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Matthew 16:13-28 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

0:00
As I stated previously, this morning is a commissioning service for those who will begin to meet next week as CFC Oakwood.
0:08
! That means a change for us here too. We've just been Christ Family Church up until this point, but beginning next week we'll be CFC Dahlonega.
0:16
So, a bit of a change there as well.
0:19
And as this is going to happen, and as we've been talking about it for quite some time, and visiting together over it the last couple of weeks,
0:29
I recognize that the fact that this is happening is a bittersweet reality.
0:34
There's such great good in sending out people to take the gospel in greater ways to another community.
0:42
And we're going to have to say goodbye, at least in part, to some of our faith family.
0:47
And these people will be missed surely. Now, they're just in Oakwood. We're not sending them across the ocean.
0:55
We're going to find ways to get together and see each other, but it won't be quite the same.
1:01
And I hope together as a church, as we do this this time, and I hope do it again and again and again,
1:09
as we continually focus outward and not inward, as we are more concerned about how far and not how big.
1:19
It won't be the last time that we see churches started out of our church, both CFC Dahlonega and CFC Oakwood.
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And as such, I think it's prudent this morning to step away from our verse-by-verse exposition of the book of Acts,
1:35
just to take some time to remember together what church is and why it exists.
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And I'm really thankful in preparation for this that nothing this morning is rebuke,
1:50
but just reminder, just for us as a church, to remember foundational things that make us a church
1:58
and foundational things that will make CFC Oakwood a church
2:02
and however many churches exist beyond that we get to touch as a result of the Lord's work in the life of our community.
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So let's look at Matthew chapter 16. I'm going to read verses 13 through 28.
2:18
Now, when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi,
2:25
He asked His disciples,
2:28
Who do people say that the Son of Man is?
2:31
And they said,
2:33
Some say John the Baptist,
2:34
others say Elijah,
2:36
and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.
2:39
He said to them,
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But who do you say that I am?
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Simon Peter replied,
2:45
You are the Christ,
2:47
the Son of the living God.
2:49
And Jesus answered him,
2:51
Blessed are you,
2:52
Simon Barjona,
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for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you,
2:56
but my Father who is in heaven.
2:59
And I tell you,
3:00
you are Peter,
3:01
and on this rock I will build my church,
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and the gates of hell
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shall not prevail against it.
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I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven,
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and whatever you bind on earth
3:10
shall be bound in heaven.
3:12
And whatever you loose on earth
3:14
shall be loosed in heaven.
3:16
Then He strictly charged the disciples
3:18
to tell no one that He was the Christ.
3:21
From that time,
3:22
Jesus began to show His disciples
3:23
that He must go to Jerusalem
3:25
and suffer many things from the elders
3:27
and chief priests and scribes
3:28
and be killed,
3:29
and on the third day be raised.
3:32
And Peter took Him aside
3:34
and began to rebuke Him,
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saying,
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Far be it from You, Lord.
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This shall never happen to You.
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But He turned and said to Peter,
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Get behind Me, Satan.
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You are a hindrance to Me,
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for you are not setting your mind
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on the things of God,
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but on the things of man.
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Then Jesus told His disciples,
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If anyone would come after Me,
3:54
let him deny himself
3:55
and take up his cross and follow Me.
3:58
For whoever would save his life will lose it,
4:00
but whoever loses his life for My sake
4:03
will find it.
4:04
For what will it profit a man
4:06
if he gains the whole world
4:07
and forfeits his soul?
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Or what shall a man give
4:11
in return for his soul?
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For the Son of Man is going to come
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with His angels
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in the glory of His Father,
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and then He will repay each person
4:19
according to what He has done.
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Truly I say to you,
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there are some standing here
4:24
who will not taste death
4:26
until they see the Son of Man coming
4:28
in His kingdom.
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Beloved, this is God's Word to us.
4:33
It was written for His glory and our good,
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and we would all do well
4:37
to listen to it
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in order to believe its promises
4:40
and obey its commands.
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So, what is the church
4:45
and why does it exist?
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We could spend the rest of the year
4:51
answering these questions.
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I certainly can't do that exhaustively
4:55
over the next 45-ish minutes.
4:57
My attempt is only to answer
5:00
these questions very briefly
5:01
this morning.
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There are many organizations today
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that call themselves churches
5:08
that do not fulfill
5:10
the biblical requirements
5:11
of a true church.
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So what is it that makes a true church?
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There's much to be said
5:17
about the nature of a true church.
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But this morning from our text,
5:20
I just want to point out
5:22
six things that true churches
5:25
have in common.
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So at least these six things.
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This is not exhaustive
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by any stretch of the imagination,
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but at least these six things
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true churches have in common.
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And I intend to keep my comments
5:41
brief concerning each point
5:44
very atypically
5:45
so that we'll have time together
5:48
to pray for the CFC Oakwood people
5:50
as well as some time to say
5:52
goodbye to them
5:53
at the end of the service.
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These six points will be alliterated.
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I've come to really enjoy alliteration.
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I think probably because
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I like to read John MacArthur.
6:06
You've heard Charles Spurgeon
6:08
be called the Prince of Preachers.
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I have dubbed John MacArthur
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the Prince of Alliteration.
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But I also find that it's helpful
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to remember the points,
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particularly as I think about them
6:18
across the week.
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And so you're going to find
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six alliterated points.
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Common things that true churches hold.
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So number one,
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we have a common confession.
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Number one, we have a common confession.
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Beginning in verse 13
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down through verse 16.
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We've traveled now into Caesarea Philippi
6:43
and Jesus asked the disciples,
6:45
who do people say the Son of Man is?
6:47
And they reply with the various responses
6:49
that are coming.
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Everybody's wondering,
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who is this Christ that has come
6:53
and He's now doing all of these miracles
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amongst us?
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And there's been many guesses
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as to who He is.
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But He says,
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who do you say that I am?
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And Peter responds,
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you are the Christ,
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the Son of the living God.
