Today's lesson comes from Matthew 16:13-28. The time period was the summer of 29A.D. at Caesarea Philippi. Jesus had been preaching, teaching and performing miracles for about 22 months. He was now moving into the final phrase of His earthly ministry. He wanted to get away from the crowds and teach His disciples without crowds. Jesus had the following purposes in separating Himself unto the disciples:
1.He wanted to instruct His disciples in the ways of truth away from crowds and miracles. Miracles can draw a crowd but they do not compare with the true experience of salvation and sanctification.
2. He wanted His disciples to have their own confession of who He was. Salvation must be personal to be real.
3. He desired to reveal facts about the cross and what was before Him.
Jesus wanted to prepare the disciples for His death. Jesus wanted them to see the blessed way of the cross. In the same way today, if people are not willing to go the way of the cross, they will turn away from holiness and follow the way of the world. He wanted them to see how blessed it was to identify with the truth rather than follow the way of pride that would only provide pleasure for a season. We need to embrace the cross, die to self and follow Him.
The first section is "Blessings of Knowing Christ." vv.13-17 After healing the blind man in Mark 8:22-26, He reaches Caesarea Philippi, and asks the question, "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?" Jesus was trying to show His disciples:
1. He was a man coming from the Father (Hebrews 4:15). He knew the battles they would face, yet He was there to help them in the times that they would have a difficulty understanding.
2. He was the Divine Son of God. He was not a mere mortal man, but He was on a mission to be a sacrifice for men's sins. It is a blessing to know Him as Savior and more than just a name. (Hebrews 7:24,25)
In verse 15, Jesus said to the disciples, "But whom say ye that I am?" "Ye" is second person plural. Jesus was asking the question to all the disciples not just one. Peter was blessed (16,17) because he voiced his convictions. We are not to remain silent today. We are to stand up for our convictions. We live in a day of compromise. The church is losing to the world and becoming like the world. Someone needs to make a stand. Will it be you? If you do make a stand, you will be blessed!
The second section is "Blessings of an Established Church." vv. 18-20 In these verses, those that confess Jesus as Christ are part of the church. The gates of hell will not prevail against the church. "Upon this rock" refers to Peter who made the confession of who was the Christ. The name "Peter" is a play on the Greek word for rock ("Petra"). There are four intrepretations of this play on words:
1. Peter's confession is the rock.
2. Jesus Himself is the rock upon which the church will be built.
3. Peter, as representative apostle, is the foundation in the church.
4. Peter represents by his confession the type of person on which the true church will be built.
In verse 19, Jesus gives the church the keys to the kingdom. Those keys are binding and loosing. The apostles would use these keys to open the kingdom to those who share Peter's confession and exclude those who will not receive their testimony to Christ. Jesus was establishing the authority of His church.
There is a blessing to having an established church. A church that will not compromise or bend to worldliness is a blessing. There are fewer and fewer churches that are willing to make a stand for holiness and righteousness. If you have found one that is established on Jesus Christ, you are blessed.
The third section is "A Rebuke of Selfish Desires." vv. 21-23 In this portion of the lesson, Jesus begins to explain how He will go to Jerusalem and suffer and be killed. There is no prosperity gospel in this teaching. Peter rebukes Jesus and says no it will not happen to Him. Jesus calls that effort an offense from Satan. Just like in the temptation, Satan was trying to get Jesus to take the easy way out. Satan and now Peter, didn't want Jesus going to the cross. While their motivations were different, their end goal was the same, to keep Jesus off the cross. Jesus was willing to pay the price for our souls. Are we willing to pay the price to be sanctified wholly? Peter was blessed earlier for his convictions. Where would the church be if we don't stand for our convictions? We need to be definite about what we stand for, or we will be likely to compromise our Biblical principles. Jesus wanted to show His disciples"
1. He knew the battles He would face, yet He was going to face them and be victorious.
2. He was the Divine Son of God and was sent to be the One who would sacrifice Himself for the sins of the world.
Are you able to answer when He became the Christ, the Son of the living God, in your life?
The fourth section is "Blessings of Death to Self." vv. 24-26 After rebuking Peter and the disciples, Jesus taught them what it meant o be a true disciple. He listed:
1. Deny yourself.
2. Pick up your cross and be ready to die.
3. Follow Jesus. The Jews had a goal expressed as follows, "May you be covered in the dust of your Rabbi (teacher)." This meant to stay so close to them, that when they walked, some of the dust of their sandals would reach you.
4. Lose your life in following Jesus so you can keep it. This meant one was to give up the rights to themselves and follow the Master in every way.
5. Material possessions while they can bring comfort in this life, will help you to lose your life spiritually.
In these verses, Jesus is rebuking the carnal heart because it seeks its own gain. At the time Peter wrote his letters, he had reached a point that he understood the real meaning of death to self. What a difference holiness makes in how we view life. We are to be a holy people because our God is holy. Holiness brings stability and consistency in the Christian life. Why would anyone not want that?
The Golden Text is "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). When we live for Christ, we must reject all the influences, and become subject to Him. The cross involves separation from our old way of life. The separated life means leaving everything that would draw us away from Jesus Christ.
My summary points:
1. We need to not compromise with the world.
2. The true church will prevail against Satan and the world.
3. We must stand for our convictions.
4. True salvation will cause one to deny themself, pick up his cross, and follow Jesus all the way to the end.
Next week, "Forgiveness." (Matthew 18:21-35)
Don't forget to read the Sunday School Beacon for inspiration and encouragement.
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