Shattering the Gates of Hell, Matt 16:13-18 # 311
INTRO Jesus used this conversation to deliver to his disciples three of the most important truths a Christian will need. This is a tremendous passage of scripture!
If His disciples had failed to get these truths they would have also failed to change the world like they did, and you would not have been saved today.
A. Read text with running commentary:
1. Notice the complimentary answers. VS 13-14. Jesus is compared to Elijah, Jeremiah etc. The masses were impressed with Jesus.
2. vs. 15 The most important question. Whom say ye that I am? NOTICE PETERS ANSWER vs. 16. This is the first time anyone has called Jesus the messiah, anointed, the one we have all been waiting on.
3. vs. 17-18 THIS IS THE TEXT THAT CONTAINS THE GREAT TRUTHS vs. 18. read it.
Because this is such an important verse, containing such important truth, Satan has attacked it ON three sides.
He has caused false interpretations to weaken Christ's people, and let more of the world die and go to hell. Satan has started FALSE interpretations in three areas. The WHO, the WHAT and the WHY.
Who is the Rock. What is the Church. Why does is exist.
I. WHO IS THE ROCK! ! !
What did Jesus mean when he said "Upon this Rock"
A. Four different interpretations of this phrase
1. Roman Catholics say the rock is Peter. From this verse they get their idea of the Papacy and their hierarchal organization. I don't agree
2. Some say Jesus was referring to the TRUTH of Peters statement. "Thou art the Christ".. A good statement but this isn't the right interpretation.
3. Some say he was referring to Peters Faith. Wrong.
4. The right interpretation. ( you may ask how I know this is the right interpretation, well I'm going to show you.)
JESUS WAS SAYING (gesturing toward himself) UPON THIS (himself) ROCK. THE ROCK HE IS TALKING ABOUT IS HIMSELF.
We know this is true because , fortunately there was someone there who saw his gesture, and understood exactly what he meant. AND he wrote part of the New Testament. PETER.
LOOK AT 1 PETER 2: 6-8 WHAT DID Peter understand Jesus to mean?
AUTHORITIES 1pet 2:6-8 What did Peter understand?
Eph 2:20. Paul was an authority on Christ and what was his understanding of Jesus. THE ROCK.
MATT 16:18 NOW look at exactly what Jesus said. Jesus said "Thou art Peter (PETROS) and upon this rock (PETRA) I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH. Jesus called Simon "Rocky" PETROS. P-E-T-R-O-S- a diminutive term, meaning little rock, a piece of rock, a sling shot sized rock. BUT UPON THIS rock P-E-T-R-A- A BIG ROCK. T H E ROCK, bedrock, the rock that underlies mountains. The church is build to the bedrock of Christ. Peter is just a chip of the Big Rock.
B. OK, SO What? How is knowing that going to TRANSFORM MY LIFE???
1.Your Salvation is sure! You are on the rock!
(Jesus told parable of house built on rock vs. one on the sand)
2.Christ's church is "on the rock" If you are on the rock you are "part of the church".
II. What is the CHURCH? Who does it belong to?
ILLUS. A child said, "preacher that's a silly question." "Everyone knows it belongs to the deacons."
A catholic said, "everyone knows it belongs to the Pope."
A Methodist said, "everyone know it belongs to the conference."
A. WHO DID Jesus SAY IT BELONGED TO? "HE SAID "MY CHURCH"
Why would a kid think the church belonged to the deacons, or a pope or some other worldly entity. BECAUSE THE ACT LIKE THEY OWN IT. IT IS JESUS' CHURCH.
THIS CHURCH IS JESUS' CHURCH, if it's a church at all.
These are his hymn books, his pews his instruments his building his people. LISTEN IT IS TIME WE REALIZE THAT THIS IS HIS CHURCH, WE ARE HIS CHURCH, WE ARE HIS PEOPLE, WE HAVE BEEN BOUGHT WITH THE PRICE OF HIS SHED BLOOD. HE OWNS US.!
And if we are not HIS we are not a church.
A. THE NAME DOESNT MAKE IT CHRIST'S CHURCH, WHAT IS CHURCH?
1, Not a building, it is a people.
a. Saved people.
b. Baptized people. (I'm not speaking of who is in heaven, I'm talking about the church. I know the thief on the cross wasn't baptized and is in heaven.) To be part of the church you need be baptized two ways :
1. Baptized by the spirit. 1 COR. 12:13 this is part of the new birth.
2. Baptized by water, in obedience to Christ. Baptism is the first act of obedience of the believer. It is the observable act which tells the world that you are committed to the Lord.
