Participants: Glenn Russell & Ranko Stefanovic (Host)
Series Code: MTBOTB
Program Code: MTBOTB000012B
|
00:01 Welcome back to our Books of the Book series
00:02 on the Gospel of Mathew. 00:04 We continue our discussion Mathew, Chapter 16. 00:07 We were just talking about Peter's confession 00:09 that Jesus is the messiah, the Christ. 00:14 We were just at such a critical passage Ranko. 00:17 Help us understand Jesus response 00:19 because His response is very significant. 00:20 Yeah. Peter's response was you are the Christ. 00:28 You know, Christ is Greek, Christos. 00:31 It's equivalent to the Jewish messiah. 00:34 So actually Peter said, you are the messiah, 00:37 the promised one that we were waiting. 00:39 So he got a ride and Jesus affirmed him. 00:41 Well keep in mind that Peter's response is completely 00:45 different from what people were saying around. 00:49 And now Jesus makes this statement to Peter. 00:53 "You are blessed, Simon Bar-Jonah," 00:58 which it says is translation. 00:59 Bar, its Aramaic means son of Jonah because 01:05 "flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, 01:09 but my father who is in heaven." 01:11 This text indicates to us that the confession 01:16 that Peter made was not actually his invention. 01:19 It is not the product of his mindset, what his calculations. 01:24 Actually it was really the revelation from God. 01:27 Keeping in mind that the disciples. 01:29 The all time they had role concept of Jesus. 01:32 He would establish His kingdom. 01:34 There would be His prime ministers. 01:35 But at these times Peter got a special incite 01:42 that came from the Holy Spirit, 01:44 really admitting who Jesus was. 01:47 He was that messiah. 01:49 Messiah would come to redeem 01:51 the fallen humanity by virtue of his death. 01:55 We often hard on Peter but that was a good response. 01:58 He was right on side. 01:59 He is the spokesman of the group of the holy people. 02:01 And then Jesus said to Peter. 02:03 And I say to you, you are Peter and now," 02:08 this is very interesting statement. 02:11 "And up on these rock I will built my church 02:16 and the gates of Hades will not overpower it." 02:22 There are some Christians who believe that actually 02:25 here Jesus made Peter to be the rock of the church. 02:30 Upon which the church is supposed to be built 02:33 and because of that the church cannot make mistake. 02:37 The church cannot apostate because 02:40 it's built on the rock of Peter. 02:43 Actually, I'll suggest you that this is completely 02:47 opposite to what did the text said. 02:49 Let's put it here in the original context. 02:52 The word Peter the name Peter 02:57 actually its Greek Petros which was not common. 03:03 But it came from the word Petra in Greek which means rock. 03:08 So Petra which is feminine 03:11 becomes Petros that is masculine. 03:14 What do you mean with that? 03:16 Glenn, I will appreciate if you open 03:18 the Gospel of John Chapter 1, verse 42. 03:22 Okay, John 1, verse 42, okay. 03:26 And I'll also open Mathew, Chapter 4:18. 03:32 John 1:42. Yes. 03:36 "And he brought him to Jesus. 03:37 Now when Jesus looked at him and said, 03:40 "You are Simon the son of Jonah, 03:42 you shall be called Cephas," which is translated as storm. 03:45 Okay. Let me talk about these disciples. 03:49 How do you call him? Petros. 03:50 But let's keep in mind. It was his nickname. 03:54 His real name was Simon which is Jewish name. 03:58 Petros is actually Greek which is not a name. 04:00 Actually Jesus invented His name from Petros 04:04 probably Peter was always of that hot temper. 04:09 As Galilean he could be very stubborn. 04:12 So Jesus named him to be Petros after Petra. 04:17 So Jesus is here playing with the words. 04:20 Jesus gave him and he says, you know, you are Petros. 04:24 And on these Petra, which is rock, 04:28 I will build my church 04:31 and the gates of Hades will not overpower. 04:35 So we have--now we have to explain, 04:38 is Peter that rock upon which 04:42 Jesus planned to build his church? 