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And we have this common confession.
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If we are true believers
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and if we are part of a true church,
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then we must recognize
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that Jesus is the Messiah,
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the Son of the living God,
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the One who was sent,
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the One who was prophesied about,
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who was sent to the earth,
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the One who came and lived
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a perfect, sinless life,
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who never gave up His deity,
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but He existed fully as man,
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hypostatically, 200%.
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The only time that that above 100%
7:38
ever makes any sense.
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Never tell me to do something 120%.
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That makes no sense.
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But Jesus existed 200%.
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He lived a perfect life,
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but He died a sinner's death.
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He took the wrath of God
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that was due us in Himself
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as He hung on the cross.
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He was buried.
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Three days later,
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He was raised.
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Spent 40 days with the disciples
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and then ascended.
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And He's seated now
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at the right hand of the Father.
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He's interceding for us now.
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He's reigning over us now.
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You are the Christ,
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the Son of the living God.
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We must have this common confession.
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Any church that does not believe
8:23
that Jesus is who the Bible says He is,
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who wants to relegate Him
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to something less than God,
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who wants to make Him our buddy
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rather than our King,
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is not a true church.
8:38
We confess with Paul
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that Jesus is the image
8:42
of the invisible God
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and that all things were created
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by Him
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and through Him
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and for Him.
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Colossians 1, 15 and 16.
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We confess with the writer of Hebrews
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that He is the radiance
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of the glory of God
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and the exact imprint
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of His nature.
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And He upholds the universe
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by the word of His power.
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That's Hebrews 1, 3.
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We confess with Peter and John
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that there is salvation
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in no one else.
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For there is no other name
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under heaven given among men
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by which we must be saved.
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Acts 4, 12.
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In John 6, 60...
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Excuse me.
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I'm way off on my...
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That's not a reference at all for you.
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What a strange edit I did.
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In John 6,
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let me say that.
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In John 6,
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Jesus asked the apostles
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if they also intend
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to abandon Him.
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Remember,
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He's been talking
9:43
in John 6
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about the necessity
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of eating His flesh
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and drinking His blood.
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And people think
9:48
that's weird.
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And a bunch of the people
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who have been following Him
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who were called
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as disciples
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leave Him
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and Jesus asked the apostles
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if they also intend
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to abandon Him.
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And our confession
9:58
is the same
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as Peter's.
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Here we go.
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Verse 68-69.
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Lord,
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to whom shall we go?
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You have the words
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of eternal life.
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And we have believed
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and have come to know
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that You are the Holy One
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of God.
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And so we have
10:17
a common confession.
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Secondly,
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we have a common communication.
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And I must admit,
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I stole this one
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from MacArthur.
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Communication,
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to keep it a C.
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Verse 17,
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And Jesus answered,
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Peter,
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Blessed are you
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for flesh and blood
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has not revealed this to you,
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but my Father
10:43
who is in heaven.
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Peter did not make
10:45
this confession
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by his own cleverness.
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Jesus did not say to him,
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well, finally,
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I've been giving you
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all of the clues
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for who I am
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and you finally
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have sorted it out.
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You've sat down
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and you've done the puzzle
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and you've figured out
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who I am.
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The Father,
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God the Father,
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revealed it to him.
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How did he do so?
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He did it by revelation,
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but specifically,
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he did it by the Spirit
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and the Word.
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He did it by the Spirit
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and the Word.
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Peter,
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knowing his Old Testament Scripture,
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knowing the prophecy
11:28
about who the Christ
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was to be,
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although he misunderstood,
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he didn't quite get it perfectly.
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We'll see it just a bit later
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in our text.
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By the revelation of God,
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helping him to understand
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with seeing the fulfillment
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that Jesus is the Christ.
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He wouldn't have called him
11:46
by this title,
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you are the Christ,
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the Son of the living God.
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Later,
11:51
John 6,
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you're the Holy One of God.
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Had he not known
11:56
his Scripture,
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God uses the Scripture
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in order to bring about
12:02
the revelation of Himself.
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We have, beloved,
12:06
begun by the Word.
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This is this common communication.
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We've begun by the Word.
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1 Peter 1.23,
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Peter writes,
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You have been born again,
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not of perishable seed,
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but of imperishable
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through the living
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and abiding
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Word of God.
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Not only have we begun
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by the Word,
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but we are being made
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perfect by the Word,
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by this common communication.
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John 17.17,
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Jesus' prayer,
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sanctify them
12:40
in the truth.
12:41
Your Word
12:42
is
12:43
truth.
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So we have this
12:47
common communication.
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the way in which
12:49
the Lord communicates
12:51
to us.
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These two,
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this beginning confession
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that Jesus is
12:56
the Christ
12:57
and this understanding
12:58
as a church
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that the Scripture
13:00
is the way
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in which God
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has spoken
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and now continues
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to speak
13:06
are pillars
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for the church.
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Churches don't believe
13:11
this to be true.
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They are not
13:12
true churches.
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We discard
13:16
the inerrancy
13:17
of the Scripture.
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We discard
13:18
the authority
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of the Scripture.
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We discard
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the sufficiency
13:21
of the Scripture.
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And we are going
13:24
to live in all
13:25
kinds
13:26
of error.
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We may even
13:29
worship the right God,
13:30
but worship Him
13:31
very wrongly.
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We have a
13:35
common
13:36
communication
13:37
and this guides
13:38
the way in which
13:39
we function
13:40
as a church.
13:41
This guides
13:42
the way we're going
13:43
to function
13:43
as a partnership
13:44
of churches.
13:46
We've talked
13:46
a bit recently
13:47
about church
13:48
autonomy,
13:50
which is to say
13:51
that churches,
13:52
we believe,
13:53
should be
13:54
self-governing.
13:56
It's the simplest
13:57
form to say
13:58
that churches
13:58
should be
13:59
self-governing.
14:00
So CFC Dahlonega
14:01
will have leadership
14:02
and CFC Oakwood
14:03
will have leadership.
