The title of the lesson today
is Our Rock, Christ Jesus. And that is taken from verse
18 of Matthew chapter 16. This is where Peter made this
great confession, speaking for the other disciples. And Christ
told him, he said, upon this rock I will build my church.
And that rock is Christ. And we're gonna talk about that.
These verses have been so perverted, especially by the false Roman
Catholic Church, who believed that Peter was their first pope.
He wasn't. That Peter has the keys to the
gates of heaven. You all the time hear jokes about
Peter, you know, Peter and the gates of heaven. Saint Peter,
you go up and you're gonna meet Saint Peter, and he's got the
gates of heaven there. And Peter's not, he doesn't have
the keys to the gates of heaven. Christ is the key. He is the
door and he opens the door and he shuts the door. It's all Christ. But we'll see what this means.
There's basically two great heresies that come out of these verses
used by the Catholic Church to promote these two great heresies.
But it's not at all what they say that it is. But let's go
back to verse 13. One of the things that we see
in these verses is that, number one, that if sinners are going
to see, hear, and believe the truth, it's got to be by the
power of God in revealing it to us. It's got to be revealed. We're not going to come to it
on our own. And one of the passages that I cite in this lesson is
1 Corinthians 2, where it tells us that It's not even, the things
of God, of salvation, of how God saves sinners, really, I'm
not talking about the desire to be saved, because everybody
wants to live forever now. That's the goal of man. That's
something that God has put in everybody's heart, a sense of
eternity. Even atheists who deny, they have to deny what's in them
naturally. All desire salvation. The problem
is that we don't desire salvation God's way. His way, because if
left to ourselves, we won't choose Christ. We will not choose God's
way. So it has to be revealed from Him, because it's not in
the heart or the mind or the rationale of man, the things
that God has for His people. And that's why the natural man
receiveth not the things of the Spirit. So it has to be revealed
by the power of God through His Spirit in His Word. And then we know that it is,
secondly, We know that it is revealed to us by God when it
is accompanied with the gift of faith and repentance. Somebody says, well, I know that's
true. Well, if you haven't been brought
to faith in Christ and true repentance, you may claim you know it's true,
but it doesn't mean anything to you. It's not life and death. And so that's what we're gonna
see in these verses. Revelation. You know, he says
in verse 13, it says, when Jesus came into the coast of Caesarea
Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, whom do men say that
I, the Son of Man, am? What a question. And I'll put
this in your lesson. You know, when I think about
all the useless questions that come across the pike in religion
today, People curious about this, curious about that, and it has
nothing to do with salvation, has nothing to do with who God
is, who we are, and especially, and I put in here, I said, you
know, one of the main questions was asked twice in the book of
Job, and I've got it cited here. I know it is so of a truth, but
how should man be just with God? That's the question of questions. That's the heart of the gospel.
How can man be just with God? How can a sinful person who deserves
nothing but death and hell, how can that person be right with
God, be righteous in God's sight, be forgiven? That's the question. And then another question that
accompanies that is how can God be just and save such persons? make us righteous, because God
is a just God. I was reading an article this
morning on that, how people want to emphasize the love of God,
and you all the time hear them say, God is love. But their idea
of God's love is an empty love. It's a love that does not reach,
does not save the object of it, because in their view, he loves
everybody, even those who perish in hell, so his love is an empty
love. And their comeback on that is,
well, God loves us so much that he wouldn't infringe upon our
dignity. I thought, wow, what Bible are
you reading? Our dignity? Read the first chapter of Isaiah.
where it describes natural man, all of us by nature. Read Romans
chapter three in verse, well, Romans one, 18 through the rest
of that chapter, Romans three, 10. There's none righteous, no
not one, none good, no not one. When it comes to a relationship
with God, sinful human beings have no dignity. That's what we are. And so, And
people say, well, God wouldn't infringe upon our free will.
My goodness, if he doesn't infringe upon our free will, where are
we gonna end up? In hell, that's where it is.
Somebody said, well, you're saying God saves us against our will,
against our natural will. And how does he do it? He changes
our will, he gives us a new will. And that's through that revelation
of truth. How do I know God's revealed it to me? Well, number
one, is it consistent with his word? Anybody tells you God's
revealed something to them and it's not in the Bible, forget
it. It's no good. And then has it
brought you to faith in Christ and repentance of dead works
and brought you to persevere in the faith, looking unto Jesus,
the author and finisher of our faith? Well here's the question,
how should a man be just with God? Well that begs another question.