3 A Holy Spirit led people. There is no Pope ruling the church, there is no ecclesiastical hierarchy. MY FRIEND THE GROUND AROUND THE CROSS IS LEVEL GROUND. NO MAN RULES. THE ONLY RULER THE TRUE CHURCH HAS IS JESUS CHRIST.
a. Who runs the Church? JESUS. If he isn't running the thing with the steeple then it isn't a New Testament Church. JESUS SAID "MY CHURCH" It is his. Not yours, It is his, not the preachers, not the deacons, and if any church is to prosper it is because they let JESUS RUN "HIS CHURCH"
LISTEN, I'm going to tell you why most of the churches in this land are not Winning the lost, are not growing. IT IS BECAUSE CHRIST ISN'T RUNNING IT. There is some person, or group or family that runs things there way. It may be some LAZY PREACHER, some hireling, who won' crossed the street to obey the great commission. SOME influential members who have not led a person to Christ in their life, who stir up a fuss every time someone gets excited about winning the lost. SOME DENOMINATIONL leader who's whole ministry focuses on "keeping those dollars rolling in"
MY HEART IS BREAKING because I see this happening all over our land. IT IS JESUS CHRISTS CHURCH, Not mine, not yours, not the associations, not the GBC not the SBC, CHRIST'S.
SO LETS OBEY HIM! Lets emphasize what he emphasizes, lets GO INTO THIS Community because he says GO. LETS concentrate on winning men to him because HE SAY SO. LETS, SET THE PACE so other churches who have LOST THEIR VISION can catch a little of our fire.
HOW! I'LL TELL YOU HOW ATTACK THE GATES OF HELL. BE AGRESSIVE.
III. The who is JESUS, the WHAT is the CHURCH and Now the last point.. THE WHY. NOW READ VS 18"THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL...
A. I heard a preacher tell of hearing a sermon on this text when he was a boy, the preacher described the little clapboard church, (go into narrative style) describe the pit of hell opening up and the demons of hell attacking the church. As this preacher waxed eloquent this young man imagined his church becoming a fortress with battlements, drawbridge etc. Inside sat Gods flock huddled together, Jesus in heaven saying "hang on, hang on. And the preachers climax was. "THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT". THIS IS THE WRONG PICTURE FOR THIS TEXT.
B. Why is this wrong. Because the word here translated as Gates, is the GREEK word PULE which means ...G A T E S.. that's right just a plain old gate. Any child here knows what gates are for. For keeping things out. They are defensive.
illus. Imagine a general going to his troops one morning and saying, "men we got a big battle today, a fierce fight. so you had better get all the gates you can carry. Men search the countryside for every last gate because we are attacking shortly. HOW SILLY. An offensive army doesn't carry defensive gates into battle.
C. Notice another word " PREVAIL" WHAT DOES IT MEAN? "Not able to withstand" The defenses of hell cannot withstand the Gospel. HELL CANNOT WITHSTAND THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL.
IN THIS SCRIPTURE JESUS IS PUTTING THE CHURCH ON THE OFFENSIVE. He said, "Peter, you small rock sitting on the BIG rock, I will build MY church and it will move against the GATES OF HELL and these gates will crumble against the attack.
1. IF we would just let this soak into our lives Victory would be ours. Under the leadership of the LORD who RUNS THIS CHURCH we can go out and KICK DOWN THE GATES OF HELL.
LISTEN, CHRIST DIDN'T SAVE YOU TO HUDDLE TOGETHER AND TREMBOL IN THE FACE OF A LOST AND DYING WORLD. HE SAVED YOU TO WIN OTHERS.
Satan has attacked this verse more than most because here lies the truth of a Christians power. IT IS CHRIST who will give us victory, HE IS THE ROCK. IT IS HIS CHURCH, IT IS HIS ORDERS for us to GO AND ATTACK, BE AGRESSIVE.
SATAN DOESN'T WANT YOU TO BELIEVE THIS? Why, He can't win if you obey the LORD.
INVITATION:
Where are you at today. are you spiritually in the fort. "Lord its rough down hear, but I'm holding on." or are you. "Lets get out of the fort and Kick down the gates of hell"
ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus, going on before.
LISTEN TO THIS VERSE;
AT THE SOUND OF TRIUMPH, SATANS HOST DOTH FLEE
ON THEN CHRISTIAN SOLDIER, ON TO VICTORY,
HELLS FOUNDATIONS QUIVER, AT THE SHOUT OF PRAISE
BROTHERS LIFT YOUR VOICES LOUD YOUR ANTHEMS RAISE.