14:04
That is to say
14:05
that,
14:06
some of you may not
14:08
get this reference,
14:08
but I will not
14:09
become the grand
14:10
poobah
14:10
of CFC churches.
14:14
I got a couple
14:15
of chuckles.
14:15
That's a Flintstones
14:16
reference.
14:18
The Flintstones,
14:20
Fred and Barney
14:20
were part of a
14:21
secret order
14:21
called the
14:22
Loyal Order
14:23
of the Water
14:24
Buffaloes.
14:26
And their leader
14:27
was the grand
14:27
poobah.
14:28
If you prefer
14:29
a Star Wars
14:30
analogy,
14:31
I will not
14:31
become the
14:32
viceroy
14:32
of CFC
14:35
churches.
14:38
We will be
14:38
autonomous churches
14:39
partnering together
14:41
directed by
14:42
God's
14:44
word.
14:45
Final authority.
14:48
To further
14:48
make that point,
14:50
verse 19,
14:51
Jesus says,
14:53
I will give you
14:53
the keys of the
14:54
kingdom of heaven
14:54
and whatever you
14:55
bind on earth
14:56
shall be bound
14:56
in heaven
14:57
and whatever you
14:58
loose on earth
14:58
shall be loosed
14:59
in heaven.
15:00
And this is a
15:00
very interesting
15:01
thing that he
15:02
says.
15:02
It's an often
15:03
misunderstood
15:04
thing.
15:05
And of course,
15:06
this morning I
15:06
can't spend a
15:07
lot of time on it,
15:08
but let me say
15:08
this to you.
15:09
The way that
15:10
these words
15:10
bind and
15:11
loose were
15:12
used in this
15:12
day would be
15:13
to say to
15:14
forbid or
15:14
permit.
15:16
Without making
15:17
a long proof
15:17
of that to
15:18
you,
15:18
forbid or
15:19
permit.
15:20
And if we
15:20
are to
15:21
translate these
15:22
phrases literally
15:24
word for word,
15:26
it's really
15:26
awkward in the
15:27
English language.
15:28
It's very
15:28
awkward.
15:29
Like I'm
15:29
thankful that
15:30
the translators
15:31
didn't translate
15:32
it this way
15:32
because this
15:32
would be the
15:33
word for word
15:34
literal translation.
15:35
It would go
15:35
something like
15:36
this.
15:36
Whatever you
15:37
loose on
15:37
earth shall
15:38
having been
15:39
loosed in
15:40
heaven.
15:42
Which is to
15:43
say,
15:44
those things
15:45
that you see
15:47
approved by
15:48
God,
15:49
those things
15:50
that he has
15:50
spoken to
15:51
you,
15:52
knowing the
15:52
mind of
15:53
God,
15:53
that you
15:54
forbid or
15:55
permit,
15:56
you have
15:57
access to
15:58
the kingdom.
15:59
You've been
16:00
given access
16:01
to the mind
16:02
of God.
16:03
And so those
16:03
things that
16:03
have bound
16:04
in heaven
16:04
should also
16:05
be bound
16:05
on earth.
16:05
And those
16:05
things that
16:06
have been
16:06
loosed in
16:06
heaven should
16:06
also be
16:07
loosed on
16:07
earth.
16:09
I believe
16:09
that what
16:10
Jesus is
16:10
saying is
16:11
obey God's
16:13
word.
16:14
We're giving
16:14
you access
16:15
to it,
16:15
right?
16:15
It's being
16:16
granted to
16:17
you.
16:18
Father,
16:18
Son,
16:18
and the
16:19
Spirit
16:19
wrote a
16:20
book and
16:21
gave it to
16:22
us that we
16:23
would obey
16:24
it.
16:26
John Calvin
16:26
once said,
16:27
if a church
16:27
does not have
16:28
sound doctrine
16:29
and exposition
16:30
of scripture,
16:31
it's not a
16:32
church.
16:32
church.
16:33
So we
16:34
have a
16:34
common
16:34
confession.
16:35
We have
16:35
a common
16:36
communication.
16:39
Thirdly,
16:39
we have a
16:40
common
16:40
commission.
16:43
A common
16:43
commission.
16:44
Verse 18,
16:45
Jesus says,
16:45
I tell you,
16:45
you are
16:46
Peter,
16:46
and on
16:47
this rock
16:47
I will
16:48
build my
16:48
church,
16:49
and the
16:49
gates of
16:50
hell shall
16:51
not prevail
16:52
against it.
16:54
This is
16:55
misunderstood by
16:55
many people
16:56
to be
16:58
Jesus saying
16:59
that Peter
16:59
will be
17:00
the first
17:01
pope.
17:03
And we
17:03
know that
17:03
there is
17:04
some reality
17:04
to Peter's
17:05
leadership.
17:06
Strong
17:07
leadership.
17:08
The mouthpiece
17:09
of the
17:09
apostles.
17:10
The one
17:10
that preached
17:10
on the
17:10
day of
17:11
Pentecost.
17:12
The one
17:12
who is
17:12
the
17:12
spokesperson
17:13
when the
17:13
apostles
17:14
are imprisoned
17:14
in the
17:15
early days
17:15
of the
17:16
church.
17:17
Certainly
17:18
Peter was
17:18
part of
17:19
the
17:19
building.
17:20
Certainly
17:20
he is
17:20
one of
17:20
the
17:20
apostles.
17:21
The
17:21
foundation
17:22
on which
17:22
the
17:22
church
17:23
is
17:23
built.
17:25
Jesus
17:26
is not
17:26
referencing
17:27
some
17:29
papal
17:30
rule in
17:30
this case.
17:31
what he
17:31
is saying
17:32
is he
17:33
will build
17:33
his church
17:35
on the
17:35
confession
17:36
that Jesus
17:37
is the
17:38
Christ.
17:40
People
17:40
who have a
17:41
common
17:42
confession
17:42
who believe
17:44
that Jesus
17:44
is who he
17:45
said it is.
