to far away places, especially the land of Jesus’ birth and so he said thanks and the family packed caught a plane and took off on an adventure.

After three months they returned home and were at the airport by the architect church member.  He took them to the church and they went into the sanctuary.

"This is the finest thing I’ve ever designed," said the man.  "No expense was spared and it is the perfect place for you and the members."

The pastor was impressed, the building looked brand new, it fit the land and the community wonderfully. It was truly impressive. But there was something the pastor couldn’t figure out. There was only one pew, at the very back of the church. 

"You built a church with only one pew? Don’t you think we’ll have a few more attend than that?" asked the pastor?

"Well, now there are some surprises that you’ll have to wait until Sunday to see." the rich man said.

When the time came for the Sunday service, the early arrivals entered the church, filed onto the one pew and sat down.  When the pew was full, a laser triggered a switch, a circuit closed, gears meshed, a belt moved and the singly rear pew began to move forward. When it reached the front of the church, it came to a stop. At the same time, another empty pew came up from below at the back and more people sat down.  And so it continued, pews filling and moving forwards until finally the church was full, from front to back.

"Oh this is wonderful!" said the pastor, "Marvelous!"

The service began, and the pastor started to preach his sermon.  He was excited, he hadn’t preached in 3 months, and he had just got back from the land of the Bible. He launched into his text and it was going to be a long one. When 12 o'clock came, he was still going strong, and there was no end in sight.  But then, suddenly a bell rang, a light flashed and a trap door in the floor right behind the pulpit dropped open and the pastor disappeared.

 The congregation cried out, "Wonderful! Marvelous!"

This morning, I want us to consider the real designer and builder of the church, Jesus Christ. And the church he built truly is wonderful and marvelous. It is the pillar and ground of the truth, and it has been commissioned by its builder and founder to preach the Gospel throughout the world.

 After you hear what the Lord told His church, you’ll find that there are very few others who will agree with you in all the details of this passage. And that’s okay, because the Lord didn’t call us to be in agreement with everybody, but we better agree with Jeus the Rock of our Salvation and Church.

The Retreat To Caesarea Phillippi. The disciples have been led by Jesus on another retreat, a time of coming apart from the stress and opposition that is now really beginning to ramp up in Jerusalem and Galilee.

Here is what has happened at the end of the year of popularity and the beginning of the year of opposition.

At the height of his popularity Jesus feeds five thousand from the Fives Loaves, Two Fish) – Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-15

He walks on water – Matthew 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52, Luke 6:16-21

Then Jesus’ preaches the Bread of Life discourse and thousands quit following Him – John 6:22-71

Now the opposition really takes aim at Jesus and his apostle. We read of the  Pharisees rebuking Jesus for eating with unclean hands – Matthew 15:1-20, Mark 7:1-23

Still Jesus ministers. He heals the Canaanite woman’s daughter – Matthew 15:21-28, Mark 7:24-30

He Jesus heals a deaf man – Mark 7:31-37, He heals many on a mountain near Sea of Galilee – Matthew 15:29-31

In an event found in Matthew and Mark Jesus once again feeds a multitude of people this time four thousand – Matthew 15:32-38, Mark 8:1-10

The Pharisees and Sadducees directly challenge Jesus, asking for a sign – Matthew 15:39-16:4, Mark 8:11-12

Jesus warns others of the Pharisees’, Sadducees’ influence – Matthew 16:5-12, Mark 8:13-21

Perhaps because of the Pharisees and the Sadducees direct confrontation, Jesus feels the need to get his disciples away from Judea, and so they go on a spiritual and physical retreat to the regions of Caesarea Philippi. They were about 120 miles from Jerusalem in the northern part of Palestine. The region was know for various religions: It had been a center for Baal worship; the Greek god Pan had shrines there; and Herod the Great had built a temple there to honor Augustus Caesar.

Listen to this description by Alfred Edersheim, "Nestling amid three valleys on a terrace in the angle of Mt. Hermon, it is almost shutout of view by cliffs and woods.  Everywhere there is a wild medley of cascades, mulberry trees, fig trees, dashing torrents, festoons of vines, bubbling fountains, reeds and ruins, and the mingled music of birds and waters.  The views, sheer down the precipitous sides of the mountain, into the valleys and far away are magnificent.”