We know the answer to that is Jesus Christ crucified and raised
from the dead. Now that's a statement that a
lot of people take a lot of different ways. But there are issues there
that inform us by the revelation from God in his word what we
need to know. Well, look at what he said again.
Who do men say that I, the son of man, am? Now, the son of man,
sometimes when you, especially in the Old Testament, you read
the word son of man, it refers to just men like Ezekiel called
himself son of man when the Lord addressed him. Son of man, can
these bones live? And that's just referring to
Ezekiel's humanness. But this son of man, to which
Christ refers to himself is a messianic title, a title that identifies
him as the Messiah. And it refers to his sinless
humanity, but it also includes his deity. He's the son of God,
he's the son of man. So if we're going to understand
truly how God can be just and justify the ungodly, and it's
based upon the Lord Jesus Christ and the glory of his person and
the power of his finished work, then we need to understand who
he is. Who do men say that I the son
of man am? That's important. What think
ye of Christ? Remember he asked that question
over in Matthew 22. What think ye of Christ? Whose
son is he? And when he talks about himself
as the Messiah, that includes his finished work. What did he
accomplish on the cross? And so I put down here that in
the second paragraph of your lesson, the answers are found
in God's word in what is called the doctrine of Christ. Now that's
a phrase that comes from second John in verse nine. It says,
he that transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ,
hath not God, but he that has the doctrine of Christ, he hath
both the Father and the Son. What is the doctrine of Christ?
Well, certainly it refers to what Christ himself taught his
disciples, but the mainstay of that phrase is what does the
doctrine of the Bible, the teachings of the Bible, the truth of the
Bible, say about Jesus Christ? who he is, and what he accomplished
on Calvary's cross. So whom do men say that I am?
Well, listen to the answer. Verse 14, they said, some say
thou art John the Baptist, some Elias, or Elijah, and others
Jeremias, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. And so they're
saying, well, some say that these prophets were raised from the
dead, and that's who he is. Well, you know that wasn't true.
But that's, you know how people are, they get these ideas and
they spread them around and people talk, and they come up with some
of the craziest answers. Well, look at verse 15. Here's
where it hits. He saith unto them, but whom
say you that I am? Now we can talk about what other
people say, but what do we say? This makes this thing personal,
you see. Who do you say that I am? The
disciples who followed him, whom he chose and brought to follow. Who do you say that I am? And
then in verse 16, here's the answer. Peter, Simon Peter answered. Now Peter's speaking for the
other disciples, I believe that. But Simon Peter answered and
said, thou art the Christ, the anointed one. You're the Messiah. Now that includes who he is,
and it includes what he accomplished, what he came to do. His name
shall be called Jesus, for he shall save his people from their
sins. His name shall be called Emmanuel, which being interpreted
to God with us. Can he save us? Well, he is if
he's God, and he's man without sin. Thou art the Christ, the
Son of the living God, and that's the Savior of sinners. Now this
is the truth that the leaders, the religious leaders of Judaism
rejected and called blasphemous. For him, for Jesus of Nazareth
to say that he is God manifest in the flesh was blasphemy to
them. And they rejected it. But Peter
and the disciples, they believed it. Well, how did they believe
it? Why did they believe it? And
the lost religious leaders in Jerusalem and other parts of
Judaism, why they didn't believe? What was the difference? Well,
Peter and the disciples, they were better guys than those Pharisees. Is that the answer? Now, you
know what? Most people would not say it
that way, but you know that's really what they believe. Oh,
I made the right choice. Those in hell made the wrong
choice. Well, what does the Bible say about the right choice? The
Bible clearly says if you make the right choice, it's because
God revealed himself to you. You were born again by the Spirit
and he gave you a new will. He made the difference. That's what the Bible says. And
that's what people don't want to believe. They want to believe
they make the difference. I was reading a thing yesterday
on the internet about the sovereignty of God. And I don't even know
who wrote it. And I don't know if they really
believe the gospel or not. But somebody wrote back and they
said, that sounds Calvin-esque. You know? And I couldn't stop. I had to write a little thing.
I said, no, it sounds biblical. And I gave him some scripture.
