Words of Jesus Part 13

Matthew 16:1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

Sometimes we picture Jesus as the one that was taught in Sunday School as gentle, meek and mild. However, He was very hard on the Pharisees. The reason being that the Pharisees were the religious leaders. They were supposed to lead people to God and be people of compassion. We see them as jealous, conniving, and fault finders. They show their true colors when a sick person is made well. Instead of rejoicing that one was set free, they whine and complain going so far as accusing Jesus of healing under the power of the devil. Jonah was three days in the belly of a whale, Jesus was three days in the grave was the only sign Jesus promised them to have.

Matthew 16:5 And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.
6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.
8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

The doctrine of the Pharisees was to say and do not. Leaven was representative of sin. Evil creeping in disguised as good. False religious is an example of leaven that poses as righteousness but it is fake. They emphasized legalistic and outward rites when their hearts had lost the real meaning of any religion and that is a right relation ship with God, a repentant attitude and compassion on those that suffer poverty, disability and misfortune. The best quality a preacher can have is to be honest and tell the truth.

We can learn so much from watching the Pharisees. Are we jealous when we see another church or preacher having good results, souls saved, the sick healed?

I'm not talking about charlatans and those that fleece the flock and use the gifts of the Spirit to do it with. Whether or not anyone is healed, I don't know. We should never desire to see people deceived by false doctrine or following after false shepherds who fleece the flock and exercise control. In fact the Pharisees were afraid of losing control and they felt threatened by Jesus. Their religion was their livelihood. They were more interested in their own future rather than seeing people get free from sin or free from sickness.

A true pastor will love His congregation. He is give His life for it. He will not want to gain by their loss. He will give as well as receive. He will teach the truth of God's word. He will be sad when someone leaves and try to get them back but he will not threaten, intimidate and use any force. A good member will be a member willingly. He will not have members tattling and spying on each other. He will prefer to hear good rather than evil reports. He will not envy other ministers and churches but be willing to help them when the need arises. He will rejoice to see the lost saved, the sick healed even if he personally had nothing to do with it. Most of all he must never take credit for what God does.

When we study the Pharisees we must not add to it. I've seen some churches and ministers accused of being like the Pharisees because they adhere to strict doctrine. Living by the standard of the bible is to be commended. I believe in holy living. We run into trouble however, if one preaches holiness but doesn't live it himself. If we demand it in everybody else but excuse ourselves, we are Pharisees. Jesus described the Pharisees as those that say and do not. Those that burden everyone else but do not lift a finger to help is a Pharisee.

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.

Peter was not the only pillar of the church but the other apostles also. Jesus is the main rock and they built upon that rock. I personally think Jesus was singling out Peter here because Peter would need reassurance of God's forgiveness and grace after the time when Peter denies even knowing Jesus. He was making sure Peter was included in the building of the church. (My own opinion here.)

Matthew 16:19 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.

This didn't mean that Peter would be at the gate to refuse or deny anyone's access to heaven. The keys means the gospel which opens up the door to the Kingdom of Heaven. To bind is the forbid and to loose is to permit in rabbinical terms.

To bind is to obligate and to loose is to free someone of obligation. An example would be in the book of Acts where the Gentiles were not required to be circumcised like the Jews. They were not "bound" to that requirement in the Jewish law. They were under a New Covenant. Another thought is that when one is bound by sin they need to be free. When one is set free from sin, they are loose. A person is bound by sin and needs to be set free, a person is bound by the law and needs to be free from the condemnation of the law, a person is set free from obligation. A person is loosed from the bondage of sin, sickness and all other types of bondage. We are to set them free by the power of the gospel. We need to be very careful not to take these scriptures out of context and start going around using them the wrong way.

Matthew 16:20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

Our beloved Jesus did not want anyone to stop Him from doing what He came to do. He could have become king over all Judea at this time. He could have reigned. If He had of done that, only those in this timeframe of history and in that country would have benefited. The whole world would have remained lost and without God doomed to spend eternity in hell.

Jesus had a purpose. His first coming was to die for our sins. The second coming will be to set up his kingdom. They were not to announce who He was at the time because then He would not have been crucified and no man, woman or child would be saved.

Matthew 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

Satan tried his best to stop Jesus from His purpose. At the time of temptation in the wilderness, he tried to stop Jesus. He tries again by using Peter as a vessel. All of us probably would have said the same thing as Peter did.

Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

This message is seldom preached anymore. It is much easier to preach, "Receive, Christ, give generously and you will live a good life." Many are sadly leaving out repentance, a changed life, a life consecrated on Jesus Christ and the will of God, putting everything else ahead of God, giving one's all and choosing Christ even if it means losing a job, a family and a home.

Yet if we save our life by denying Christ or Christ's right to change our lives, then we will lose it in the end. If we lose our life in the world and receive Christ in truth, we will gain it in the end.

Matthew 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

Some will be raptured and not die before Jesus comes.

1Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Words of Jesus Part 14

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