The Executive Director shared this message with the congregations of Elmsdale St. Matthew’s and Hardwood Lands in the Presbytery of Halifax and Lunenburg (Rev. Beth Mattinson, minister) on June 4, 2023, the eve of General Assembly.
Matthew 16:13-18 – When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. (NLT)
Matthew 16:13-18 is a fascinating conversation. And revealing. It sheds as much light on the relationship between Jesus and His people today as it did about the dynamics He had with His disciples.
The problem then was that the world rejected The Son of God outright. To the Rulers of the Visible World (the Roman Empire) He was a nuisance to be controlled or eliminated. To the church of the day, he was a threat to their worldly privileged position.
I wonder how the world and the church would react if Christ was to return today? I can’t imagine He would be received any better for the simple reason that human nature has not changed. We think we’re more advanced. But the essential way we think and operate is tied into our basic human nature, which is fallen.
Let’s take a closer look at this scene. Jesus has an agenda with every question. He is the ultimate teacher and the opening question is that first step into an important lesson. He knows what they’re going to say. Their response is sad because it reveals their ignorance. How could Jesus be John the Baptist if John was still alive? It’s a puzzling answer. Elijah or Jeremiah make a bit more sense. Both prophets were known for attacking the corruption within the church. Christ was cut from the same cloth. He pointed to hypocrisy, the way the teachers of the law were all about legalism and missed the spirit of the law and how they loved money. But the disciples still didn’t see the big picture, the Kingdom agenda.
Jesus knew all that, so He came at it from a different direction. “But who do you say I am?” He wasn’t interested in second hand information. (Same thing with us today — Jesus wants to know how He has impacted us personally.) And then Peter hit the nail on the head. “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Here was Peter with an answer that if spoken in public might have resulted in arrest and trial for blasphemy.
Jesus, ever the wise and loving teacher, didn’t condemn the naïve responses. Rather, he praised the correct outlook. True wisdom comes from above. Fear or respect of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Divine truth is often at odds with the wisdom of this world. Where are the wise teachers of this age? Or any age? God makes foolish so-called secular wisdom. Talk, we are told, is cheap. And there is plenty of chatter in this fallen world. There is no shortage of people who think they hold the truth. They seek a platform and post their videos and sell their books. It’s all about them.
Peter had ears to hear. Eyes to see. He spoke the truth. Again, Jesus knew what Peter would say. So what follows is not a reward for coming up with the correct answer. Peter is the wild and crazy disciple. And he was still chosen to be among the apostles who would lay the foundations for the early church. Dwell on that for a second.
What’s next is key: “. . . and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.” The powers of hell and darkness, Satan and his legion, are immensely powerful. Those dark powers will not prevail if we are rooted in Christ. Which means we believe in Him as the Messiah, the Son of God. And nothing less.
Throughout history, the church has come under attack. Satan is real. He is the author of deception and master of lies. He is the wolf in sheep’s clothing. In fact, he wants us to think that he doesn’t exist. Satan is creative and has wormed his way into every part of human culture. No one is immune. The trouble is that too many believers suffer from pride. They are too focused on themselves rather than the pursuit of God’s will.
I don’t want to be negative. I am here to share the good news. I am here to encourage you with the truth: that even though the church may appear to be crumbling, it will not die.
As long as God is alive and Christ rules in the heavenly Kingdom, there is hope. The ultimate battle has been won. It’s the here-and-now that’s tough.
Be encouraged. You are not alone. There are congregations just like yours across the nation and North America. They are filled with faithful believers who wonder what the next generation will bring. And of course, you are not alone in the Spirit. Christ was serious when He said in the Great Commission that he is with us always to the end of the age.
There is a next generation. They’re the ones who bravely talk about their faith with friends. They are active churchgoers because they are seeking a better way than the world around them. They see through the lies and deception of churches which try to be more like the world in an effort to appear accommodating and loving when in fact all they’re doing is accommodating the enemy and loving their self-righteousness.
Don’t stop believing. Submit — to God. Our hearts and minds will be opened. We will be hungry and thirsty. Then indulge. Go deeper. Be transformed. This requires a willingness to put aside the things that just don’t matter.
And do not ever let the enemy get you down. There’s plenty of politics going on in our churches. Frankly, it’s not worth the time because much of it is about people who just want to hear themselves talk. And others who believe the future of the church is about social justice, redefining marriage, being open to changing one’s gender, accepting other faiths as equally valid – and so on. What they forget is the narrow gate and the words of Christ: I am the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through me.
There I go again being negative.
The story of the disciples and Jesus is a perfect illustration of the church today. The church was built on the faith of the one who learned from the source, the one who believed in the Messiah at great risk to his personal safety.
If you are willing to be in the minority and stand up for truth, you are the church. You are the Rock on which the next church will be built. You are Peter.
Continue to believe. Continue to pray – it is by far the most powerful weapon we have. Go out of your way to pray. Open the Bible together, read it in groups and talk about it. And pray some more.
The future of the church may not lie in denominations as we know them. What that looks like – I honestly haven’t a clue. It could be a network of house churches. It could be people meeting in restaurants and bars on the slowest evening of the week. Whatever we do, don’t look down. Don’t be defeated. It’s what the enemy wants. Look up, be grateful that your name is written in heaven, where your treasure is stored.