Kerwin Baptist Church Daily Broadcast

Our desire is for the Word of God to be spread throughout the world so that all may know Christ.

Join us now for a portion of one of our services here at Kerwin Baptist Church located in Kernersville, North Carolina. A few men say that I the Son of Man am. And they said, some say that thou art John the Baptist, some Elias, others Jeremiah's, or one of the prophets. Now in verse 15 notice, He saith unto them, but whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

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. 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. Let's pray, ask God to bless as we try to deal with this utmost important subject, the church that Jesus founded.

Lord, I love you. I pray that you would bless your Word as we kind of get back to the basics this morning, how comforting it is to be reminded of the fact that you will build your church. And Lord, I pray that we would do our part, but even more importantly, Lord, that we would let you do yours.

In Jesus' name we pray, amen. As we look at this passage, first thing I want you to see is a public survey. Jesus asked the disciples a question, and Jesus knowing that probably people would talk to his disciples about him in a different way than they would talk to him. I know that even in a church setting and even in a work setting, whatever the case might be, people talk different to others about the boss than they talk to the boss. I'm sure it's that way here even at church that members might talk amongst themselves, say some things about me that maybe they wouldn't necessarily just come up to my face and say to me. But based on some of the things that have been said to my face, I can only imagine what said when I'm not there.

But anyway, that's another whole subject. But I want you to notice that Jesus here first, we see a public survey. He says here in verse 13, whom do men say that I, the son of man, am? What's interesting here is Jesus called himself the son of man.

Now, why did Jesus do that and why did Jesus do this during his earthly ministry? What is interesting, I want you to see this passage in Daniel, Chapter seven, and many of these folks were familiar with prophecy from the Old Testament. And in Daniel, Chapter seven, verse 13, notice this. Daniel says, I saw in the night visions and behold, one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the ancient of days. And they brought him near before him and there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people, nations and languages should serve him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away. And you have to understand that Jesus here is saying, I am the fulfillment of that prophecy. The son of man, Jesus says to his disciples, whom do men say that I, the son of man, am? Now, I find it interesting here that he did not ask his disciples what the Pharisees or the Sadducees had to say about him.

He didn't say, what do the religious people say about me? Jesus was a man of the people. He was a man of the publicans and the sinners.

He ate with them and fellowshiped with them. And may I say this, Jesus cared little about what the organized religious sect thought about Jesus. In fact, I believe it seems basically ironic, I don't know if you have, and I know we know this, but sometimes we need to center our thoughts on this, that Jesus would ultimately be crucified solely because of the religious. The reason he was crucified is because he claimed to be something that disagreed with the religious leadership. Isn't it amazing that how people associate Jesus with religion and they forget that religion is the very thing that killed Jesus?

Jesus didn't care what the religious had to say about him. He asked his disciples, what do people, real people, what do they say about me? You see, the people that they were asking, these were opinions not of enemies, but of followers of Jesus. When Jesus asked his disciples, who do men say that I am? He was talking about people that literally followed him and listened to him and watched him and observed his miracles.

These opinions were meant by people as literally a vote of confidence. You see, these people had not been clearly taught in word. They had only been taught by the works that they had seen Jesus do. In fact, later on in this passage, Jesus tells his disciples not to tell people that he was the son of God. You see, these people that were following Jesus at this time, they didn't know the whole truth. So what they were calling Jesus and what they were saying about Jesus wasn't meant as a slap in the face, and it wasn't like they were trying to teach something false about Jesus.

It was the best of what they knew. So the disciples begin to answer Jesus, and they said, well, this is what they're saying. First, the disciples brought up, they said that some people say that you're John the Baptist.

Now, you say, well, why would they think that? Well, John the Baptist had been beheaded by Herod, and we all know the story of the corruption that went on there. But Herod had killed John the Baptist.

