MATHEW 16:13-19 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[a] I will build my church, and the gates of hell[b] 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[c] in heaven.”
Objectives of who do men say Christ is sermon?
- How did the generation of the apostles view Christ
- How did the apostles view Christ?
- How did God, our heavenly father view Christ?
- How do you personally view Christ?
- How did Jesus view himself?
- On whom is the church built? Man or Christ
- Of whom does the church comprise
- How do you and I become members of the church
Introduction. There comes a time in our life that we all have to face the proverbial question, which must be answered: What say you and I of Christ? This is the most important question ever for the simple fact it does not just pertain (relate) to our now present state but also to our future eternal state.
This pertinent (important) question cannot be ignored, pushed aside and forgotten. It has to be answered and the sooner it is answered the better.
Many regard Jesus Christ as a teacher, but he is more than a teacher. The Jews called him Rabbi, which means Teacher. Yes, surely Jesus was a Teacher of Teachers, the best Teacher of all time.
Many regard Jesus Christ as a Prophet of God. One who brought God’s unadulterated Word to the lost, those far removed from God’s Holy Standard. Jesus was greater than a Prophet, He was The Prophet of Prophets, who not only spoke God’s Word, but who also lived God’s Word, not breaking one iota of The Law. No wonder He said: “I COME NOT TO DESTROY THE LAW I COME TO FULFILL THE LAW. No one could accuse the Prophet of all Prophets of sin. He was perfect in all His ways. No wonder He could say: WHO OF YOU CAN ACCUSE ME OF SIN?
Some say He was A GOOD MAN. I beg to differ, he was the BEST MAN ever who walked the face of the Earth. His purpose in life was for the betterment of others
The View of Jesus’ Generation. What they said in no way degraded Jesus of who He truly was. They joyfully and with sincerity said He was either John the Baptist, or Elias or Jeremiah or one of God’s Prophets. The people likened him to The Prophets, the very men of God who brought God’s unadulterated Word to The Jews. The Good news, the Prophets of God brought The Word of God, but sad to say like all men of all time they could not keep The Word, for like All MEN THEY HAD SINNED AND THEREFORE HAD COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD (Romans 3:23). Jesus, The Prophet of all Prophets did not only bring to the people THE WORD OF GOD, HE WAS AND IS THE VERY WORD OF GOD: MY BIBLE TELLS ME: IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD AND THE WORD WAS GOD AND ALL THINGS WAS CREATED BY HIM AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH AND DWELT AMONG MEN. And no man could accuse him of sin. HE WAS TEMPTED IN ALL FASHION LIKE ALL MEN AND YET WITHOUT SIN (JN 1:1-4; 14).
The very fact the people said he was John the Baptist, Elias and Jeremiah was but descriptive of Jesus, ministry. In many a way Jesus, ministry was similar to that of the three Prophets mentioned: JOHN THE BAPTIST, THE FEARLESS PROPHET WHO PREACHED TO THE DOWN-TRODDEN AND TO KING HEROD. He never regarded the status, the position and influence of men. To John all fell short of God’s glory, to him there was none that were righteous.
Elias (Elijah) was the miracle working prophet who proved to a backslidden Israel that Jehovah was the only true God. Elijah’s God like a consuming fire consumed the sacrifice on the altar, whereas the false prophets called upon their god to no avail.
Jeremiah, is known as the tender-hearted loving Prophet. The Prophet who wept over Jerusalem.
All these ministerial characteristics Jesus expressed in His ministry. He was a fearless preacher who openly challenged the religious leaders of His day, namely the Pharisees and The Sadducees. He was a miracle worker not in a sense to prove God for He was God Himself in the flesh. Like Jeremiah, He too was of a tender heart. He too wept over Jerusalem. Jesus was and is acquainted with grief and sorrow for He truly cares for His creation. He is our burden bearer.
THE WITNESS OF THE APOSTLES:
Jesus generation thought much of Him and no doubt this was good, but what about those who walked with Him for close onto three and half years. No doubt we can present ourselves in a false manner in a pretentious way to people who we occasionally are with, but honestly can we truly hide ourselves, our hidden ways from those who are close to us almost every day of our life. It is virtually impossible. What did they say of Him? It is so true all whether far or near to Jesus Christ have to give their personal assessment of what they personally say who Jesus is and let me assure each one of us are going to make known in the now or the not too distant future and that simply means here on Earth or whether when man stands before God at The Great White Throne Judgement Seat of Christ.
