Text: Matthew 16:13-20
(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. (20) Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
1 Corinthians 10:1-4, “(1) Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; (2) And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; (3) And did all eat the same spiritual meat; (4) And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
The Rock & The Name
Bishop James A. Johnson: “Men often fail in their religious pursuits because they are not convinced of the extraordinariness of Jesus.”
“Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am?”
Apparently, there were many opinions in Jesus’ day regarding His identity: John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.
The world today has no need for men and women who have already ran their race, finished their courses and received their reward.
John, Elijah, Jeremiah, and the prophets – healed the sick, raised the dead, stopped the heavens from raining, brought the rain again
They preached great sermons, performed notable miracles, baptized many.
BUT, they could not make men, women, boys and girls inwardly whole. They were unable to save humanity from their sins.
Only Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God can do that.
I love, honor and respect our Apostolic / Oneness Pentecostal heritage.
I have great esteem for men like Urshan, Ewart, Goss, Haywood, Pugh, Kilgore, Kitchen, Simison, Kuntzman, Jenkins, McFarland, Tenney, etc.
They all served their generation well, but their time has come and gone.
It is now your time to do for this generation what God requires of you.
God has called you to this time and this hour and this day.
Esther 4:14, “For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
This is your time! This is your place! What will you do with it?
The disciples gave Jesus a list of who people believed others Him to be, but Jesus cut through all that and simply asked them, “But whom say ye that I am?”
Who is Jesus to you?
Who is Jesus to you? Is He simply a good man, a healer, a worker of miracles, a teacher of great truths…
Do you see Him as some far off ethereal deity cloud robed and mystery hidden, or can you say like Peter did:
“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
He is the one the prophets spoke about, wrote about, prayed for, looked to, and rejoiced at His coming.
He is the Messiah, the anointed one, the savior.
He is God manifest in the flesh.
Jesus is The Rock, and properly identifying Jesus through the power of divine revelation brings a blessing into your life:
“Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”
1 Corinthians 12:3, “Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.”
Revelation comes by the Spirit of God and always agrees with the written Word of God.
1 Timothy 3:16, “And without controversy [undeniable, certain, without dispute] great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”
1 Timothy 2:5-6, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; (6) Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”
Matthew 1:20-25
(20) But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. (21) And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (22) Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, (23) Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. (24) Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: (25) And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
Jesus then tells Peter who He is: “Thou art Peter [a piece of rock], and upon this rock [a mass of rock] I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” <<Peter = “a piece of rock”[1] | Upon this rock = “a mass of rock”[2]>>
Peter, I’m not going to build my Church on you, you’re just a little piece of rock, but upon This ROCK, this massive rock of stone – the revelation of who I am – I am going to build My Church.
Jesus – The Rock – The Name, is who this Church is built on:
(10) Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. (11) This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. (12) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.[3]
Jesus Christ is The Rock
- Deuteronomy 32:31, “For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.”
- Deuteronomy 32:3-4, “(3) Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. (4) He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.”
- Psalm 18:2, 31, “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….For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?”
- Psalm 95:1, “O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
- Isaiah 28:16, “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”
- Ephesians 2:19-22, “(19) Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; (20) And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; (21) In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: (22) In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”
Like Paul, when you receive the revelation of The Rock & The Name and realize His power you will be driven by a singular devotion and determination:
“And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:1-2).
PERGAMOS[4]
Revelation 2:12-17
(12) And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
- Pergamos literally means “married with the world.”
- It refers to a condition and time when satan changed tactics to attack the Church.
- We all want to be accepted.
- So, satan stopped persecuting the church and began popularizing it.
- The church became the “in thing” to join. And so it became fashionable.
- But while fashionable it had become impure. Those joining didn’t leave their sinful practices and those already in it became influenced by the world.
- This led to a condition where the Church would become unfaithful to Christ and married to the world.
- Jesus is stating here that He is coming with a two-edged to divide the true Church from the false church that is full of compromise and polluted works.
(13) I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
- Even as popular culture tried to pervert, popularize, and convolute the name of Jesus, the Church held on to the truth of the mighty God in Christ.
- They still understood:
- Neither is there salvation in any other…
- In Him dwelleth all the fullness of the godhead bodily…
- Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name…
- God has always had a True Church that has held onto His name.
- Somewhere and somehow Truth has always been preserved.