Into this beautiful, restful, religious place Jesus leads his disciples and He planned more than just to remove them from the stress, strife and opposition of Jerusalem’s religious self-righteous. He planned to tell them of the way forward until He would return.

Jesus, The Son of The Living God - Matthew 16:13-17

When Jesus came into the coasts (the borders) of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; (Elijah) and others, Jeremias (Jeremiah), or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Jesus’ Two Question

Jesus brings the apostles to Caesarea Phillippi to escape the opposition and stress of Judea, but also to establish and settle the most important question of their time, as well as our time and of all time and eternity. That question is, “Who is Jesus?”

The First Question. - The Lord asks this question in two ways? First, he asks, “Who do men say that I am?”

At the first question, the disciples call out their answers, “Some say you are John the Baptist, some Elijah, some Jeremiah or another of God’s prophets.”

The Second Question. Then after he hears the answers, He asks, “But, whom do you say that I am?”

It is Peter, the leader and the spokesman for the apostles that speaks for them all and  gives the answer that is in each of their hearts. Peter the bold, the dedicated, and almost always, the first says, “Thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God.”

He is saying much in a few words. He is saying, “You are the Messiah, the anointed one, the promised one, the hero and future ruler of Israel. You are God’s own son, God in the flesh, who the eternal God sent to be our savior.

Peter’s answer is eloquent, powerful and eternally right.

Prophecies of the Promised One.  For centuries the nation of Israel has been waiting for the One Peter proclaims with his answer. There were over 300 prophecies in the Old Testament that foretold the coming of the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One. Peter’s answer was that Jesus was the fulfillment of all those promises and even more, He was also the Son of God, He was God come to earth to save mankind.

Our Answer

The questions asked by Jesus of the Apostles that day, must still be answered by us today. Who Is Jesus, to the world and to us?

The world says he was a great teacher, the Muslims and Jews say he was a great prophet.

According to a survey found in the book the “Jewish 100”, Michael Shapiro says that Jesus ranks second in importance of all the Jews of history. Moses is first, Jesus is second and Albert Einstein is third. You also have Sigmund Freud (4), St. Paul (6), Karl Marx (7), the Virgin Mary (9) and one of the greatest baseball pitchers of all time Sandy Koufax (98). That’s pretty much what all the world sees in Jesus, a great man, a great teacher, a wonderful prophet but yes he is greater than a baseball player.

HG Wells - “I am an historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history.”1 – H. G. Wells

“Will Jesus ever be surpassed? Nineteen hundred years have passed, and his equal has not risen. This is not true of the world’s other great ones. Every generation produces geniuses worthy to be compared with those who have gone before. It can be said of no one man, ‘He stands alone; he has no rival; no equal; no superior.’ But this is true of Jesus. Nineteen hundred years, instead of diminishing His greatness, have accentuated it.”6 – Editor, The Los Angeles Times

Those are samples of what the world thinks, but Jesus isn’t interested in what the world thinks, He wants to know, what do you and I believe? His question is as direct and personal to us this morning as it was to the disciples 2000 years ago. Who do you say I am?

Is Jesus, truly God, come to the world in flesh, is He very God of very God?  Was He miraculously born of a virgin? Did He die on the cross paying the price for my sin?  Three days later did He come forth from the tomb, in power over death, sin and the grave? Is He alive today, waiting to return and claim this world as His own? Who is Jesus to you this morning?

Jesus commentary to Peter’s testimony. Listen to how Jesus commentated on Peter’s answer, and you’ll know his answer and your answer is something He cares about.

Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona (Simeon son of Jonah): for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Why did Peter and the apostle recognize Jesus as the Messiah and son of God while the nation of Israel rejected Him and the world today still refuses to believe? Jesus gives us the answer; it was because of the special revelation of God the Father in heaven.

This isn’t fatalism, or Calvinism, this is a revealing of spiritual truth. It is the revelation of God in a beautiful sunrise or sunset, the revelation of waves washing up on a pristine shore, the revelation of wind blowing through the trees of a mountain forest, the revelation of a tornado, or hurricane or earthquake unleashed in all its power. In these things we should see God revealing Himself to us, but the most powerful and plain of all the revelation of God is in God’s Holy Word. Herein is revealed our sin, our shame and our Savior. This is a supernatural book of God’s direct revelation to us, and if we will but listen we will also see Jesus as He truly and fully is.

