Matthew 16:13-20
"How To Go To Church And Survive! "

Gospelcom Bible Gateway

"¹³ 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?" ¹⁴So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." ¹⁵He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" ¹⁶Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." ¹⁷Jesus 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. ¹⁸And 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. ¹⁹And 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^[1] in heaven." ²⁰Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ."

INTRODUCTION:

A. We are a blended family. We come with different ideas and baggage of what Church ought to be.

B. People seem to shop for churches in our society.

C. They ask the question, "What do I want in a church?"

D. They miss the point as our Lord shows us in this passage today.

E. They fail to answer the question, "Who do you say that Jesus is?"

F. "If everyone in church was just like you are what type of church would we be?"

G. What is church all about? Why do we do what we do in church?

H. There are four fundamental truths given by Jesus about the church that will help us survive and thrive

I. It's Designation

A. 110 times in NT (plural or singular church is found. This is the first mention of the word "church"

B. In our society the word church is a religious structure

institution filled with frowning old men

C. What does church mean then?

1. It was a secular governmental word not a religious word

2. Ekklesia - "church"

a. An assembly of Greek citizens who met regularly in a public place

b. It later meant a legislative body of of Greek citizens who met regularly in a public place

c. Greek

1. "Ek" - out

2. "Kalew" (ka-le-oh) - to call out from

3. Therefore it means people called out from society to meet for a common goal.

d. Jesus use of the term reveals some interesting principles

1. Followers of Jesus Christ are not to be isolated but an integrated community (Heb 10:25)

2. His followers are supposed to be different from the rest of the culture

a. Therefore we are to be different from the world not like the world

b. We are a holy assembly

c. We are not to copy the world

d. What makes us different? We love Jesus supremely

e. How often to we have to assemble? Wrong question. The real question is, "How often do we want to?

f. Hebrews 10:25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

g. Why is it that it is as is the manner of some (1 John 3)

II. It's foundation

A. What does "upon this rock" refer to?

B. Is rock a big stone or a small pebble? What's the significance?

C. Background

1. Caesarea Philippi was the head waters of the Jordan River. Watered the entire land of Israel (living waters),

2. Place of Contrast - Sacred to Jews, Greeks, Romans, Pagans

3. Upon this rock "nugget" Play on words in original, You are "petros" and on this "petra" I will build my church.

4. Upon your confession of me as the Christ I will build my church

D. Application - get your eyes off of people and focus on Christ

a. Are you just coming to church or have you come to Christ?

2. Jesus builds his church upon confession of Him as the Christ. Therefore it is a relationship with Christ

III. It's possession

A. Whose church is it? It's His! Not mine, not yours, not Skip's

1. He thought of it

2. He paid for it

B. James D. Kennedy states that people think that... "God is the prompter, the pastor is the actor, and the congregation is the critic when in actuality the congregation is the actor, the pastor is the prompter, the God is the critic. "

IV. It's preservation

A. Why should we pray for persecution?

B. What is the implication of Jesus stating that , "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it..."

APPLICATION:

1. Are you willing to be an actor and not a critic?

2. Is your live solidly built, resting on Jesus alone? If not, accept Jesus as your Lord and allow His Spirit to change your life. If you have already done this take time to reflect on your walk looking for those areas that are not totally surrendered, ask for the Spirit to work in this area and share this with those that you are accountable to

3. Open up to your home team, being transparent with one another, and discuss how your life reflects that you have been called out (different) from the world. Remember that not only have we been called out from the world but that we have been called TO Jesus and a life of holiness.

4. May God richly bless you and keep you, may His light shine upon you and give you peace. Shalom.

MEMORY VERSE FOR THIS WEEK:

Matthew 16:13-20 "¹³ 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?" ¹⁴So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." ¹⁵He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" ¹⁶Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." ¹⁷Jesus 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. ¹⁸And 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. ¹⁹And 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^[1] in heaven." ²⁰Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ."