Matthew 16 - The Challenges and Rewards of Following Jesus!"
Matthew 16 - NIV
The Demand for a Sign
16 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.
Jesus showed plenty of signs to the public, but the Pharisees and Sadducees were asking him to show them a sign "to test them". They wanted to use it against him somehow.
2 He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ 3 and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.[a] 4 A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away.
Jesus realized what their motives were and realized thst even if they showed him a sign they would not believe. They were smart enough look at nature to predict how the weather that day would be that day, but they were not aware of all the signs that Jesus had already fulfilled from the Old Testament. So Jesus answered these hypocritical leaders by telling them the only sign they would see was the sign of Jonah.
So what was sign of Jonah? Jonah was the reluctant prophet, who was in the belly of the whale for three days for refusing to preach to the Ninevites. But he was spit out the whale and eventually did God's will. Jesus was in the belly of the death for 3 days, but then raised again from the dead just like he said he would be. This is the greatest sign God could have ever given to the Israelites and their leaders. But, as we will see, they rejected it too.
The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees
5 When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. 6 “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7 They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.”
Jesus warned the disciples about the false teaching of the Jewish leaders by telling them to "be on guard for their yeast."
Yeast was the ingredient that was worked through the whole dough. A little bit of yeast changed the whole dough. In the same way, a little bit of bad teaching or bad doctrine can be like the yeast of the Pharisees. It can work through the whole church. In the last 2,000 years, the church has been the victim of many false teachings, which we call "heresies". A heresy is a slight twisting of the truth which destroys the whole nature of the gospel. It usually involves adding works to grace, or denying either Jesus' divinity or humanity. It seems like a small change but it changes the gospel.
The disciples could only focus on the literal meaning and not the spiritual meaning, so they thought he was talking about bread.
8 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? 9 Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 11 How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Jesus was disappointed by their understanding. They were worried about having enough bread when he had just multiplied a few loaves to feed thousands of people. By the end of the conversation they realized what he meant.
Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah
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.”
As they were traveling Jesus gave the disciples a pop quiz. He asked them, "Who is the son of man?" They responded saying he was one of the prophets. By the way many people say this today too. They admit Jesus was a prophet, but not the Son of God. Jesus did not leave that option to us. He was and is the only Son of God or not?
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,[b] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[c] will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[e] loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
But Peter got it right by calling him, "The Messiah, the son of living God!" Then Jesus says something very important. He tells him that this was not revealed to him by any human means but by the Father in heaven. Anyone who has come to faith in Jesus as their Savior, has had a similar experience. None of us can take credit for faith, if we believe and have been "born-again" it is a spiritual awakening led by God the Holy Spirit.
Then, as importantly, Jesus says these words, "You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of hades shall not overcome it. I give you the keys to the kingdom and whatever you declared on earth will be done in heaven."
This verse is paramount to understanding the power Jesus has given to the church and the authority it has to make decisions and proclamation. In the Catholic church, Peter is considered the first pope in the church. They believe in apostolic succession through which bishops have succeeded Peter, the original bishop. This is also called the "historic episcopacy". "Episcopos" is the greek word for "overseer or bishop". This is also related to the priest announcing the forgiveness of sins and priests hearing confession and offer "absolution". That is the "absolution" or "forgiveness" of sins.
In the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther, taught of the "priesthood of all believers". He believed every Christian was a "little priest" (aka priesthood of all believers), and we can confess our sins to each other and offer absolution as fellow believers, as James 5:16 says, "Confess your sins to one another."
So you can see the difference in how the authority of the church is viewed in the Catholic and Protestant church. Both churches believe you are saved by grace through faith in Jesus, but the way the church views their role on the ongoing process of assuring people of their salvation is slightly different. The other major branch of the church is Orthodox. So the three main historical branches of the church are
1. Catholic - Started around 4th century B.C.
2. Orthodox - Started in the 11th century B.C.
3. Protestant - Started around 16th B.C. (within Protestantism there is denominations like: Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Baptist, and a slew of others including "non-denomination church like many Megachurches in your local area.) Note most megachurches usually came from or have their roots in one of the Protestant churches.
Jesus Predicts His Death
21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
Not only was Peter the first to confess Jesus as the Messiah, he was also the first to be a stumbling block to Jesus. When Jesus revealed to Peter how he would suffer, die, and be raised from the dead in three days, Peter was adamantly opposed to it. And to this Jesus said to Peter, "Get behind me Satan". Wow that is quite a rebuke.
Though Peter was not Satan, Satan was trying to use him to dissuade Jesus from going to the cross. Satan knew when Jesus went to the cross, he would be defeated once and for all and would do anything to stop it including getting one of his closest followers to deter him.
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?
Jesus then clarified what it would mean to be his followers. He would not be leading them to positions of power and prestige. In fact, if they were to follow him, they too would have to take up THEIR OWN CROSSES. Jesus gave clarity to all his would-be followers by letting them know that following him would mean giving up one's life for him. They would have to give up on worldly aspirations and ambitions, die to their selves, and serve him even to the point of their own death.
How do you see this relating to your own walk with Christ? His calling and demands of us have not changed. Following Jesus is not easy but by giving up our lives we find them!
27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. 28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
Though following Jesus requires all of us, we will never be disappointed for what we gave to Jesus. We will be rewarded way beyond what we have given of our time. talents, and treasures. You can't outgive God! It will be worth it all one day. As Paul says, "No eye gas seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what the Son of God has prepared for those who love him!" 1 Corinthians 2:9
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