The Uniqueness of Jesus

Someone once wrote this observation about who Jesus is, "Socrates taught for 40 years, Plato for 50, Aristotle for 40, but Jesus for only 3. Yet the influence of Christ's 3-year ministry infinitely transcends the impact left by the combined 130 years of teaching from these men who were among the greatest philosophers of all antiquity. Jesus painted no pictures; yet some of the finest paintings of Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci received their inspiration from Him. Jesus wrote no poetry; but Dante, Milton, and scores of the world's greatest poets were inspired by Him. Jesus composed no music; still Haydn, Handel, Beethoven, Bach, and Mendelssohn reached their highest perfection of melody in the hymns, symphonies, and oratorios they composed in His praise. Every sphere of human greatness has been enriched by this humble Carpenter of Nazareth.

"Yet, His unique contribution to the race of men is the salvation of the soul! Philosophy could not accomplish that. Nor art. Nor literature. Nor music. Only Jesus Christ can break the enslaving chains of sin and Satan. He alone can speak peace to the human heart, strengthen the weak, and give life to those who are spiritually dead." – Unknown

Charles Spurgeon said, “Christ is the great central fact of the world’s history. To him everything looks forward or backward. All lines of history converge upon him. All the great purposes of God culminate in him. The greatest and most momentous fact which the history of the world records is the fact of his birth.” – Charles H. Spurgeon

And I would add that the most momentous fact in your life should be, “I believe Jesus Christ died for me, defeated death by rising from the grave and one day will return. He is my Creator, Savior Lord and King.

“Who is Jesus?” is the only question that will matter in eternity. And we better know the right answer if we are to face eternity with joy and not with fear.

After Jesus establishes the certainty of the apostle on who He is, He then has something new to add to their faith.

 Jesus, The Foundation Of the Church - Matthew 16:18

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Jesus’ Promise

Jesus asked the disciples who they believe he is. Peter gave the answer, "Thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God." Jesus then uses a play, actually a pun, to then promise his Church it would stand against the very gates of hell. He says, “Thou are Peter (gk. Petros, a small pebble or rock) but upon this Rock (gk. petra, large outcropping or ledge) I will build my church.

Jesus says there are two rocks here, but the rock I am building my church upon was not Simon’s nickname, Peter., No of course not. Nor on Peter’s faith. We don’t even leave this retreat before Jesus has to harshly rebuke Peter for opposing the plan of God. The is only one Rock and upon that Rock. Jesus would build His Church upon Himself, the Rock of Ages.

In 2 Samuel 23:3 He is the Rock of Israel, In Isaiah 8:14 He is the rock of offence In Daniel 2:34 He is the rock cut out without hands. In Psalms 95:1 He is the rock of our salvation.

Jesus is and always shall be the Rock upon which the church was founded. 1 Corinthians 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

The Lord’s church would be built upon the unfailing, undefeatable, undeniable foundation of the Lord Jesus Peter failed time and time again, as did the other apostles, but Jesus never failed. Jesus will He ever fail. Peter is gone, but the Lord is here even now. Peter has no power today, but Jesus has all power for all time!

Jesus is the only foundation that can allow the church to stand until He comes back and takes it to heaven as His eternal Bride. Jesus’ promise that His Church would never cease until He returns can only be true if He supports, empowers and protects it.

Standing On The Rock of Ages

Listen again to the promise of Jesus the builder and founder of our church, “Matthew 16:18…upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Even the Gates of Hell, the full and unrestrained power of Satan’s kingdom, would not be enough to destroy, slow down or stand against the Lord’s church.

The church has withstood the test of time, the test of martyrdom, the test of compromise and still stands today because it was built upon Jesus, the Rock of our salvation and His unending promise that would prevail.

And if we will but stand upon this promise, then Calvary Baptist church of Athens Texas, we will also prevail. We will overcome pandemics, lockdowns, lack of funds, and even the loss of our most loved members and family. We will overcome fear, fatigue, apathy and anxiety. We will prevail not because we have any more power than fallible Peter but because we as a church stand on the same foundation as that first church gathered in the valley of Caesarea Philippi. We stand on the unshakeable rock of eternity, Jesus, Lord Savior and Returning King. When He returns, His church will be here standing and faithfully waiting for Him.