- Even when satan changes tactics, God is always steps ahead preserving and protecting the Church.
- You see, Truth doesn’t need protecting. Truth is true whether all believe it, or none do.
- It was Adrian Rodgers who said, “It is better to be divided by truth than to be united in error. It is better to speak the truth that hurts and then heals, than falsehood that comforts and then kills. Let me tell you something, friend, it is not love and it is not friendship if we fail to declare the whole counsel of God. It is better to be hated for telling the truth, than to be loved for telling a lie. It is impossible to find anyone in the Bible who was a power for God who did not have enemies and was not hated. It’s better to stand alone with the truth, than to be wrong with a multitude. It is better to ultimately succeed with the truth than to temporarily succeed with a lie. There is only one Gospel and Paul said, “If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed”.” -Adrian Rodgers, National Religious Broadcasters Convention in 1996
- The Church in Pergamos had martyrs who had died for Truth – Antipas (thought to be the pastor).
(14) But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
- It was Balaam who couldn’t curse the Hebrews. So, he encouraged Balac to have his pagan people intermarry with the Hebrews.
- Thus, the Hebrews brought a curse on themselves when their gentile wives brought false gods, heathen practices, and compromise into their homes.
- The devil wants you to bring a curse on yourself by allowing a marriage of the holy with the profane in your life.
(15) So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
- The doctrine (deeds) of the Nicolaitans: Corrupts Paul’s teaching concerning grace, and made it a license to sin.
- They were sensual and unrepentant.
- They turned the grace of God into lasciviousness.
- Paul wrote in reponse to them: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Romans 6:1-2).
- 2 Corinthians 6:17, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.”
- According the Joseph Benson, “They allowed the practice of the most abominable lewdness and adulteries, as well as sacrificing to idols; all which they placed among things indifferent, and pleaded for as branches of Christian liberty.”[5]
(16) Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
- REPENT – Jesus here gives to John the very first word of the Gospel that He shared in the beginning – REPENT.
- It is the only solution for your sin.
- It is better to fall in humble repentance now than to be broken by God’s judgment.
- Psalms 103:8-11, “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.”
(17) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
- Hidden manna = Divine provision both natural and spiritual.
- The Bread of Life, the Lord Jesus Christ, is our sustenance.
- White stone = a sign of purity and innocence.
- Even in this wicked age of compromise God can keep you pure and declare you innocent.
- Name recorded in stone = worthy of eternal life.
- God would not condemn the True Church to Hell because of the failures of their generation.
- Is your name recorded in the Stone?
If not, you need to enter into The Rock
Isaiah 2:10, “Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty.”
How do you “Enter into the Rock?” How do you get in Jesus? Peter told us on the Day of Pentecost how to do that:
…God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.[6]
Get into Jesus?
Obey the plan of salvation and be born again of water and Spirit.
That is how to enter into the Rock.
Death, Burial & Resurrection = New Birth:
Colossians 2:8-12, “(8) Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (9) For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (10) And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (11) In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh [repentance] by the circumcision of Christ: (12) Buried with him in baptism [water baptism] wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead [Holy Ghost].
When you properly identify The Rock you will operate with the same delegated authority Peter was granted:
“…whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
So, Preach Jesus – Teach Jesus – Live Jesus – Share Jesus – Love Jesus – Praise Jesus
And the gates of hell shall not prevail against you.
No secret council of hell will ever prevail against God’s Church – the gates of hell
Who is Jesus to you?
You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
Matthew 16:17-18, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 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.”
“Thou art Peter” = Petros – “a (piece of) rock.”[7]
You are a small pebble, Peter, I’m not going to build My church on you…
“And upon this Rock” = Petra – “a (mass of) rock.”[8]
But I’m going to build My church on this massive boulder, this Stone hewn out of the mountain, OUR ROCK that’s going to grow and cover the whole earth.
…and establish an eternal Spiritual kingdom that cannot be destroyed.”
[1] Strong’s & John Gill
[2] Ibid.
[3] Acts 4:10-12
[4] Dustin L. Abbott. 2007. Revelation Unveiled. Pages 44-48.
[5] Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments.
[6] Acts 2:36-39
[7] Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries. G4074.
[8] Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries. G4073.
The Pillar and Ground of Truth 