Time for a Mid-Term

Matthew 16: 13-28

1.) Peter’s Bold Confession (vv 13-20)

Matthew 16:13-20:

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you lose on earth shall be lost in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

“When we say Christ we should think King. ‘The Christ,’ by definition, and in distinction from all prophets and forerunners, is Israel’s ultimate one, God’s final King.” -Dale Bruner 

“Peter is not just a representative disciple, as so many Protestant exegetes have been anxious to maintain. Nor is he obviously the first holder of an office others will someday hold, as Roman Catholic tradition has so steadfastly maintained. Rather, he is a man with a unique role in salvation-history…and his faith is the means by which God brings a new people into being.” -Davies and Allison 

​2.) Jesus’ Strong Correction (vv 21-23) 

Matthew 16:21-23:

21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Isaiah 53:5-6-But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (NIV)

​3.) Jesus’ Radical Commission (vv 24-28)

Matthew 16:24-28:

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Galatians 2:20a- “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”

​Galatians 5:24- “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” -Dietrich Bonhoeffer (The Cost of Discipleship)

“When you do the math, you may conclude that, yes, following Jesus will cost you—a lot. But here’s the thing: Not following Jesus will cost you even more. It will cost you life with God, the very purpose for which you were created. It will cost you access to the inner life of the Trinity, the ‘peace that transcends all understanding,’ and the ‘joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.’ It will cost you freedom from the bondage of sin, healing from the wounding of sin, forgiveness from the guilt and shame of sin, and adoption into the family of God out of the isolation of sin. People often complain about how hard the spiritual life is. And the honest truth is, yes, it is. But what’s missing from this diagnosis is that the unspiritual life is even harder.” -John Mark Comer (Practicing the Way) 

Application:

Who do you say that I am?

What area of your life is not yet fully surrendered to Jesus?