In fact, can I give you a passage of scripture if you didn't know this in Matthew chapter 14 verse 1? The Bible says, at that time, Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus. This is the man that killed John the Baptist. Verse 2, and he said unto his servants, this is John the Baptist.

He is risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him. Even Herod thought that Jesus was John the Baptist. Even Herod began to get a bit nervous knowing that he had wrongfully killed John the Baptist, and maybe this Jesus was literally John the Baptist coming back from the dead and doing great miracles. Second thing that the disciples told Jesus, they said, well, some say that you're John the Baptist.

Others say that you're Elias, or who we would know as Elijah. They were taking occasion by saying this, I'm sure, by Malachi chapter 4 verse 5. I won't show it to you, but in Malachi chapter 4 verse 5, it literally, the prophecy comes, behold, I will send you Elijah, and probably because Elijah as Christ did many miracles and was himself translated the greatest miracle of all, and it would only make sense based on what they had been taught from God's word that this Jesus might be John the Baptist, or he might be Elias. Then the disciples said this, some say that you're Jeremiah, or who we would know as Jeremiah. It might be because that Jeremiah was the weeping prophet, and in his earthly ministry, Jesus Christ was often in tears. It might be because in Jeremiah chapter 1 that God literally set Jeremiah over the kingdoms and nations, and of course, the followers of Jesus believed that he was there to set up a kingdom, and this must be Jeremiah. The last thing that the disciples said is kind of a blanket statement. They said that some are even saying that you're just one of the prophets. Now this shows what an honorable ideal that the people had for the prophets, and yet, in just a few chapters later, we are told that this generation of people were the children of the ones that had killed the prophets. Here they hold Jesus in high esteem as one of the prophets, and yet their heritage are the very ones that had killed the Old Testament prophets, one of the prophets. In fact, that was an amazing statement to say that just a young man from Nazareth, they would hold in high esteem to be one as equal of the Old Testament prophets. A public survey, and you know, I can imagine that today, if we went around Kernersville or Winston or Greensboro, I mean, you think of a place that really has a church just about on every corner.

I mean, wherever you are in this area, you're just a mile or two away from a church. I can imagine if we went out and did a public survey of who people think that Jesus is or was. So Jesus leaves a public survey, and he goes now, secondly, to a personal search. In verse 15, he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Jesus finishes this general public survey that his disciples had kind of heard and things said, and now Jesus looks at them face to face, and can I imagine, can you and I just think for a second what it must have been to look into the face of Jesus, which we will be able to do one day, but these men here on earth looked in the face of Jesus, and he looks at them and asks them this question, Who do you think I am? Who do you believe I am?

And may I say today, it's a good question. This is what makes pure Christianity so unique. This is what makes the church so special, because Christianity is not based in public opinion. It doesn't really matter what others say that Jesus is. Christianity is not based in public opinion.

It's based in personal belief. The question not to ask today is who, what do everybody else, who do they say Jesus is? The question for each of us to ask today is who do you say that Jesus is, and who do I believe that he is? Being a believer in Christ is founded in a personal relationship with Jesus, not a public survey of what people think about him. What your mom or dad or grandparents or family thought or think about Jesus really does not alter or affect your eternity one bit. May I challenge you this morning that every person that might have touch in your life, every relative, every friend, even every fellow church member, what they think and what they believe about Jesus or even what they preach and teach about Jesus has no effect on your eternity. What matters is who do you say Jesus is? What matters is who is Jesus to you? What matters is do you believe Jesus is who he says he was? What matters is what have you done in response to that belief?

A public survey, a personal search. Dear friend, as you're listening this morning, this is how salvation comes. The Holy Spirit of God begins a personal search in your life.

He may be doing it right now. But you notice the third thing in this passage. Now we see Peter's statement in verse 16. So Jesus begins with a impromptu public survey, and then he goes directly to a personal search, and now we find the answer in Peter's statement. Verse 16, Peter says this. And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. First thing in this statement from Peter. Jesus says, Who do you say that I am? And Peter literally, I guess, takes into account that he's gonna answer for the group.