17:46
It's that
17:46
that Jesus
17:47
will build
17:47
his church
17:48
on.
17:49
And the
17:49
gates of
17:50
hell
17:50
shall not
17:51
prevail against
17:52
it.
17:53
I've told you
17:53
before that
17:54
I, and I
17:55
don't understand
17:55
why, but I've
17:56
often misread
17:57
this verse.
18:00
Not
18:00
fully
18:01
gotten the
18:01
picture of
18:02
what Jesus
18:03
is saying.
18:04
And what
18:04
he's saying
18:04
is that
18:05
his
18:06
building of
18:07
the church,
18:07
Jesus'
18:08
building of
18:08
the church,
18:09
is like a
18:09
military
18:10
conquest.
18:11
That it's
18:11
going
18:12
forward.
18:13
That it's
18:14
pressing
18:14
in.
18:16
And that
18:16
hell is on
18:16
the defense.
18:18
That hell
18:18
has put up
18:19
gates.
18:19
And those
18:19
gates will
18:20
not stand
18:21
in the way
18:22
of the
18:22
advance
18:23
of the
18:24
gospel.
18:24
God makes
18:26
war and
18:26
God wins.
18:30
A picture
18:30
of this
18:31
with some
18:32
finality is
18:33
found in
18:33
Revelation 7
18:34
9.
18:35
John writes,
18:36
After this I
18:36
looked and
18:37
behold a
18:38
great multitude
18:39
that no one
18:41
could number.
18:41
And I love
18:42
that phrase.
18:43
Don't even
18:44
try.
18:45
It's a
18:45
great multitude
18:47
that no one
18:48
could number.
18:50
Men and
18:51
women turn
18:52
to the worship
18:52
of God
18:53
from every
18:53
nation,
18:54
from all
18:55
tribes and
18:56
peoples and
18:57
languages,
18:58
standing before
18:59
the throne
19:00
and before
19:00
the Lamb,
19:01
clothed in
19:02
white robes
19:03
with palm
19:04
branches in
19:05
their hands.
19:06
Praising
19:06
God,
19:07
praising
19:07
Christ,
19:09
their sin,
19:10
guilt,
19:11
washed
19:11
away,
19:12
clothed in
19:13
the righteousness
19:13
of Christ.
19:17
The common
19:17
commission.
19:19
True
19:19
churches
19:20
recognize this.
19:21
True
19:22
churches are
19:22
kingdom
19:23
focused.
19:24
We are
19:24
concerned about
19:25
conversions.
19:27
We want to
19:27
see people
19:28
come to
19:28
faith in
19:29
Jesus Christ.
19:30
We're not
19:31
primarily
19:31
concerned about
19:32
making something
19:33
new and
19:34
cool and
19:35
hip that's
19:35
going to
19:35
draw someone's
19:36
attention from
19:37
some other
19:37
fellowship.
19:39
We're primarily
19:40
concerned about
19:41
conversion.
19:42
Why?
19:43
Because God's
19:44
primarily concerned
19:45
about conversion
19:46
because He's
19:46
making war and
19:47
the gates of
19:48
hell will not
19:48
stand against
19:49
it.
19:49
God doesn't
19:52
need us
19:52
beloved to
19:53
accomplish
19:53
this.
19:55
We remind
19:55
you that
19:56
you're not
19:56
so special
19:57
that God
19:58
needs you.
20:00
Jesus says
20:01
I will
20:02
build my
20:03
church.
20:06
Praise the
20:06
Lord He
20:07
has decided
20:08
to use us
20:09
to accomplish
20:09
that.
20:10
We get the
20:11
great joy
20:11
of participating
20:12
in that
20:13
kingdom
20:14
advancement.
20:16
Romans 10
20:17
beginning
20:18
in verse
20:18
13.
20:22
Paul writes
20:22
everyone who
20:23
calls on the
20:24
name of the
20:24
Lord will be
20:26
saved.
20:28
But then he
20:28
goes on to
20:29
say how then
20:29
will they call
20:30
on Him in
20:31
whom they
20:32
have not
20:32
believed?
20:33
And how are
20:34
they to believe
20:34
in Him of
20:35
whom they
20:36
have never
20:36
heard?
20:37
And how are
20:37
they to hear
20:38
without someone
20:39
preaching?
20:40
And He's not
20:40
talking about
20:41
what I'm doing
20:41
now necessarily.
20:43
The sharing
20:44
of the good
20:44
news of Jesus
20:44
Christ done
20:45
by all
20:46
those who
20:47
are His.
20:48
Verse 15
20:48
And how are
20:50
they to
20:50
preach unless
20:51
they are
20:52
sent?
20:53
As it is
20:54
written,
20:55
how beautiful
20:55
are the feet
20:56
of those who
20:57
preach the
20:58
good news.
21:00
We have a
21:01
common commission
21:01
beloved that
21:03
all of us
21:03
are to
21:04
share.
21:05
It's a sad
21:06
thing that so
21:07
many churches
21:08
don't press
21:08
that expectation
21:09
on their
21:10
members.
21:12
They don't
21:12
say this is
21:13
how Christians
21:14
live.
21:15
It's not a
21:15
thing that we
21:16
hope that
21:16
we'd like to
21:17
add to
21:17
your Christian
21:18
experience.
21:19
But followers
21:20
of Jesus
21:21
Christ share
21:22
the good
21:22
news of
21:23
Jesus Christ.
21:26
This is
21:27
why we
21:29
will not
21:29
view the
21:31
start of
21:32
another church
21:33
as a sad
21:34
thing.
21:35
I know it
21:36
has some sad
21:36
element.
21:37
I'm feeling
21:38
that too.
21:39
But we're not
21:40
going to view
21:40
it as a sad
21:40
thing.
21:41
We're not
21:41
going to see
21:42
it as division
21:42
but rather
21:43
multiplication.
21:44
Get that
21:46
word in
21:46
your mind.