04:48 Actually the context of the Bible 04:50 does not support that idea. 04:54 Number one, nowhere in the New Testament Peter 04:59 is the rock upon which God planned to build the church. 05:04 Let's start first with the Old Testament. 05:06 In the Old Testament the rock is frequent metaphor for God. 05:11 Glenn, I would appreciate 05:13 if you can open Deuteronomy chapter 32:4. 05:16 And I'll read Psalm 18:2. 05:18 I believe it's important that we read this text. 05:22 Deuteronomy Chapter 32:4 and I'll read Psalm 18:2. 05:26 Just 2 verses. Okay. 05:30 Deuteronomy 32:4. Yes. 05:33 Going back away as in the scriptures here, 05:38 "He is the Rock, his work is perfect, 05:41 for all his ways are justice the God of truth and without 05:44 injustice, righteous and up righteous he." 05:47 Who's rock? Certainly not Peter as long before-- 05:50 Let's look at Psalm 18:2, "The Lord is my rock, 05:53 my fortress and my deliverer, what else, my God is my rock." 05:59 Two times it's repeated. Okay. 06:01 Let's invite brother Peter and ask him 06:03 brother Peter, are you rock? 06:07 Or the rock upon reaches. 06:09 Let's see what Peter would say. 06:11 I would like you to invite you to open 06:12 1st Peter Chapter 2, verses 4 to 8. 06:15 And I'll read the Book of Acts. 06:18 We don't have just one statement 06:20 that Peter made about this. 06:21 He made two times and Peter actually made this claim. 06:27 So we're asking Peter himself are you the rock? 06:29 Yes, brother Peter who is that rock? 06:31 Let me first start with the book of Acts 06:33 Chapter 4 verse 8, Peter said, 06:37 "Peter filled with the Holy Spirit said to them 06:40 to the Jewish leaders, rulers and elders 06:43 of the people if we are on try today for benefit. 06:47 Then to sick man is to how this man 06:50 who has been made well. 06:52 Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel 06:57 that by the name Jesus Christ, the Nazarene, 07:00 whom you crucified whom God raised from the dead 07:03 by these name these man stands before you in good health. 07:07 He is the stone which was rejected by you the builders 07:15 by which became the chief cornerstone 07:19 and there is salvation in no one else." 07:21 There is no other rock according to Peter. 07:24 "For there is no other name under the heaven that has been 07:27 given to man by which we must be saved." 07:30 So he never says, I'm the rock. 07:32 No. Very clearly 07:34 Not only he said, I'm not the rock. 07:36 He said, there is no other rock. 07:39 Can you read also First Peter. Also comes from Peter. 07:42 First Peter 2:4. "Coming to him 07:45 as to a living stone rejected indeed by men, 07:47 but chosen by God and precious. 07:50 You also has living stones 07:51 are being built up to spiritual house. 07:54 The holy Priests are to offer up spiritual sacrifices 07:57 acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 07:59 Therefore is also contained in the scripture, 08:02 behold the lands lie on a chief cornerstone. 08:05 He left precious. And he who believes on Him 08:08 will by no means be put to shame. 08:10 Therefore to you who believe He's precious 08:14 but to those who ae disobedient. 08:16 The stone which the builders rejected 08:18 has become the chief cornerstone. 08:20 And a stone of stumbling a rock of the fence." 08:23 Is that clear? But Glenn, I asking one tricky question 08:26 be careful how you answer. 08:27 All right. Is Peter a rock? 08:30 Is Peter a rock? He is. Really he'd a nick name. 08:33 And he makes very clear then you and me an all our viewers. 08:37 We are all rocks into that building. 08:39 But who is the chief rock, the cornerstone? 08:43 It's actually Jesus Christ. Does it make clear? 08:46 Yes, Peter is rock as any one of us. 08:50 This is what makes that building called the church. 08:53 The Jesus, I mean I say building 08:54 we mean spiritual building. 08:56 Made of the believers but we're all built 08:59 on that cornerstone of Jesus Christ. 