There is one more verse I want to look at as a part of here in vs. 19

 Jesus, The Giver of the Gospel - Matthew 16:19

And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Jesus’ Gift

What exactly did Jesus give that day when he gave the Keys of the Kingdom? The answer is almost as important as, Who Jesus is, because if we don’t understand this promise, then we will miss the power and authority that we as the church must have to carry out the commission Jesus commanded us to take to the ends of the earth.

Keys, in this context, represent authority. Once Jesus established the perpetuity, the continuance of the church, he then gives it authority. The keys are the authority given from the Lord to the steward, the servant who would carry out his will with his authority. The steward entrusted with this authority can now unlock any door as if he were the Master himself.

Example: If I gave my car keys to someone, then that person would know that I am granting him authority to drive my car. (And yes, they better return washed and with a full take of gas. At least that’s what my parents told me.) If I give someone my house key, I would be granting them authority to enter my house. That key transfers my authority to them. This is exactly what Jesus did when he gave the keys of heaven, not to Peter personally, but to the church who Peter is speaking for that day.

So, what do the keys open? The answer is in the words Jesus used when He gave the gift. They are the “keys to the kingdom of heaven.” They open the kingdom of heaven, they open eternity with God.

But, how does this work? Jesus didn’t hand a physical key to Peter or to us. Heaven doesn’t have a physical lock and can’t be opened by a physical key.

How do the keys, given to the church open heaven? Listen to the words of Jesus just before His ascension, John 20:20-23 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

Now listen to Peter’s Sermon on the Day of Pentecost, Acts 10:39-43 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

The keys to the kingdom of heaven is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the life, death and resurrection of the Lord. These are the keys, that were the gift He gave that day to His first church there in Caesarea Philippi.

If I ever get to go to the Holy Land, I want to see Golgotha, I want to see the Garden Tomb and the Garden of Gethsemane, and I also want to see Caesarea Philippi where Jesus gave the church the keys to the Kingdom we still are carrying today.

Our Key To Heaven’s Gate

We have been granted the highest authority under heaven and with it the highest responsibility to open the very doors of heaven to an eternity that is locked to a lost and dying world. Each time we preach, each time we send a missionary, each time we proclaim the story of Jesus Christ' death, burial and resurrection, the key to heaven is offered.  When the Gospel is accepted, the keys to the Kingdom open the locks of unbelief and a soul enters heaven! What glory, what joy, what a blessing and what an honor is ours.

Look what Jesus says to the Church at Philadelphia, Revelation 3:7-8  And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it:…

The Authority Given. This authority given to us in the keys of the Kingdom and detailed in the Great Commission cannot be given by anyone but Jesus Christ and it cannot be give to any other institution but church.

In the Old Testament, Abraham once pleaded for Ishmael to be his heir, but God said, "Through Isaac."  One time David was once driven from his God given throne but God would not honor Absalom. Nor can the church yield its God given authority to any other institution or well-meaning group of Christians.

I know arguments can be raised and reasons given why the work of the gospel and the carrying out of the commission can be done by other agencies. They can show you how it is easier, how it is more efficient, how it is more economical to let a board, or fellowship or a convention do the work of the church, but Jesus did not built these. He said, I will build My church.  He never gave the keys of the Kingdom to these, he gave them to his church. He never promised that the gates of Hell would not prevail against any but His church.

We may not understand it any better than Abraham or David. We cannot see how this works, any better than Peter could see how a small band of believers could stand against the Gates of Hell when opened in full fury by the Pharisees, the Sanhedrin or the awesome might of the Roman Empire.

But in faith we realize this, we were not authorized to understand how it would all work, we were authorized to do the work. We need no permission, we need no other authority, no outside power. What we need is fortitude, fearlessness and faith in the promise of Jesus our unbreakable Rock of Eternity and foundation of the Church.

Conclusion

We, as the church of Jesus Christ at Calvary Baptist in Athens Texas, have been giving the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. We have been commanded to go, disciple, baptize and teach. In our Rock, Jesus Christ, we have the power and the authority to tear down the Gates of Hell. Those gates don’t just stand out there somewhere in the wide and wicked world. No, these are the gates of Hell that are imprisoning our families, our schools, our community and our nation.

We must take the keys of the Kingdom, step up to those formidable gates, and open them wide to set free the captives of sin. Set them free by the Gospel of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is the key that opens the Kingdom of Heaven and it is in our hands. Will we have the faith and courage to use it?