21:47
This is
21:47
multiplication.
21:48
It's not
21:48
division.
21:50
The point
21:50
of the
21:50
church is
21:51
not to
21:52
hold our
21:52
friends
21:53
close but
21:55
to scatter
21:55
the kingdom
21:56
wide.
21:58
So we
21:58
have a
21:59
common
21:59
confession,
22:01
a common
22:01
communication,
22:02
a common
22:02
commission,
22:03
and a
22:04
common
22:04
conflict.
22:08
So beginning
22:08
in verse 21,
22:09
Jesus begins
22:10
finally, he's
22:10
starting to tell
22:11
them about
22:11
what's going
22:12
to happen.
22:12
And he
22:13
begins to
22:14
tell them
22:14
in a
22:15
repeated
22:16
fashion
22:16
throughout
22:17
the gospel
22:17
accounts.
22:19
Peter has
22:19
proclaimed
22:20
Jesus as
22:21
the Christ
22:22
and he
22:22
seems to
22:23
help clarify
22:24
for them
22:25
what that's
22:26
going to
22:27
mean.
22:27
Verse 20,
22:30
an interesting
22:30
thing that
22:31
Jesus does,
22:31
he strictly
22:32
charges the
22:32
disciples to
22:32
tell no
22:33
one that
22:34
he was
22:34
the Christ.
22:36
And he
22:36
does so
22:36
because of
22:37
the wide
22:37
misunderstanding
22:38
about who
22:39
the Messiah
22:39
was going
22:40
to be.
22:40
When we
22:41
studied Mark,
22:42
I talked
22:42
about this
22:42
a lot,
22:43
that the
22:43
Jews thought
22:44
the Messiah
22:45
was going
22:45
to come
22:45
and conquer
22:46
and rule
22:47
in this
22:48
realm.
22:49
That he
22:50
was going
22:50
to come
22:50
and he
22:50
was going
22:51
to militarily
22:52
overthrow
22:52
Rome and
22:53
restore Israel
22:54
to its
22:54
former glory
22:55
in this
22:56
realm.
22:57
They
22:57
misunderstood
22:58
the promises.
22:59
They seem
23:00
to glance
23:01
over all
23:02
of the
23:02
prophecy
23:02
about his
23:03
suffering
23:03
and his
23:04
death.
23:06
Peter's
23:06
counted
23:06
amongst
23:07
that,
23:07
right?
23:07
Because Peter
23:08
brings him
23:08
aside when he
23:09
starts to
23:09
talk about
23:09
all the
23:10
things that
23:10
he's going
23:10
to have
23:10
to suffer,
23:11
that he's
23:11
going to
23:12
die,
23:12
that he's
23:13
going to
23:13
be raised.
23:14
Peter says,
23:14
oh no,
23:16
not if you're
23:16
the Christ.
23:17
This can't
23:17
possibly be.
23:20
And Jesus
23:20
responds to
23:21
him in a
23:22
strong,
23:23
strong way,
23:24
get behind
23:25
me,
23:27
Satan.
23:29
Get behind
23:30
me,
23:30
Satan.
23:30
You are a
23:31
hindrance to
23:32
me.
23:32
Why?
23:33
For you are
23:33
not setting
23:34
your mind
23:34
on the
23:34
things of
23:34
God,
23:35
but on
23:35
the things
23:36
of man.
23:39
Now,
23:39
it would be
23:39
silly to
23:39
believe that
23:40
Satan had
23:41
manifested
23:42
Peter,
23:42
that it was
23:43
actually
23:43
Satan that
23:44
Jesus is
23:45
talking about
23:45
in this
23:46
case.
23:47
So note
23:48
that Jesus
23:50
equates
23:51
lies with
23:52
both Satan
23:53
and man.
23:53
He's saying
23:54
the way that
23:55
you're thinking
23:55
right now,
23:56
Peter,
23:57
is not the
23:57
way of
23:58
God,
23:58
the things
23:59
of God,
23:59
but the
24:00
things of
24:01
man,
24:01
and that
24:02
Satan is
24:02
tied up
24:03
into that.
24:04
He's the
24:05
prince of
24:06
lies,
24:07
the great
24:07
contorter of
24:08
truth.
24:09
This was
24:10
the original
24:10
sin as
24:11
the result
24:11
of Satan's
24:13
involvement
24:13
twisting the
24:14
truth of
24:14
God.
24:15
He didn't
24:15
actually say
24:16
you would
24:16
die,
24:17
did you?
24:19
This is
24:20
his weapon
24:20
in the
24:21
world.
24:22
This is
24:23
the way
24:23
in which
24:23
we struggle
24:24
now as
24:24
believers,
24:25
right?
24:26
To walk
24:26
in the
24:27
way of
24:27
God,
24:27
to believe
24:28
the truth
24:29
of God
24:30
and not
24:30
the truth
24:31
of the
24:31
world.
24:33
So,
24:34
Jesus
24:34
equates
24:34
lies with
24:35
both Satan
24:36
and man.
24:37
This is
24:37
our
24:37
conflict.
24:38
It's
24:38
the very
24:39
same
24:39
conflict
24:39
that
24:40
Peter's
24:40
experiencing
24:41
here.
24:43
Listen to
24:43
Jesus'
24:44
words to
24:44
the scribes
24:44
and the
24:44
Pharisees
24:45
in John
24:45
chapter 8.
24:46
This is
24:46
verse 39
24:47
through 47.
24:49
They answered
24:50
him,
24:51
Abraham is
24:51
our father.
24:52
Jesus said
24:53
to them,
24:54
if you were
24:54
Abraham's
24:55
children,
24:56
you would
24:56
be doing
24:57
the works
24:57
Abraham
24:58
did.
24:59
But now
24:59
you seek
25:00
to kill
25:00
me,
25:00
a man
25:01
who has
25:01
told you
25:01
the truth
25:02
that I
25:03
heard from
25:03
God.
25:04
This is
25:05
not what
25:05
Abraham did.