We got no response back. But, you know, people don't understand. You know, they think the doctrines
of sovereign grace originated with John Calvin. Well, that's
bull. Paul was on the scene long before
John Calvin. And, of course, our Lord was
on the scene long before this world was created. Those doctrines
of grace, that's just the teachings of the Bible. Somebody said,
well, we don't trust doctrine. You don't? I can tell you don't,
because you believe a lie. That's what you'd tell. Well,
look at what Christ says to Peter and the other disciples, but
he points out Peter, because Peter spoke, and he says in verse
17, and Jesus answered and said unto him, blessed art thou. Now this is the blessing of God's
grace. And I know, you know, somebody
says, well, is it saving grace? Is it regenerating grace? Is
it providential grace? It's grace, I know that, because
even before God brings us to a saving knowledge of himself,
his hand is upon his elect, isn't that right? He loved us with
an everlasting love. The old writers used to call
it prevenient grace, and I know we're gonna deal next week, Lord
willing, with what Peter says later, you know. There's a lot
of inconsistencies with these disciples, so I know that. But
right now, here's what the Lord says, blessed art thou Simon
Bar-Jonah. That was Peter's Hebrew name,
Simon, son of Jonah. And this is what he says. For
flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee. You didn't learn,
this wasn't natural to you. A believing of this and a knowledge
of this that brings belief is not natural to man. Let's just look over there just
for a moment at 1 Corinthians chapter two. I've got this cited
in your lesson. But you know, Paul wrote that
the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that
believeth, Jew first and Greek also, for therein is the righteousness
of God revealed from faith to faith. And I believe that phrase
from faith to faith means from truth or knowledge revealed to
truth and knowledge believed. For as it is written, the just
or the justified shall live by faith, God-given faith. And look
at verse six of 1 Corinthians 2. He says, how be it we speak
wisdom among them that are perfect. Now he's talking about those
who are complete in Christ. That's what that perfection is. You look at yourself even as
a justified sinner, you're not perfect in yourself, we're very
imperfect. Very imperfect people. But we're
perfect in Christ. We have his righteousness imputed
to us. And that's a perfect righteousness,
that's the righteousness of God. And it cannot be contaminated
even by our flesh. And he says, yet not the wisdom
of this world, nor of the princes of this world that come to naught,
even the most noble, the smartest, the richest, The best of human
beings didn't come up with this, this gospel, this way of salvation. But we speak the wisdom of God
in a mystery. Now remember what a mystery is.
It's a truth that God must reveal or we don't know it. It has to
be uncovered by God. Even the hidden wisdom which
God ordained before the world unto our glory, which none of
the princes of this world knew, For had they known it, they would
not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written,
I hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the
heart of man, the things that God hath prepared for them that
love him. These things of salvation, of
eternal life and glory and justification, that's not even entered into
the mind and the affections and the will of the best of men,
the smartest of men, the most religious of men. Think about
all the religions of this world, the philosophies of this world. They don't even come close to
even asking this question of how God can justify a sinner,
let alone answering it. And he says in verse 10, but
God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit, for the Spirit
searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. In other
words, the Spirit reveals those things that man by nature doesn't
know. Now I readily admit that God can reveal things, some things
to us, even before we're born again. That's true. He gets our
attention. But I'm not gonna get into all
that right now. I want you to see this thing
here, verse 11. For what man knoweth the things of a man save
the spirit of man which is in him? What he's saying there is
that a human being naturally can only know that which is in
him naturally. He cannot rise above that. Even
the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God. In
other words, if you're gonna know the things of God, it's
gotta be revealed by the Spirit of God in the truth of God. So
now we have received, verse 12, the Spirit, we have not received,
now we have received not the Spirit of the world, but the
Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that
are freely given to us of God. Now that's grace. We might know
what's freely given. Well, what is freely given to
us by God? All of salvation. Every blessing
of it, every benefit of it, every gift, everything we have that
pertains to our salvation and our right relationship with God
is freely given to us based upon the blood and righteousness of
Jesus Christ. How do we know that? The Spirit
of God revealed it. So, verse 13, which things also
we speak not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the
Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual
things. We'll go back to Matthew 16 now. So he says in verse 17,
flesh and blood have not revealed this unto thee, but my Father
which is in heaven, And so here in verse 18, now listen to this.