09:03 So, now what is the point that Jesus try to make here. 09:06 That's the question. Okay, let's make it. 09:09 When Peter confesses that 09:13 Jesus is the Messiah he is the rock. 09:18 But he's not the chief rock he's not that unmovable stone. 09:23 Okay. However when Jesus denies, 09:29 that Jesus is the Messiah, do you know what he becomes? 09:35 I don't want to waste-- When Peter denies the Jesus? 09:39 You see, when He confesses the Jesus Messiah he's rocks. 09:42 When he denies what is he? Let's read verse 23. 09:45 It's better that the Bible says, than me. 09:47 Sure. I can't be misunderstood. 09:50 Verse 20 and we're back in Mathew, Chapter 16. 09:52 Yeah, let's read from 21 to 23. 09:55 "All right, from that time 09:56 Jesus began to show to his disciples. 09:58 That he must go to Jews. 10:00 So many suffer many things from the elders 10:01 and the chief priest and the scribes 10:03 and be killed and be raised the third day. 10:06 Then Peter took him beside and began to rebuke him. 10:09 Saying, forbid from you Lord this shall not happen to you. 10:14 And he turned and said to Peter get behind and Satan. 10:17 You're offense to me for you not mindful 10:20 of the things of God but the thing's of men. 10:23 Now, I'm asking you very important question. 10:25 When Peter confessed that Jesus 10:27 is the messiah, he's the rock. 10:29 When he denies the Jesus messiah who's suppose to die. 10:33 What is he? He's a tool of Satan. 10:37 He's tool of Satan. He's not a infallible rock. 10:39 So you see, Peter is not that solid rock 10:42 in which the church is suppose to believe. 10:44 You know we've before in the text we read it. 10:47 When Peter walks on the water then he is the stone of faith, 10:53 however when he sinks under the water, 11:00 he's the person of little faith. 11:02 You see, the Bible never proclaims when person 11:05 who's the foundation and forever he's the pillar 11:09 when we are faithful to God. 11:11 Then we're rocks. We're the followers of Jesus Christ. 11:16 When we really deny who Jesus truly is 11:20 then we can become the instruments of Satan 11:26 and here this movement Satan was using Peter 11:31 to prevent him to go to the cross. 11:32 Jesus said, we're going now I'll die and Peter 11:35 tried to prevent Jesus actually Jesus recognized. 11:38 It was not about Peter. 11:39 You remember, before Peter did not say, 11:42 he's blush and flood, blood did not make the confession. 11:46 In the same way not his blood and flesh made the confession. 11:51 Actually it was Satan who was working through him. 11:53 And it was the issue of the cross. 11:54 Wasn't it? Yes. 11:56 It was the issue that disciples now 11:57 and so Jesus is the messiah. 12:01 But their definition of messiah needed reshaping. 12:04 And when Jesus says, now that you understand 12:06 I'm the messiah, let me tell you what's ahead for me. 12:09 And He's heading to the cross. Excellent. 12:11 And though Jesus makes the warning in verse 24, 12:14 I would like to conclude with this. 12:16 Then Jesus said to His disciples 12:18 "if anyone decides to come after me. 12:20 Let him deny himself, take up this cross and follow me." 12:23 Okay, what is that Peter needed? 12:26 He needed to take the cross of Jesus upon himself. 12:29 If Peter refuses to do it, what happens to him? 12:33 He'll lose his disciples in salvation. 12:35 You see, Praise God. 12:38 I would like now to turn to our viewers. 12:40 So many times we feel like 12:42 Peter we are carried without emotions. 12:45 We see the beauty of Jesus and his character, 12:48 but so many times our hearts are filled 12:51 with the doubt about the Jesus Christ. 12:53 But praise God, the Gospel of Mathew 12:57 is telling us that Jesus Christ we have 13:00 a wonderful Savior, who understand us. 13:02 He looks under the surface and we're accepted. 13:05 We're loved in him and we can become those rocks, 13:09 built into that house of his church. |
Revised 2023-10-10