25:06
Satan.
25:11
They said
25:11
to him,
25:12
we were
25:12
not born
25:13
of sexual
25:13
immorality.
25:14
We have
25:14
one father,
25:15
even God.
25:16
Jesus said
25:17
to them,
25:17
if God
25:18
were your
25:18
father,
25:19
you would
25:19
love me.
25:20
For I
25:21
came from
25:21
God and
25:22
I am
25:23
here.
25:24
I came
25:24
not on
25:24
my own
25:25
accord,
25:25
but he
25:25
sent me.
25:26
Why do
25:27
you not
25:27
understand
25:28
what I
25:28
say?
25:29
It is
25:29
because you
25:30
cannot bear
25:31
to hear
25:31
my word.
25:32
You are
25:33
of your
25:33
father,
25:34
the devil,
25:35
and your
25:35
will is to
25:36
do your
25:36
father's
25:36
desires.
25:37
He was
25:38
a murderer
25:38
from the
25:38
beginning and
25:39
does not
25:39
stand in
25:40
the truth
25:40
because there
25:41
is no
25:41
truth in
25:42
him.
25:42
When he
25:43
lies,
25:44
he speaks
25:44
out of
25:44
his own
25:44
character,
25:45
for he
25:45
is a
25:46
liar and
25:46
the father
25:47
of lies.
25:48
But because
25:49
I tell
25:49
the truth,
25:51
you do not
25:51
believe me.
25:52
Which one
25:53
of you
25:53
convicts me
25:54
of sin?
25:54
If I
25:55
tell the
25:55
truth,
25:56
why do
25:56
you
25:56
not
25:56
believe
25:57
me?
25:58
Whoever
25:58
is of
25:58
God
25:59
hears
25:59
the
25:59
words
25:59
of
25:59
God.
26:00
The
26:00
reason
26:00
why
26:01
you
26:01
do
26:01
not
26:01
hear
26:01
them
26:02
is
26:02
that
26:02
you
26:02
are
26:02
not
26:03
of
26:03
God.
26:05
And so you
26:05
see that our
26:06
conflict is a
26:07
conflict against
26:08
truth and
26:10
lie,
26:10
or for
26:11
truth and
26:11
against
26:12
lies.
26:14
And we
26:14
have to
26:14
recognize that
26:15
this is a
26:15
spiritual
26:16
conflict.
26:17
Paul writes
26:18
in Ephesians
26:18
6.12,
26:19
for we
26:19
do not
26:19
wrestle
26:20
against
26:20
flesh and
26:20
blood,
26:21
but against
26:21
the rulers,
26:22
against the
26:22
authorities,
26:23
against the
26:23
cosmic powers
26:24
over this
26:24
present
26:25
darkness,
26:26
against the
26:26
spiritual
26:26
forces of
26:28
evil in
26:29
the heavenly
26:29
places.
26:31
Beloved,
26:32
our great
26:32
trouble is not
26:33
spiritual
26:33
warfare in
26:34
some weird
26:35
intangible
26:36
way.
26:37
Our great
26:38
conflict is
26:39
the lies
26:40
that are being
26:40
told to us
26:40
by this
26:41
world,
26:42
which is
26:42
being manipulated
26:43
by the
26:44
one that it
26:45
worships,
26:46
and that is
26:46
the devil.
26:47
That is our
26:48
conflict.
26:49
The very
26:49
same conflict
26:49
that Peter
26:50
is experiencing
26:51
here,
26:51
right?
26:52
Following
26:53
the truth.
26:55
I've already
26:55
told you what
26:56
that is,
26:56
right?
26:57
We have a
26:57
sure thing
26:57
in the
26:58
scripture
26:59
itself,
27:00
because of
27:00
that common
27:01
communication.
27:02
So we have
27:03
a common
27:03
conflict.
27:06
Fifthly,
27:06
we have
27:06
a common
27:08
calling.
27:10
Beginning
27:10
in verse 24,
27:11
then Jesus
27:12
told the
27:12
disciples,
27:14
if anyone
27:14
would come
27:14
after me,
27:15
let him deny
27:16
himself,
27:16
and take
27:16
of his
27:17
cross,
27:18
and find
27:18
me.
27:20
Whoever
27:20
would save
27:21
his life
27:21
will lose
27:22
it,
27:22
but whoever
27:22
loses
27:22
his life
27:23
for my
27:23
sake
27:23
will find
27:24
it.
27:25
For what
27:26
will it
27:26
profit a
27:26
man if
27:27
he gains
27:27
the whole
27:27
world and
27:28
forfeits
27:28
his soul?
27:29
Or what
27:29
shall the
27:29
man give
27:30
in return
27:31
for his
27:32
soul?
27:33
It's
27:33
interesting
27:33
how God
27:34
always seems
27:34
to work
27:35
in opposites.
27:36
We've
27:36
talked a lot
27:37
about apparent
27:38
paradoxes.
27:40
An example
27:40
of that is
27:40
this statement
27:41
is false.
27:43
Try to
27:45
work that
27:46
one out
27:46
in your
27:46
mind.
27:48
They seem
27:49
to set
27:49
against
27:50
one
27:50
another.
27:53
That
27:53
actually is
27:54
a paradox,
27:54
not an
27:54
apparent
27:54
paradox.
27:56
This is
27:57
an apparent
27:57
paradox.
27:59
Not
27:59
actually,
28:00
but it
28:00
seems to
28:00
be on
28:01
the surface.
28:02
If anyone
28:02
would come
28:02
after me,
28:03
let him
28:03
deny
28:03
himself,
28:04
and take
28:04
up his
28:04
cross,
28:05
and follow
28:05
me.
28:06
Beloved,
28:07
let me
28:07
remind you
28:08
that this
28:09
isn't
28:09
just
28:10
bearing
28:11
through
28:11
some
28:11
typical
28:12
thing
28:12
with
28:12
some
28:13
patience
28:14
and
28:14
some
28:14
grace.