He says, and I say also unto thee, thou art Peter, and I will
build, and upon this rock I will build my church. Now I didn't
put this in your lesson because I didn't have enough time to
keep it to two pages. But he uses two different words
for rock here. You know, the word Peter, the
name Peter means a little rock. I think it's Petra. I have to
go back and look at it. And then the word rock there
is a big rock. And so it's like he's saying,
you're a little rock, Peter. And upon this big rock, I'll
build my church. Well, what is the rock? The Catholic
Church says that rock is Peter. Well, let me tell you something.
If it were Peter, if he's the rock upon which the church is
built, the church will fall, has fallen. The gates of hell
will prevail. That's right. Why? Because Peter's
not as good as us? No, because Peter's just like
us. Could you imagine the rock, the church, being built upon
you? Or me? Good night. There'd be no sure foundation.
And how many times in the Bible is Christ called the rock of
our salvation? Remember over Matthew 7, we talked
about how those who build their house upon the sand, the rains
came and it fell, and great was the sound there of its fall.
But those who built upon the rock, the rock Christ Jesus,
my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus. Christ the solid
rock, we stand. And that's the rock he's talking
about. It wasn't Peter himself, it was Peter's confession. of
Christ upon which the church is built. And that's why he says,
I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail
against it. Oh my soul, the church therefore,
it's not built upon sinners. Sinners saved by grace are called
the stones that are set in place upon this rock, Christ Jesus. His righteousness, his blood.
It's not us. It's not the people. He's the
foundation of the church, the foundation rock. He's the chief
cornerstone by which all is measured. And then he's the heart and the
head of the church. It's Christ. So when they, and
of course, you know, they say, well, Peter was the first Pope.
He wasn't the first Pope. The Pope of Rome is an antichrist. A false preacher, false prophet. And the rock, the rock is Christ
and him alone. And the reason the gates of hell
will not prevail against it is because he's the victor. In his
death on the cross, he defeated death, hell, Satan, the grave,
sin, all of it. It's finished, he said. And he
did it all. Well, look at verse 19. He says,
and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven,
and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Now again, this brings forth another heresy of the Catholic
Church. They say that the pope and their priest have the power
to forgive sins before God now. We're to forgive each other,
but that's not the power to forgive sins before God. They say they
have the power to forgive sins, to exonerate people, to pronounce
absolution, all of that. That's a lie. First of all, the
keys of the kingdom is the gospel that brings forth Christ, who
is the only way to heaven. So when he gives the keys to
the kingdom of heaven, he didn't just give them to Peter, he gave
them to all the disciples in the preaching of the gospel.
I have the keys to the kingdom of heaven. And I preach those
keys every time I preach Christ crucified and risen from the
dead. And that's the only way to heaven. And he says, whatever
you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. That's of the word
of God, that's the disciple's authority to hold men and women
accountable to God for the things he says. Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Repent of dead works.
Follow him in his sayings. You're bound by that. You're
bound by grace. But it's not a legal bondage
now. What should I do as a believer? As a sinner saved by grace? Whatever
Christ says in his word. I'm bound to that. But it's not
a legal bondage. It's not do or die. Disobey and
die. It's not that at all. We're bond
servants of Christ. And then he says, whatsoever
thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. That's the
freedom and liberty that we have in Christ. Stand fast in the
liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and don't be entangled
again with the yoke of bondage. We're loosed from the bondage
of the law. We're loosed from the traditions
of men. We're loose from all the conditions
that false religion puts upon the salvation of people. And
we have that authority to bind and loose in the preaching of
the gospel. That's what he's talking about.
So he says in verse 20, then charged he his disciples that
they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ. That
has to do with a matter of timing. His disciples were told not to
tell anybody that he was the Christ, because you remember
back in, I think it's in John six, they tried, they wanted
to, after they saw the miracles, they wanted to take him to Jerusalem
and put him on the throne. And then the Pharisees, they
wanted to put him, get him to Jerusalem to put him on a cross.
Well, that's where he was going. And he's going to tell the disciples
that just in the next lesson, the next set of verses. But it
wasn't his time. Everything was done according
to the preset time that God had given before the foundation of
the world. And that's what he means, you
know, when he says, don't tell everybody these things yet. Because
it's all going to come out, and then everything will happen according
to its time. OK.