October 17, 2021
Morning Service

Joh 20:30-31 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; (31) but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

            John reveals to us the basic foundation of his gospel’s message.  It is written that we might “believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”  Each of the disciples by walking with Jesus for three years, believed that He was indeed the Christ not by reading but from seeing it before their eyes.  All but John, gave their lives for the faith they had in Him.  Today we will hear Jesus ask these disciples “The Question” and hear Peter boldly answer it.

 

Mat 16:13-16 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"  (14)  So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some 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 answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

            Jesus asks the disciples the single most important question that each of us must answer for ourselves.  “Who do you say that Jesus is?”  The answer you give must come directly from your heart and it will have eternal consequences.  Our faith, hope, and salvation hinge on the fact that we believe Jesus truly is the Christ, the Son of God.  Believing alone is not enough, because James tells us that “even the demons believe and tremble!”  We must take the next step and confess Him with our mouth and fully surrender our heart to Him.  To win the victory we must first surrender.  The question answered correctly and sincerely will seal your future eternal home.  By believing and confessing, you become a child of God and nothing can ever separate you from His love (Rom. 8).  Jesus finished His teaching on being the Good Shepherd by promising this to those who choose to follow Him:

Joh 10:29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.

            In answering “The Question” you are assured by Jesus Himself that “no one is able to snatch you out of My Father’s hand.”  You are safe in His arms today, tomorrow and for eternity.  Think about that for a moment.  Nothing can happen to you that changes that fact.  No one has the power to change that fact.  Time cannot change that fact.  It is set in stone forever, simply because you believed that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosever believes in Him (me!) should not perish but have everlasting life.”  Take comfort and confidence in knowing you are a child of God and nothing can change that.  Let’s continue in Matthew as Jesus now answers Peter’s bold proclamation of his faith.

Mat 16:17-20 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.  (18)  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.

            The truth of who Jesus is was revealed to Peter from the Father through the Spirit, the same we receive it as well.  The answer came from his heart not only his lips, he truly believed what he said was the truth.  It is on that truth, Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, that the church is created and founded upon.  “On this rock I will build my church.”  The church stands foundationally strong because it relies solely on the fact that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah and Savior of this world.  Jesus also promises that His church will overcome and “the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”  As long as the church stays faithful to following Jesus and His teachings we will not be defeated.  In the end we will win!  Church keep your eyes focused on Jesus, not the things of this world.  Jesus hands over the His authority here to the church He is creating.  If He is going to do something in this world, it will be through His church.  We are each part of that church as living stones being built into His kingdom faithfully following and obeying His commands from our heart because we know who He is.  Let that fact dictate the decisions you make along life’s journey.  Jesus now reveals another truth to the disciples that at the time had to be hard to accept.

Mat 16:21-23 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.  (22)  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"  (23)  But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

            Matthew writes “from that time” showing a change in the ministry for Jesus.  Jesus had set the disciples strongly upon the foundation and now was ready to build upon it.  He for the first time reveals to these men He has chosen what the future holds for Him.  This news had to be a shock as they had thoughts of a kingdom being set up now.  Peter shows his lack of understanding by pulling Jesus aside and trying to protect Him from His own prophecy.  Jesus rebukes Peter strongly for this.  It is important that we surrender our own will, to His divine Will.  Peter did not grasp the importance of Jesus’ death and resurrection.  He was not preparing to overthrow and defeat the Romans, but He was preparing to defeat death and the grave; a far greater opponent.  This was a battle Peter would have no way of comprehending at this point.  The only way to win that battle was for Jesus to offer Himself as the perfect, sinless sacrifice upon the cross and to prove His victory by arising from the grave.  We each need to realize that to.  God’s ways are not man’s ways but much greater.  Isaiah recorded God saying this:

Isa 55:8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD.  (9)  "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

            God has a plan and is carrying it out to perfection.  It is a plan for all of His creation, but it is also a plan for each of our lives.  We may find it very difficult to understand or see the end as it was here for Peter.  He wanted to walk with His Rabbi for many more years and enjoy the fellowship with His friend.  He wanted to protect Him from any harm that would come His way as would any good friend.  But God’s plan did not resemble Peter’s.  Peter, and we, must learn to accept God’s will for our lives over what we have planned.  “My ways are higher than your ways” says our Lord.  Trust God to be God and allow Him to work in your life no matter whether we understand it or not.  He is God, I am not.  I for one find freedom in this yielding of my will to His.  My future is not up to me, but to Him.  I would worry if I was making the right choices or doing enough to make my future brighter, but now I only have to trust Him.  I will close with a scripture we have all heard and quoted, but I challenge you this morning to not only hear, but put it into practice.

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

            God promises to us who have answered “The Question” correctly and choose to faithfully follow Him, that “all things work together for good.”  It may be extremely difficult in the moment, but in the end it will fulfill Gods’ will.  Isn’t that what we deep down truly want; God’s will (purpose) to be done in our lives and Him to be glorified?  Whatever circumstances you find yourself in, look for God at work and trust Him.

 

Heavenly Father allow us the faith to follow You even when we don’t understand, but to fully trust You to stand by Your Word to make “all things work together for good.”