1. Living The Great Adventure Part 7 “A Declaration of Faith” Matthew 16:13-20

2. Caesarea Philippi. (PICS)

4. Question #1 – (v.13) When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"

5. Question #1 – (v.13) “Asked” is in the imperfect Greek tense, and that means, “he asked repeatedly”.

6. Question #1 – (v.13) The disciples needed to get a grasp on who Jesus really was and what that meant. So Jesus asked them who people thought he was.

7. Answer #1 – (v.14) They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

8. Answer #1 – (v.14) “Their answer associated Jesus with three great voices of salvation history.”

9. Answer #1 – (v.14) Elijah was a prophet of power and miracles. Jeremiah was a prophet with a message of repentance and hope.

10. Answer #1 – (v.14) John the Baptist was a prophet with a message of repentance and the coming kingdom of God.

11. Question #2 – (v.15) "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Jesus wanted to know what they were ready to confess verbally about his identity”

12. Answer #2 – v.16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

13. Answer #2 – v.16 Peter’s answer was given in a calm setting of deliberate response and his answer recognized that in the midst of many dead gods, the God of Israel was a living God.

14. Peter’s Answer Does More Than Impress Jesus- vv.17-18 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.

15. Peter’s Answer Does More Than Impress Jesus- vv.17-18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

16. Peter’s Answer Does More Than Impress Jesus- vv.17-18 Jesus blessed Peter and called him by his full name. Our opinion of Jesus is not adequate. What God reveals is eternal truth.

17. Peter’s Answer Does More Than Impress Jesus- vv.17-18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

18. Peter’s Answer Does More Than Impress Jesus- vv.17-18 Jesus promises the indestructibility of the church He builds. In the first days of the church Peter is the key leader (Acts 1- 12).

19. 1 Peter 2:5 “you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

20. Ephesians 2:19-20 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household,

21. Ephesians 2:19-20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

22. Peter’s Answer Does More Than Impress Jesus- vv.17-18 Peter would be a “first among equals” in the history of Jesus’ church.

23. The church Jesus will build is missional and covenantal. – (vv.19-20) I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

24. The church Jesus will build is missional and covenantal. – (vv.19-20) Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

25. The church Jesus will build is missional and covenantal. – (vv.19-20) The disciples had a responsibility to “open doors” for the good news to be declared. But they also had a responsibility to deal with sin in their community.

26. Bottom Line: The seventh secret for living the great adventure is confessing Jesus identity is a declaration of faith that changes everything!

27. Checking out the Christian faith? You cannot understand the mission of the church until you know the identity of the founder.

28. Checking out the Christian faith? The most important declaration you make is what you declare about Jesus Christ?

29. Checking out the Christian faith?

31. Living a Jesus-centered life? Don’t define Jesus by your preconceived ideas – rather let Him redefine your ideas by His identity.

32. Living a Jesus-centered life? A contented life is possible when you resolve that Jesus is the Christ – the son of the living God. Jesus says His church exists to make God famous.