Matthew Chapter 16 Verse 1

• Now this is at least the second time this has been asked of Jesus by the religious elite. And it’s interesting because my first thought is, “duuuuuuuuuuuuh!” But here’s the thing, there is none so blind as those that will not see…Thousands fed in the wilderness where there is no food, not once, but twice! Scores of people healed of all kinds of malady. Demon possession, sickness, lameness, (don’t you just love how Jesus heals the lame – like you maybe once were)! Unprecedented wisdom! Not a bunch of followers, entire cities were following Jesus! Thousands! Everywhere He went! And not the least, impeccable fulfillment of prophecy! Born in Bethlehem. Born of a virgin. Hailing from Nazareth…and it’s not enough for them!

• And what will be interesting is that as we read through this chapter, I mean I’m so quick to condemn these religious elite, but Peter, the leader of Jesus’ followers, really does the same thing in just a few short sentences…and we’ll look at that in a minute. But in light of everything Jesus has already said and done, what more do they want?

• There is a cultural answer to this question. Jewish tradition at that time stated that any man could show earthly signs (probably a left-over skepticism as a result of Jannes and Jambres). But a sign from heaven, something in the clouds, in the skies, this was thought to be a sign of approval, a seal of sorts directly from God. (Which the disciples had seen when Jesus calmed the storm - AND, really many of the Pharisees and Sadducees had seen as well when God spoke at Jesus’ baptism). And yet they come to Him again, testing Him or tempting Him…sitting in the position of authority over Him, make this demand on Him…

Matthew Chapter 16 Verses 2 – 4

• Jesus snaps! What more do you need? Even if I gave you a sign it would not cure the disease in your heart (that only YOU have the cure for) in that you simply will not believe. They have already seen so much, witnessed so much, heard so much, they’ve willingly missed the obvious (well the trick is to willing see! – You can miss the obvious with relative ease) and so the issue isn’t receiving a sign, or God doing something else, the issue is the stupidity of their hearts!

• There is so much of this today that continues in the church! And we have much less excuse than these Pharisees and Sadducees! We look back on the historical event of the cross and the resurrection! We look around at the presence of the Holy Spirit in the hearts and upon the lives of so many even in our own homes and families and especially the church and yet many, maybe you, remain willfully asleep to the fact that you should be absolutely living EVERY moment for God!

• Is that what you’re doing? Can I ask your mom, your husband, your wife, your boss and they’ll tell me the defining characteristic about you is that you love the Lord and live to make Him famous! That you live to show the love and grace and forgiveness and strength that you have received and do receive daily as you walk with Him? Have you missed the obvious – or maybe better said – is your will to see the truth?

• There’s a story that’s told about Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. They once went on a camping trip set up their tent under the stars and then went to sleep. In the middle of the night Holmes awakened and exclaimed, “Watson, look up and tell me what you deduce.” Watson opened his eyes, and said, “I see billions and billions of stars. It’s likely that some of these stars have planetary systems. Furthermore, I deduce that there is probably oxygen on some of these planets, and it’s possible that life has developed on a few of them.” Is that what you see? Holmes replied, “No, you idiot. Somebody stole our tent!”

• What more do you need? The only answer that brings about a saving faith is, “nothing.” Jesus says the same to these here in our scene…only one sign remains, really the only sign, the resurrection. Signs, miracles, wonders can confirm the scriptures but there is a finite, even fleshly element to them…you sense them with your eyes yet we are told to walk by faith, not by sight! Signs can confirm but they do not convert! In a way, signs can even harm and can even threaten to destroy faith! Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the essence of things unseen! What more do you need? Nothing…what more does your flesh want? Everything!!!

Matthew Chapter 16 Verses 5 – 12

• Jesus really wasn’t talking about the bread but, just like us, they were so focused on the physical and not the spiritual. He could bring bread from the vapor, man but what He could not do was reach into their chests and circumcise their hearts…only they can do that for themselves. Only they can themselves choose to see…just like you and just like me…but just like them, we are so fixed on the physical…
• What is the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees? What is the doctrine we are to beware of that has them trapped, missing the obvious and ultimately bringing them denial from Jesus Himself? I see it as three fold…
• The Pharisees were considered liberal as compared to the Sadducees…often changing interpretations of the law to fit their conveniences…The Sadducees were considered ultra-conservative! In fact they only accepted the Torah. They rejected mostly everything else which is why they rejected the idea of resurrection because it’s not mentioned outright in the Torah…
• So what is their leaven, their sin? Combined…liberalism, ultra-conservatism and overall complexitism! I know, that’s not a word but that’s what they did! They made everything so hard, so complex, so not what God intended. Beware lest we stray from the scriptures in terms of liberalism, to bend to culture and conveniences. Beware lest we stiffen our necks and lose grace in the mix of truth. And beware lest we make things hard…a child can grasp the things of God!

Matthew Chapter 16 Verses 13 – 15

• Here is the most important question for you and for me personally that we will ever answer…whatever everyone else says, what do You say? Who do you say Jesus is? We need to know how to honestly answer that question because there is NOTHING more important…in a moment, I’ll show you how…

Matthew Chapter 16 Verse 16

• Peter’s high point in all of scripture. But what about his letters that he wrote? What about his sermons that he preached in the Book of Acts? What about the miracles done through him? All are meaningless and nothing in the presence of this scene. Face to face with Jesus…confessing Him as Savior, Lord and God…

Matthew Chapter 16 Verses 17 – 20

• Peter was and is not the rock upon which the church is built by the Lord. It is this face to face, coming undone, realization and confession of faith that Jesus Christ is Lord…the Messiah and the Son of the living God! That is the ROCK upon which the church is built! Peter was not the first pope. And I’ll prove it, rather Jesus will prove it in verse 23…
• But I want to touch on this bit about binding…we see nowhere in the early church or the entirety of scripture where the Christians proclaim, “I bind you evil spirit”…this is simply a statement of God’s will is to be done on earth as it is in heaven…through the church, heaven is to come to earth…folks have really taken this statement for a ride and have initiated “binding services” and such…that is simply not taught or seen in the Bible…

Matthew Chapter 16 Verses 21 – 23

• Proof positive that Peter cannot be the first pope. The Catholic Church teaches that the pope is infallible…and yet they claim Peter. “Oh,” they’ll argue, “this is before the Holy Spirit fell upon them.” But recall Paul withstood Peter to his face because he was in the wrong in how he played to the Jews…that was well after the day of Pentecost…

Matthew Chapter 16 Verse 24

• Here is the pattern by which you become a Christian. Desire…many stop here and their faith is in vain…they believe in God but so do the demons…but they desire Him. Who do you say that I am, Jesus says…how can we know…? Pay attention…Who does your life say He is?
• Desire when it meets the resolve of your free will leads to denial of the sinful flesh. Enmity with the flesh! Understand that we are stuck in this fallen state for now but are you on the hunt in your heart and life for that which is of the flesh? Weakness and laziness…aloofness and carelessness for those around you and for the Lord? Begins with desire…have you yet progressed to repentance? Do you want to see?

• And then you take up your cross…you become, as it were, one with Jesus as you submit to Him and fold into Him. And then your life…will look like His. Desire, repentance, accepting Him as your everything…and then, only then, do you and can you follow Him. Does your life look like His? That is the answer to the question, who do you say that He is….

Matthew Chapter 16 Verses 25 – 28

• It does not take death to see the Son of Man. It does not take death to see the Kingdom of God. Desire, repentance, submission and then as you follow Him, He delivers, gives, shows you everything!