GOD’S WORD FOR  NOVEMBER 29

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

Peter’s Personal Conviction

Like an arrow aimed for its intended target, Jesus now turned to His disciples and asked a pertinent personal question.

  “But who do you say that I am?”

Peter, ever the first to speak, answered magnificently:

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16).

We should not think that only now Peter had reached this conclusion.  He had made similar statements before.  But never before had he stated his conclusion so clearly, so briefly, so memorably.

Peter, I am sure, was speaking for all of the disciples, but his answer must be seen primarily as his own heartfelt conviction.  He knew that the name “Christ” meant the “Anointed One.”  He recognized that this Man was the Christ who was the fulfillment of the Old Testament predictions.  He was the Prophet, Priest, and King.

The phrase, “Son of the living God,” refers to Christ as the special, only begotten Son of God.  When Christ spoke of Himself as a Son and God as His Father, the Jews accused Him of blasphemy, making Himself equal with God (John 5:18).  They understood that this kind of sonship implied equality with God.  Christ’s sonship does not refer to TIME but RANK.  God the Father did not exist before God the Son.  Both the Son and the Father existed from all eternity.  Christ is the unique One, the God-man.

By asking the disciples this question, Jesus brought Peter’s faith to its clearest public expression.  Here, for all to see, was the earnest response of his heart.  This was another one of Peter’s finest moments.

Jesus continued, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hades shall not overpower it.” (Matthew 16:18).  This is the only prediction Christ made about the establishment of His Church, a prophecy that was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost.  This is the Church of which He is the head, the Church for which He died, and the Church for which He will someday return.

(Understand that when the word “Church” is used in the Bible, it doesn’t mean a group of people who have services in one building, nor does it mean any denomination, but it is referring to the Spiritual Church—those born again believers world-wide who believe in Jesus as the True Messiah spoken of in the Old Testament, and  promised to the Jews.  The members of the True Church believe in Him as our personal Lord and Savior, knowing that we have sinned, do sin,  and can never earn our way to heaven.   We believe He died to pay the price for our sins and rose from the dead, and that we also will have that resurrected life with Him for eternity because of Him alone.)

In responding to Peter’s ringing affirmation, Christ used the occasion to describe the Church He is about to build.  Notice these features: 

First, CHRIST OWNS THE CHURCH.  If Peter, or any one of us for that matter, should ever use the church as a platform to enhance our own careers, if we should ever treat the people of the church as if they belong to us, we are callously usurping an ownership which belongs to Christ alone.  He purchased the church at high cost.  It belongs to Him.

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Ephesians 1:12-14 ~ ~   that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.  In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise,  who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Mark 10:45 ~ ~ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Ephesians 5:25 ~ ~  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

Colossians 1:18 ~ ~And He is the head of the body, the Church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Matthew 5:13 ~ ~ You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

Matthew 5:14 ~ ~ You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Philippians 2:13-15 ~ ~ for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.  Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

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