Matthew 16
-Jesus indicates to His disciples that the teachings of the
Pharisees and the Sadducees are leaven (a symbol of sin that will rise and
affect the entire loaf, or society/religious system). What He was teaching them
was that wrong teachings can easily lead people astray from the truth and
misguide them into destruction. He also pointed out in this instance that their
faith still had a ways to go since they were doubting about their provision and
lack of bread thinking that was what Jesus was meaning. *Application* Be careful when you have a tendency to think that a
little wrong won’t possibly be enough to affect anybody. Jesus teaches the
exact opposite. Protect any form of false teaching (heresy) as prescribed by
the Word of God for faith and practice. Don’t let anyone lead you astray by
teaching doctrines that you know are not biblical. Liberalism has had a
profound effect on our culture and continues to affect our educational
institutions and churches with ungodly venom, which destroys the purity of our
faith in Christ Jesus. Stay true to God’s Word and you will never falter.
-This occurrence of the Christ (Messiah) profession happens
north of the Sea of Galilee by a good ways near the Hellenistic town of
Caesarea Philippi, which was rich in occult type sacrifices and false deities.
It was here that Jesus questioned His disciples as to whom they thought He was
(Matthew 16:15). He desired to know with a probing question what His reputation
was, in other words, “Who do people say that I am (Matthew 16:13, Mark 8:27,
Luke 9:18)?” It was Peter who spoke up and declared Him to be the Christ (the
Anointed One, the Messiah), the Son of the Living God. Peter was blessed when
he made this recognition with abundant blessings and power poured out on him by
the Savior. It was not flesh and blood that revealed this insight, but the
Father in Heaven through His Spirit (Matthew 16:17). This, in part, initiated
the call on Peter’s life as a leader of the coming church that was built on the
Rock of Christ Jesus, which the gates of hell could not overpower. Peter was
given the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and extraordinary power on earth for
the propagation of the gospel, which he faithfully carried out after the
resurrection of Jesus (John 21:4-19, Acts 2:14-47).
-However, at this time Jesus warned His disciples not to
propagate the message of the Kingdom yet, because it was not yet His time to become
an earthly King (Matthew 16:20). This first incarnation was for the sacrifice
on the cross for the sins of man and no uprising or political revolution was
intended or necessary, which would have happened if the message had gotten out
too widely as to who He was. The Kingdom was to begin quietly but effectively
and no human marketing was needed at this point. *Application* Our recognition of Jesus as the Anointed Savior of
the world is paramount to our personal salvation. Have you received the truth
of the Christ as a believer? Do it today if you’ve put this important decision
off. Christ will come in, take up residence in you and make you His child when
you do by His Spirit.
-Jesus plainly states His plan and intentions in carrying
out the directives from His Father that He had been sent to accomplish to
initiate the Kingdom of God and the redemption of mankind. This plan involved
suffering and rejection at the hands of the elders, the chief priests, and the
scribes. It involved laying down His life in obedience to the Master’s call and
a resurrection that would have power and glory from on High. Peter, not
understanding the full ramifications of this plan and thinking in the flesh,
pulls Christ aside and tries to rebuke His Lord. Christ Jesus calls him Satan
seeing the anti-Christ spirit of the moment and denounces the mindset of
putting man’s interests ahead of God’s. He calls His premier disciple a
stumbling block in His response and then takes the opportunity to teach all of
His disciples one of most important lessons of ministry on earth. He tells
them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his
cross and follow Me. For whosoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but
whoever loses his life for My sake will find it (Matthew 16:24-25, Mark
8:34-35, Luke 9:23-24).” He then related that it profits man nothing to gain
the whole world when his soul is forfeited and lost for eternity. In other
words, nothing on this temporal earth compares to knowing the Lord and spending
eternity in His presence in Paradise because of what He accomplished to pay the
debt of our sin. Jesus told His disciples that this Kingdom would be seen
coming before they tasted death. *Application*
Have you lost your life yet and put your entire focus on God’s interests rather
than your own? This is the key to life eternally as Jesus so succinctly puts
it. He will repay every man according to his deeds (Matthew 16:27). What is
humanly counted as loss in this life will be resurrected in power and strength
that the Lord will provide when we trust in Him to take us and make us new.
There will be tribulation in this world and suffering, but the final victory is
assured when we give up our rights for the glory of the Lord (John 12:25;
16:33)! His love and peace remain in us as we trust in Him and overcome all the
obstacles that the enemy puts in our way. Die to self and live in Him!
Verses to Memorize:
Matthew 16:6, 16-17, 24
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