28:17
Being
28:18
in school
28:18
is not
28:19
your
28:19
cross
28:19
to
28:19
bear.
28:23
Working
28:23
for a
28:23
boss
28:24
that you
28:24
don't
28:24
particularly
28:25
enjoy
28:25
is not
28:25
your
28:26
cross
28:26
to
28:26
bear.
28:27
I
28:27
think
28:28
it
28:28
can
28:28
include
28:28
that,
28:29
but it's
28:30
not
28:30
just
28:30
that.
28:31
Taking
28:32
up your
28:32
cross
28:33
is a
28:34
call
28:34
to die.
28:36
It's a
28:36
call to
28:37
self
28:37
denial.
28:38
We are
28:38
to be
28:39
deniers
28:40
of our
28:40
own
28:40
identity
28:41
and our
28:41
own
28:42
self
28:43
determination.
28:44
We are
28:44
to place
28:45
ourselves
28:45
under the
28:46
lordship
28:47
of Jesus
28:47
Christ.
28:48
We are
28:48
to become
28:48
his
28:48
bondservants.
28:50
Because
28:51
of the
28:51
great
28:51
grace
28:51
that he
28:52
has
28:52
given
28:52
to us,
28:53
we in
28:53
response,
28:54
of a
28:55
loving
28:55
response,
28:56
say to
28:56
him,
28:57
take my
28:57
life.
28:58
It's
28:58
yours.
28:59
It
28:59
belongs
28:59
to
29:00
you.
29:00
I
29:00
want
29:00
to
29:00
serve
29:00
you
29:01
with
29:01
every
29:01
bit
29:02
of
29:03
it.
29:04
Because
29:04
we've
29:05
been
29:05
ransomed
29:05
!
29:07
with
29:07
him
29:08
in
29:08
all
29:09
things.
29:12
We have
29:12
a common
29:13
calling.
29:13
You don't
29:13
have to
29:14
ask the
29:14
question,
29:15
what am
29:15
I called
29:16
to do?
29:18
You're
29:18
called to
29:18
have faith
29:19
in Jesus
29:19
Christ,
29:20
and you're
29:20
called to
29:21
follow
29:21
him.
29:22
Do that
29:23
faithfully.
29:24
Do that
29:24
by the
29:25
word of
29:25
God,
29:26
and then
29:26
beyond
29:26
that,
29:27
the gray
29:27
areas,
29:28
do
29:28
whatever
29:28
you want.
29:30
If you're
29:30
obedient to
29:30
this,
29:31
you're
29:31
following
29:32
Jesus,
29:34
marry who
29:34
you want
29:35
to,
29:35
work the
29:35
job you
29:36
want to,
29:37
you'll
29:38
sort it
29:38
out.
29:40
Because
29:40
we've
29:40
been
29:40
ransomed
29:40
by
29:41
Christ,
29:41
we now
29:41
identify
29:41
with
29:42
him
29:42
in
29:42
all
29:42
things.
29:43
Paul
29:43
writes
29:43
in
29:43
Galatians
29:44
2.20,
29:45
I have
29:45
been
29:45
crucified
29:45
with
29:45
Christ.
29:47
It
29:47
is no
29:47
longer
29:47
I
29:48
who
29:48
live,
29:48
but
29:48
Christ
29:49
who
29:49
lives
29:49
in
29:49
me.
29:50
And
29:50
the
29:50
life I
29:51
now
29:51
live
29:51
in
29:51
the
29:51
flesh
29:51
I
29:51
live
29:52
by
29:52
faith
29:52
in
29:52
the
29:52
Son
29:53
of
29:53
God
29:53
who
29:53
loved
29:53
me
29:54
and
29:54
gave
29:54
himself
29:55
for
29:56
me.
29:58
We
29:58
have
29:59
a
29:59
common
29:59
confession,
30:00
communication,
30:01
a
30:01
commission,
30:01
a
30:01
conflict,
30:03
a
30:03
calling,
30:05
and
30:05
finally,
30:06
a
30:06
common
30:07
confidence.
30:09
I
30:10
did it,
30:10
all
30:10
C's.
30:15
Good
30:16
reference
30:16
here,
30:16
verse
30:16
20,
30:17
I
30:17
mentioned
30:17
it
30:17
already
30:18
with
30:18
some
30:18
explanation.
30:20
Then
30:20
he
30:20
strictly
30:20
charged
30:20
the
30:21
disciples
30:21
to
30:21
tell
30:21
no
30:21
one
30:21
that
30:21
he
30:22
was
30:22
the
30:22
Christ.
30:23
He
30:23
didn't
30:23
want
30:23
to
30:24
be
30:24
taken
30:24
to
30:24
be
30:25
set
30:25
up
30:25
as
30:25
king.
30:26
And
30:26
if
30:26
you
30:26
read
30:26
the
30:27
gospel
30:27
narratives,
30:27
you'll
30:27
find other
30:28
places
30:28
where
30:28
he's
30:29
speaking
30:29
and
30:30
he
30:30
suddenly
30:30
slips
30:30
away.
30:31
And
30:31
the
30:31
explanation
30:31
is
30:32
because
30:32
they
30:32
wanted
30:33
to
30:33
take
30:33
him
30:33
by
30:33
force.
30:34
And
30:34
they're
30:35
trying
30:35
to
30:35
take
30:36
him
30:36
and
30:36
set
30:36
him
30:36
up
30:37
to
30:37
be
30:37
the
30:38
Messiah
30:38
as
30:38
they
30:38
thought
30:39
he
30:39
should
30:40
be.
30:40
So
30:40
Jesus
30:40
is
30:40
talking
30:41
about
30:41
a
30:41
heavenly
30:42
kingdom
30:42
that
30:42
has
30:43
implications
30:43
and
30:44
realities
30:44
here,
30:45
but a
30:46
heavenly
30:46
kingdom.
