Matthew 16
13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 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.
Jesus spoke to Peter and the disciples, asking who the people say that Jesus is? So they answered that some say John the Baptist, others Jeremiah, Elijah or one of the other prophets.
Then he asked His disciples personally, “whom do you say that I am?”
Tonight Christ asks you the same question, whom do you say that Christ is? He makes is personal to you.
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ the Son of the Living God”. Jesus said to Peter that God had revealed it to him.
Salvation is not something that you learn. Salvation is not by education but by revelation. It doesn’t help you to be plentiful in knowledge of salvation. You might as well be a parrot. God needs to reveal Jesus Christ to you. A parrot can imitate a door knock, a telephone etc. so accurately that you actually go and look at the door or pick up the telephone.
Paul says in Gal 1:11 & 12, “But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
All the sermons you’ve heard will not profit you anything and will only be head-knowledge unless God reveals Himself to you. Many of the most godless people in the world are highly educated. Unless God reveals to you that Jesus is the Christ all your education will profit you nothing.
When you read the Bible don’t just open it irreverently and flippantly but ask God to speak to you and His Word will become alive. What He says to you will be precious and bring life. Take the Bible and read it, asking God to reveal Himself to you, because man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Deut 8:3).
Jesus said to Peter, you are “petros” but on this “petra” I will build My church. Peter (petros), is a stone or rock which can be moved, but “petra” is the Rock of Ages which will not be moved, not even by the gates of hell. In fact Peter’s feet of clay was shown not long after this when he denied the Lord with curses in front of a servant-girl and others. We thank God that Peter repented with tears.
If you just build on a “petros”, any rock, you will be in trouble sooner or later. But if you are built upon the Rock of Ages nothing will be able to move you.
The things of God do not originate in this world. They are eternal and originate in heaven. A true child of God is in tune with heaven, and knows what God has bound and loosed in heaven. Therefore he can pronounce things on earth loosened or bound. Why did Jesus say, whatever you bound on earth will be bound in heaven? When you are a child of God the Holy Spirit reveals to you the mind of God concerning things.
Troubled are those who do not know the truth of God in reality. There are certain ministers who pronounce people forgiven of their sins but they do not change. The drunkard continues drinking and the immoral person continues with his immorality.
A genuine Christian is under authority, the authority of the Holy Spirit. He doesn’t preach his own wisdom or ideas but does the will of God, his Father in Heaven.
Ps 18:2, “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”
If you are not yet built upon the Rock of Ages make that decision now before it is too late.