“…Make you fishers of men…”

The Christ, the Son of the Living God    Matthew 16:15,16

The Camp theme has emphasized that our relations with Christ must be a personal one, and that it does not matter what the rest of the world thinks.

Lesson –

Matthew 16:13-17  When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

I.  Our introduction to the disciples –

  A.  They were submissive.  John 1:35-43

    1.  Submitted to John’s message.  John 1:35

    2.  Sought after Jesus.  John 1:36-39

    3.  Shared the truth with others.  John 1:40-43

  B.  They were sensitive.  They knew what they had need of.

    1.  They were sensitive to their person.  Luke 4:8  “sin”

    2.  They were sensitive to their prayer.  “…teach us to pray.”

    3.  They were sensitive to His perfection.  “What manner of man is

         this?”

  C.  They were saved.  “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

    1.  The Son of Man was their King.

    2.  The Son of Man was their Power.

    3.  The Son of Man was their Saviour!

II.  Orientation of the ministry – a new direction.  Matthew 16:13 – 17:13

  A.  He received the testimony  –      Matthew 16:13-17

    1.  Of men.    Matthew 16:13,14

      a.  The question about their opinion.

Matthew 16:13  When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

      b.  The confusion of men noted.   What did the world think?

Matthew 16:14  And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

        1).  The popular consensus – He is a man of God. 

              (All of these men were highly esteemed)

        2).  The predicted confusion.  Refer to –

Matthew 13:13-16  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

    2.  Of the disciples.  Matthew 16:15-17

      a.  The question about their belief. 

Matthew 16:15    He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

      b.  The confession of Peter commended. Matthew 16:16,17

        1).  The singular reply.  Matthew 16:16a

              “…And Simon Peter answered…”

        2).  The Saviour exalted.  Matthew 16:16b

               “…and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God…”

        3).  The spiritual discernment.  Matthew 16:17

               Matthew 16:17  And Jesus answered and said unto him,

               Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not

               revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

          a).  The truth is revealed by God.

          b).  The truth is believed by faith.  Refer to –

John 1:13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.    See also –

         2 Corinthians 5:7  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

            (1).  Walking by sight.

              (a).  The Pharisees, Scribes, and Saducees sought signs.

              (b).  People sought service and supply.

            (2).  Walking by faith.  Peter believed God. 

1 Peter 1:21-23  Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

   Refer also to –

Romans 10:13-14  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

Based on this confession of Jesus being “The Christ, the Son of the Living God” –

  B.  He revealed the church. 

Matthew 16:18-20  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

    1.  He complimented Peter’s growth.  16:18a

John 1:42  And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

      a.  You shall be – Cephas  – Kefas  (Aramaic)  a stone – petros

           (Greek)                      

      b.  You are – Peter – Petros  a rock, stone

      c.  You will – use the keys to the kingdom

    2.  He commended Peters confession. 16:18b

         The foundation of the church

         1 Corinthians 3:10,11/15:1-4

    3.  He commanded Peter’s ministry.  16:19

      a.  The ministry of preaching.  The keys

        1).  To the Jews.  Acts 2:14-41

        2).  To the Samaritans.  Acts 8:14-17

        3).  The Gentiles.  Acts 10

      b.  The ministry of instruction – binding and loosing. 

           Refer to Acts 11:1-18

Ephesians 4:11-12  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

The salvation of men, the establishment of His church, the glory of God,

 all because that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God!

Who is Jesus to you tonight?

Is He a man among men, or is He Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, the Son

of the Living God?