30:48
Then
30:48
he
30:48
goes
30:48
on to
30:48
say
30:49
in
30:49
verse
30:49
27,
30:51
for
30:51
the
30:51
Son
30:51
of
30:51
man
30:51
is
30:51
going
30:51
to
30:52
come
30:52
with
30:52
his
30:52
angels
30:53
and
30:53
the
30:53
glory
30:53
of
30:53
his
30:53
father
30:54
and
30:54
then
30:54
he
30:54
will
30:55
repay
30:55
each
30:55
person
30:56
according
30:56
to
30:57
what
30:57
he
30:58
has
30:58
done.
30:59
He's
30:59
going
30:59
to
30:59
come
31:00
and
31:00
establish
31:01
his
31:02
kingdom.
31:03
He's
31:03
going
31:03
to
31:03
come
31:03
as
31:04
a
31:04
judge
31:05
and
31:05
as
31:06
a
31:06
conquering
31:06
king.
31:08
Originally
31:09
I had
31:10
this
31:10
as
31:10
we
31:10
have
31:11
a
31:11
common
31:11
kingdom
31:12
because
31:13
the
31:13
sound
31:13
alliterates
31:14
but
31:14
that
31:14
K
31:15
was
31:15
really
31:15
bugging
31:15
me.
31:18
But
31:19
we
31:19
have
31:19
confidence
31:20
do
31:20
we
31:20
not
31:21
when
31:21
Jesus
31:21
returns
31:22
to
31:22
judge
31:23
because
31:23
we'll
31:23
be
31:24
found
31:24
in
31:25
him
31:26
not
31:26
because
31:26
of
31:26
things
31:26
we
31:27
have
31:27
done
31:27
but
31:28
because
31:28
what
31:28
he
31:28
has
31:29
done
31:29
on
31:30
our
31:30
behalf.
31:33
1
31:33
John
31:33
2
31:34
verses
31:34
28
31:35
and
31:35
29
31:35
and
31:36
now
31:36
little
31:37
children
31:37
abide
31:37
in
31:38
him
31:38
so
31:39
that
31:39
when
31:39
he
31:39
appears
31:40
we
31:40
may
31:40
have
31:40
confidence
31:41
and
31:41
not
31:41
shrink
31:41
from
31:42
him
31:42
in
31:42
shame
31:42
at
31:43
his
31:43
coming.
31:44
If
31:44
you
31:45
know
31:45
that
31:45
he
31:45
is
31:46
!
31:49
righteousness
31:49
has
31:50
been
31:50
born
31:51
of
31:51
him.
31:52
The
31:52
fact
31:53
that
31:53
we
31:53
have
31:53
been
31:53
made
31:54
righteous
31:54
is
31:54
evidenced
31:55
in
31:55
our
31:55
living
31:56
and
31:56
gracious
31:56
response
31:57
to
31:58
the
31:58
gospel.
32:00
I
32:00
love
32:00
1
32:01
Peter
32:01
chapter
32:01
2
32:02
verses
32:02
9
32:03
and
32:03
10
32:03
as
32:03
a
32:04
reference
32:05
to
32:05
the
32:06
book
32:06
of
32:06
Hosea.
32:08
Having
32:08
once
32:08
been
32:09
not
32:09
part
32:09
of
32:09
a
32:09
kingdom
32:10
we
32:10
are
32:10
now
32:11
part
32:11
of
32:12
a
32:12
kingdom.
32:13
I
32:13
hope
32:14
that
32:14
tomorrow
32:14
as
32:15
you
32:15
celebrate
32:15
Independence
32:16
Day
32:16
and
32:16
love
32:17
your
32:17
country
32:17
please
32:18
do
32:18
that
32:19
you
32:19
love
32:19
in
32:20
higher
32:20
order
32:21
the
32:22
kingdom
32:22
of
32:22
God.
32:23
Peter
32:23
writes
32:24
1
32:24
Peter
32:24
2
32:24
9
32:25
and
32:25
10
32:25
but
32:25
you
32:25
are
32:25
a
32:26
chosen
32:26
race
32:26
a
32:27
royal
32:28
priesthood
32:28
a
32:29
holy
32:29
nation
32:30
a
32:31
people
32:31
for
32:31
his
32:31
own
32:31
possession
32:32
that
32:33
you
32:33
may
32:33
proclaim
32:34
the
32:34
excellencies
32:35
of
32:35
him
32:35
who
32:35
called
32:36
you
32:36
out
32:36
of
32:36
darkness
32:36
into
32:37
his
32:37
marvelous
32:37
light
32:38
once
32:39
you
32:39
were
32:39
not
32:39
a
32:39
people
32:40
but
32:40
now
32:41
you
32:41
are
32:41
God's
32:41
people
32:42
once
32:42
you
32:43
had
32:43
not
32:43
received
32:43
mercy
32:44
but
32:44
now
32:45
you
32:45
have
32:46
received
32:47
mercy
32:48
and
32:49
so
32:50
we
32:50
have
32:51
a
32:51
common
32:52
confidence
32:53
a
32:54
common
32:54
confession
32:55
a
32:55
common
32:55
communication
32:56
common
32:57
commission
32:58
a
32:58
common
32:58
conflict
32:59
and
33:00
a
33:01
common
33:01
calling
33:02
but
33:04
the true
33:04
church
33:04
has a
33:05
lot
33:05
in
33:05
common
33:05
doesn't
33:06
it
33:06
praise
33:07
God
33:08
that
33:09
Jesus
33:09
said
33:10
and
33:11
he
33:11
is
33:12
accomplishing
33:12
his
33:13
promise
33:14
that
33:14
he
33:14
will
33:15
build
33:15
his
33:16
church
33:18
and
33:19
praise
33:19
God
33:19
that
33:20
he
33:20
has
33:20
lovingly
33:21
made
33:21
us
33:21
his
33:21
own
33:22
and
33:23
employed
33:23
us
33:24
in
33:24
this
33:25
process
33:25
let's
33:26
pray
33:26
together