Sunday, March 23, 2025 AM
WHO AM I? Foundation of the Church 3
Mike Teel Pastor
FOCAL PASSAGE:
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. —Matthew 16:13-20
JESUS IS THE
OF THE CHURCH
18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. —Matthew 16:18
Not only is Jesus the foundation of our Salvation He is also the foundation of the Church!
1. THE
OF THE CHURCH
—God’s will! “I will build my church …”
—If Jesus is establishing the church, then I believe it should be important to us.
2. SPIRITUAL
—One of the things Jesus said to the disciples is about Spiritual protection.
—He said that the “Gates of hell (hades) would not overcome it”.
—Jesus knew how Satan was warring against Him and that He would also war against His established assembly the church.
—Spiritual protection is important in this day we see Spiritual Warfare all around us.
—If you are not a member allow me to strongly encourage you to consider joining today.
—-You can join by a profession of faith and baptism.
—-You can join by the transfer of your membership from another Baptist Church (by letter).
—-You can join by baptism if you have never been scripturally baptized by immersion.
—-You can join by baptism if you are coming from another denomination.
JESUS
ON THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” —Matthew 16:17-19
—Now that Peter had expressed his understanding of who Jesus is and made his profession of faith, Jesus begins to explain to them the concepts of the church.
—There is much misunderstanding in today’s world pertaining to these verses of scripture.
1.
…and I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, (Matthew 16:18)
—These Jewish men, steeped in Old Testament Scripture, recognized the rock as a symbol of God.
4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. —Deuteronomy 32:4
2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. —Psalm 18:2
31 For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? —Psalm 18:31
—Let’s investigate the Greek words the Holy Spirit led Matthew to use.
—“you are Peter (Petros his spiritual name meaning a stone), and on this rock (Petra – a large rock suitable for foundation) I will build my church.
—Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ and confesses Him as the Son and God and Savior, is a “living stone” making up spiritual house.
4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by people, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. —I Peter 2:4-5 (NASB)
22 The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; —Psalm 118:22
16 So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic. —Isaiah 28:16
—In other words, when the evidence is examined, the total teaching of Scripture is that the church, God’s temple (Ephesians 2:19-22), is built on Jesus Christ—not Peter as some would have you believe.
2.
…I will build my church, (Matthew 16:18)
—We have already spent some time examining the Greek word for church which is Ekklesia and means “a called-out assembly”.
—Jesus spoke about “MY church” in contrast to other assemblies.
—Jesus Christ would be the Builder of this church, the Head of this church.
22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church. —Ephesians 1:22
18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. —Colossians 1:18
—Each believer in this church is a “living stone” (I Peter 2:5)
—Believers would meet in local congregations, or assemblies, to worship Christ and to serve Him, but they would also belong to a universal church, a temple being built by Christ.
3.
OF HELL/HADES …and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (Matthew 16:18)
—Recall where Jesus and His disciples are at this moment. They are in Caesarea Philippi where all types of pagan worship took place.
—At the place where the shrine of Pan, the fertility god, was built. The shrine to Pan was located in front of a large cave like opening revealing a very deep pit known as “The Gates of Hell” that was thought to be access to the underworld where fertility gods lived during the winter.
—A better translation would be “gates of Hades.”
—Hell is the final destination of all unsaved people after the judgment of the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11-15.)
—Hades like the Hebrew word “Sheol” is simply “the realm of the dead or the abode of the dead.”
—It was thought that before Christ died on the cross, was buried and resurrected all the dead went to hades – believers to a paradise portion to await the payment for sins and unbelievers to a punishment portion to await the final judgment.
—“Gates” represent, in the Bible, authority and power, protection and separation.
—“The gates of hades” then would symbolize the organized power of death and Satan.
—By His death and resurrection, Jesus Christ would conquer death, so that death would not be able to hold any of His people.
4.
OF THE KINGDOM …I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, (Matthew 16:19a)
—A key represents authority. Normally if you have a key to something you have authority to use it or take advantage of it (Note key to home, work, car, etc.)
—No man on earth carries the literal keys to heaven!
—Peter by his confession obviously knew that faith in Jesus was the key to heaven.
—All the jokes about “St. Peter” at the pearly gate: stem from this misunderstanding. They are both unbiblical and in bad taste.
—And today WE have been given the keys to heaven to share with others who have not heard.
—Nowhere in this passage, or in the rest of the New Testament, are we told that Peter or his successors had any special position or privilege in the church.
—The question this morning is this: “What will you do with the KEY to heaven that you have been entrusted with? Will you share it with others who do not know?”
5.
AND LOOSING …whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:19b)
—This was a very familiar phrase to the Jews, for their Rabbis often spoke of “binding and loosing,” that is, forbidding or permitting.
—As representatives of their Lord, they would teach and exercise authority according to the will of God by His Word.
—Recall many of those present with Jesus at this moment would later write for us their account of time spent with Jesus that would become part of the New Testament.
—The Greek verbs in Matthew 16:19 are most important in our understanding of this portion of the verse.
—The Expanded Translation by Dr. Kenneth S. Wuest, a well-known Bible scholar and commentator reads: “And whatever you bind on earth [forbid to be done], shall have been already bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth [permit to be done], shall already been loosed in heaven.”
—Jesus did not say that God would obey what they did on earth, but that they should do on earth whatever God had already willed.
—They would have the great opportunity after Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection to share the things God forbids and permits here on earth.
LIVE IT OUT
Have you placed your faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of the living God?
Have you shared this with a church so they could affirm your profession?
Have you united with this local New Testament church by either baptism or transfer of membership from another Baptist fellowship?
What prevents you from doing this today?