Peter, the fisherman answers the question of Jesus: THOU ART THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD. Many Preachers and Theologians say Peter spoke on behalf of all the other apostles. This is not the case. On close examination Peter does not speak on behalf of the apostles. In fact Peter speaks on behalf of God himself. This is most definitely confirmed by Christ Himself:
BLESSED ART THOU, SIMON BAR-JONA: FOR FLESH AND BLOOD HAS NOT REVEALED UNTO YOU, BUT MY FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN. AND I ALSO SAY TO YOU, YOU ARE PETER AND UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH, AND THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT.
The Spirit of God, who came upon the OLD TESTAMENT Prophets, came upon Peter and under the power of God Peter confessed Jesus as The Christ, The Son of The Living God.
Thou art The Christ has great significance. Remember the people had said Jesus was likened unto John the Baptist and the Prophets Elias and Jeremiah. Remember I had said of these great men of God John had an anointing of Fearlessness, Elijah had an anointing of Power to perform wondrous miracles and Jeremiah had an anointing of being tender-hearted.
What God was saying through Peter went way beyond the level of anointing which was upon these men. Christ anointing was limitless. It was beyond comparison. Christ’s anointing was without measure. Christ was filled with The Holy Spirit without measure for wherever He went preaching The Word was confirmed with signs following. He healed the sick, raised the dead, set at liberty the captive spirit, He calmed the sea, healed the broken hearted and above saved mankind from the penalty of sin.
THE FALSE BELIEF:
There are those who fervently believe and teach the confession of Christ toward what Peter had said: THOU ART PETER AND UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH might sound true and secure, but on close examination this is not the case. Why do I categorically (firmly and with great conviction), say that. Well for the simple fact that Jesus could not build His Church on Peter or in fact any man for the simple reason ALL MEN HAVE SINNED and come short of the glory of God and there is none that are righteous.
Other than man being a sinner WORDS IN THE BIBLE TELL A STORY OF TRUTH. Yes, Christ did say THOU ART PETER AND UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH. But let us not be hasty, let is do a word study of the name Peter.
The Greek form for Peter is Petros and means A FRAGMENT OF A ROCK (NOTE NOT A ROCK, RATHER A STONE). The Aramaic sheds more light on this which speaks of a stone. The AMPLIFIED VERSION of The Gospel of John 1:42 confirms this:
Andrew brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas (which is translated Peter).”
Cephas means a stone and not a rock.
What then is the Rock if not Peter? The Rock is that which The Father had said when The Spirit had come upon Peter. In simple fact THE CHURCH IS NOT BUILT UPON PETER BUT RATHER ON WHAT GOD SAYS THROUGH PETER. GOD GAVE A REVELATION OF TRUTH THROUGH PETER.
THE BUILDING OF THE CHURCH.
Just what is The Church? A simple yet profound explanation of The Church is all those WHO HAVE RESPONDED TO THE CALL OF GOD TO ACCEPT JESUS, NOT JUST AS TEACHER, NOT JUST TO SEE JESUS as a Prophet, not just to see Jesus as a good man. The church are all those who accept Jesus as their Personal Saviour, who died for them on The Cross of Calvary, offering up of Himself as the Once and for all Perfect Sacrifice for the forgiveness of mankind’s sins. The Church are those that believe and testify that the grave could not hold Jesus for the simple fact that the wages of sin is death and because Jesus knew no sin He rose triumphantly over sin and death and is now seated at the right hand of God our Father.
I have spoken at length of what people have said of Jesus. I cannot conclude this sermon till I tell you What God has Himself has said of Jesus and what I say of Jesus and finally asking you what do you say of Jesus.
Hear what God Himself says of Jesus:
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end (Hebrews 1:8-12).
What do I say of Jesus?
He is my healer for by the stripes he bore on His back I am healed
He is my redeemer for I have been bought out of the slave market of sin not with silver or gold but with His life-giving blood.
He is my saviour. My righteous deeds were like filthy rags.
He is my God whom I worship.
Who and what is Jesus to You. Is he just a teacher? Is He just a Prophet or a Good Man.? The time has come to make up your mind concerning Jesus. Yes you are a religious person, yes you are a good person. However let me assure you religion is only man’s basic search for God and God is not lost. Man is lost and that is why God seeks each one of us out.
Accept Him today, make him your saviour all our good works will never ever get us to Heaven.
There is only one way to HEAVEN: Jesus is the way the truth and the life and man comes to god but through Jesus (jn 14:6)
Neither is there salvation in any other name among men given under heaven whereby we are saved (acts 4:12)
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.
Trust you have accepted Jesus as your personal saviour, if so, please email me at dallendenz@gmail.com and share your wonderful experience, also listing your prayer requests.
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