By The Rev. Dr. Paul A. Leggett
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Sermon Text: Matthew 10:15-25
Sermon Theme
Jesus poses the crucial question to the disciples, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answers with the affirmation upon which the church stands or falls: Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. The church is based on those who bear this faithful testimony, of whom Peter is the first. Jesus then makes a twofold promise: He will build the church, and the gates of death itself will not be able to overcome it. Because this is Jesus’ promise the church remains secure and confident. The church sustains each of us in the body of Christ.
Sermon Outline
- Answer. Throughout the gospels, including Matthew, there are many different interpretations of Jesus. He is called “king of the Jews” (Matthew 2:2), “Teacher” (Matthew 8:19), “Son of David” (Matthew 9:27), a glutton and a drunkard (Matthew 11:18), and even demon-possessed (Matthew 12:24). He was also believed to be John the Baptist, Elijah or Jeremiah (Matthew 16:14). There is no limit to interpretations of Jesus today. Jesus poses the question of his identity to the disciples. Peter steps forward. He offers no defense of Jesus. He doesn’t try to respond, much less explain, the various interpretations of others. Peter is straight-forward, clear and exact: Jesus is the Messiah, God’s anointed one, and he is the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16). No one else holds this title. He is unique.
- Affirm. Jesus then makes a twofold affirmation. Peter’s confession did not come from within him himself. This was not a conclusion of “flesh and blood” (Matthew 16:17; John 1:12-13). This is the mystery of God’s grace (Matthew 11:27; 13:11). God has revealed this to Peter. Peter has responded with the confession. Jesus then affirms that on Peter, who represents the faithful witnessing disciple, he will build his church. This is the first part of Jesus’ greatest promise. Jesus alone builds his church. It is his church, never our church. We are a necessary foundation. Yet we are foundational only to the degree that we are faithful. We do not build the church. We neither determine its direction nor growth. The church survives for one reason and one reason only. Jesus and no one else builds the church. And the church belongs to him and him alone.
- Adversary. Jesus’ church is the means by which God will carry out his plan of salvation in the world. The church in fact will be the body of Christ on earth (Romans 12:4-5). It would be the gravest error to think that the church Jesus builds would go unopposed. Jesus has come into a world which resists him intensely (Matthew12:14; Luke 19:14). This opposition emerges immediately. Right after Peter’s great confession he succumbs to the temptation of Satan (Matthew 16:22-23). The powers of death in every sense of the word, physical, spiritual and emotional, seek to block the church. Jesus’ future promise is that the gates of Hades will neither overcome nor resist the church. Those gates will be smashed at the end of the age (Revelation 20:7-10). Yet even now the opposition of the powers of death cannot prevail against the church. Satan’s attack on the church is unrelenting (II Corinthians 2:11, 11:14; I Thessalonians 2:18; I Peter 5:8). Yet all attacks will fail. It is never our church. It is solely the church of Jesus Christ, and Jesus promises, “”Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).
Questions for Us
- How should we deal with the many different interpretations of Jesus in our day? What can we learn from Peter's confession?
- What does it mean to say that Jesus alone builds the church? How does that affect our perception and participation in the church?
- What does it mean for us today to know that that the gates of death will ultimately never prevail against the church? How does this hope both sustain and encourage us?
