Daily Bread 2011 - Matthew 16
Daily Bread Together – Monday – Matthew 16
Verse of the Day: 16:15-20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 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. 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. 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.
What Does This Mean?
Jesus asks the disciples the $64,000 question, “Who do you say that I am?” Jesus had shown through his preaching, teaching and healing that He was the exact fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies, and yet Jesus wants to know that the disciples “know” who He is.
Peter’s confession of faith in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, is the right answer. Jesus affirms the right answer and then lets Peter and the disciples know this revelation and response are engineered by God himself. Peter can’t take credit for getting the right answer on this one, as it has been revealed to him by God.
Importantly, on the rock of Peter’s confession, Jesus promises to build the Church. Jesus then gives the disciples two very important promises. First, that the gates of Hades will not overcome the Church as it maintains this confession Jesus as Lord. In an era when we see unprecedented evil in our society and in the world it is good to know it will not ever overcome the Church. Secondly, upon Peter’s confession, He is promised the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Meaning, as we confess our faith in Jesus as the Messiah, the door has been opened for us to operate in the power of the Kingdom, not our own power.
What Does This Mean For Us?
First of all we must realize that all of the power of the church rests upon our confession of faith in Jesus the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. The word “confess” means to say the same thing as God. Confess means to “speak the truth”. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” Jesus acknowledges that He was indeed the Messiah the prophets foretold. As we believe and confess that Jesus is the Lord, we too become part of the Church.
Secondly the power of the Church is in its confession of Jesus as Lord, through the power of the Holy Spirit revealing it to us. As a church focuses on this, it is given the power to be God’s kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven. It is not any program or personality that drives the growth of the Church, but a confession of Jesus as Lord! As we keep our focus on this truth about Jesus, we cannot be stopped as a Church, even by the power of the evil one.
Have you confessed Jesus as Your Lord? Each day we have the opportunity to do this, trusting in His mercy and grace for us. As we do this together as a church, and individually in our hearts and lives, we will be part of the Church that Jesus started upon the apostle Peter’s confession, and we will continue in Kingdom power until Jesus returns!
Jesus we confess you are Lord and Savior, the Son of the Living God. Thank you for giving us these precious promises to build our lives individually, and as a Church. We know as we remain true to our confession nothing will stop your Church here on earth becoming what you intended it to be, Amen.
Verse of the Day: 16:15-20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 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. 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. 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.
What Does This Mean?
Jesus asks the disciples the $64,000 question, “Who do you say that I am?” Jesus had shown through his preaching, teaching and healing that He was the exact fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies, and yet Jesus wants to know that the disciples “know” who He is.
Peter’s confession of faith in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, is the right answer. Jesus affirms the right answer and then lets Peter and the disciples know this revelation and response are engineered by God himself. Peter can’t take credit for getting the right answer on this one, as it has been revealed to him by God.
Importantly, on the rock of Peter’s confession, Jesus promises to build the Church. Jesus then gives the disciples two very important promises. First, that the gates of Hades will not overcome the Church as it maintains this confession Jesus as Lord. In an era when we see unprecedented evil in our society and in the world it is good to know it will not ever overcome the Church. Secondly, upon Peter’s confession, He is promised the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Meaning, as we confess our faith in Jesus as the Messiah, the door has been opened for us to operate in the power of the Kingdom, not our own power.
What Does This Mean For Us?
First of all we must realize that all of the power of the church rests upon our confession of faith in Jesus the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. The word “confess” means to say the same thing as God. Confess means to “speak the truth”. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” Jesus acknowledges that He was indeed the Messiah the prophets foretold. As we believe and confess that Jesus is the Lord, we too become part of the Church.
Secondly the power of the Church is in its confession of Jesus as Lord, through the power of the Holy Spirit revealing it to us. As a church focuses on this, it is given the power to be God’s kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven. It is not any program or personality that drives the growth of the Church, but a confession of Jesus as Lord! As we keep our focus on this truth about Jesus, we cannot be stopped as a Church, even by the power of the evil one.
Have you confessed Jesus as Your Lord? Each day we have the opportunity to do this, trusting in His mercy and grace for us. As we do this together as a church, and individually in our hearts and lives, we will be part of the Church that Jesus started upon the apostle Peter’s confession, and we will continue in Kingdom power until Jesus returns!
Jesus we confess you are Lord and Savior, the Son of the Living God. Thank you for giving us these precious promises to build our lives individually, and as a Church. We know as we remain true to our confession nothing will stop your Church here on earth becoming what you intended it to be, Amen.
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