GOD’S WORD FOR  NOVEMBER 27

Our  book excerpt today, and ongoing,  is from “Chiseled by the Master’s Hand”  Lessons from the Life of Peter, by Erwin  Lutzer.  Dr. Lutzer is  Canadian-born and served as Senior Pastor of the Moody Church in Chicago for 36 years, until his retirement in 2016.   He now serves as Pastor Emeritus of Moody Church.  He’s written many books and has radio and internet teaching programs.

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THOU ART THE CHRIST

(Matthew 16:13-28)

Christ knew that the eternal destiny of all men was dependent on their relationship with Him.  Though He was honored for His miracles and teachings, only those who understood that He was the Messiah, the Son of God, could benefit from the work He came to do.  For this reason He kept pressing men and women to make up their minds about Him.

Though Peter had already recognized Him as “the Holy One of God.” Christ kept probing his mind and heart.  He also wanted the other disciples to clarify their own understanding of His person and work.  The Sculptor was cutting away any misgivings His disciples had.  The choice was clear:  if He is God in the flesh, serve Him;  if He is anything less, consider Him only of passing interest.

Jesus was in the area of Caesarea Philippi, north of Galilee, about six months away from going to Jerusalem to die.   Here at the base of a mountain (most likely Mount Hermon), He asked His disciples a series of questions that would force them to clarify their understanding of Him.  He was not taking an opinion poll, nor did He ask these questions because He was seeking information for His own good.  Just as God the Father asked Adam and Eve a question in the Garden of Eden for their benefit, so Christ asked the disciples questions as a part of their learning process.

“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He began asking His disciples, saying, “who do people say that the Son of Man is?”  And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”  (Matthew 16:13-14).

 Missing is any reference to Christ as the Messiah.  Months earlier multitudes appeared to be convinced that Christ was the promised One, but opposition to Him was beginning to build.  If some common people had such convictions, they were afraid to share them. (because the Pharisees had said that anyone claiming He was the Messiah would be thrown out of the synagogue, which means they wouldn’t have the services, like support for widows, orphans and disabled).   Or possibly they had become convinced that their original opinion of Him was mistaken.

However, we must also remember that popular opinion held that the Messiah would be a resurrected figure from the past.  This would explain why John the Baptist and several heroes of bygone days were included in this list of possible candidates.  Thus, some in the crowd may have believed that Christ was the Messiah, but nevertheless thought He had had a past existence in the Old Testament days.

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Jeremiah 17:9 ~ ~The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?

John 2:25 (Amplified version for clarity)  ~ ~ and He did not need anyone to testify concerning man [and human nature], for He Himself knew what was in man [in their hearts—in the very core of their being].

Psalm 2:1-4 ~ ~ Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?

The kings of the earth set themselves,  and the rulers take counsel together,

against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,  “Let us break Their bonds in pieces

and cast away Their cords from us.”   He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;

The Lord shall hold them in derision.

Luke 16:15 ~ ~ and He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

2 Corinthians 2:11-12 ~ ~  For what person knows the thoughts and motives of a man except the man’s spirit within him? So also no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.  Now we have received, (those who are born again)  not the spirit of the world, but the [Holy] Spirit who is from God, so that we may know and understand the [wonderful] things freely given to us by God.

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