He was kind of the self-promoted spokesperson. There's always people like that, that, you know, when you ask a group for some reason, they feel that they are to answer for everyone. I believe some people believe that they're just giving the opinion of the entire earth when they talk.

But may I challenge you, dear friend, that people might not think as you do. But in this particular instance, Peter gave a true, bold statement. He says first this, Thou art the Christ. That means, Peter is saying this, you are the true God. Now, in the Old Testament, the Jewish people looked forward to the day when God would send a king to earth to rule the entire world. The Hebrew word for this king was the word Messiah. And it means the anointed or chosen one. And in the Hebrew, this word Messiah stood for the one that was to come. And later in the New Testament, this Old Testament Hebrew word Messiah was translated into the Greek word Christos. The English word Christ comes from this Greek word Christos. You see, the word Christ is not Jesus' last name. Christ is a very special word, more like a title than a name. You see, titles today describe really a person's job or explains what they do, if I say President Trump. President is not his name, it's his title.

By saying that, you know what he does or at least is supposed to do. If you call me Pastor Daniel, the pastor is not my name. But pastor describes my title, what I do. The title Christ describes and honors Jesus as the one God chose to be king of kings, Lord of lords, and savior of the world. Because God's word, the Bible, calls Jesus, Jesus Christ. Because it refers to him as that, you can know for sure that he is God's one and only son, chosen to take the punishment for our sin. Can I read you a verse this morning? John 17, verse 3. And this is life eternal, that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. You see, when Peter said thou art the Christ, he is saying you're the true God.

You are the one that was to come, that was prophesied. And may I say this, in some countries and even in America, Jesus is a common name that may be given to children. But no one else on earth can rightfully claim the title Jesus Christ. And only, by the way, Jesus Christ can save you. Acts chapter 4, verse 10, if I can give this to you. Be it known unto you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, it could have just said Jesus of Nazareth, but he wasn't just Jesus of Nazareth, he was Jesus the Messiah, the anointed one, the chosen one from Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

This is the stone which was set at naught of your builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. There are other Jesuses, but there is only one Jesus Christ.

The title is only for him. Peter said, thou art the Christ. Notice secondly, Peter answers this, and Jesus says, so who do you believe I am? He says this, you are the son of the living God. You see, this means that Peter said, not only are you the true God, but you are the living God. He wasn't just the son of God to Peter, he was the son of the living God, which means he wasn't just the son of some worshiped God, he was the son of the one true living God.

This was a direct statement in opposition to the dumb and dead idols that people were worshiping in those days. May I remind you today that Jesus is not just the son of a dead God, of a dead idol, of a dead object. He's a living God, he's alive. If Jesus is the son of the eternal God, as Peter said, then that would mean that Jesus is the eternal God. And if Jesus is the eternal God, then Jesus, who has eternal life as the eternal God, is able to offer and to promise eternal life to us. You see, Jesus called himself the son of man, but the disciples owned him to be the son of the living God. The people's opinion of him was that he was the ghost of a dead man or of a dead prophet, maybe Elias, maybe Jeremiah, maybe John the Baptist, maybe just one of the prophets, but they knew and believed him to be the son of the living God who had life in himself and was given as the son to be life to the world.

This is who the church would be built upon. If Jesus was the son of the living God, then that would mean he had the same nature with God. And though right now his divine nature was veiled with flesh as a man, there would be those who would look through it, who would see through it, and see as the Bible said, his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

What Peter said is exactly what you and I need to believe, and it's exactly what the church is being built on, that Jesus was the Christ. He's the true God. He's the son of the living God.

He's the living God. And that means that our church is not a dead church and should never be a dead church. It's an alive church. It's a living church.

It's a church that's being built and will one day see Jesus face to face. I want you to notice, fourthly in this passage, a public survey, a personal search, Peter's statement, but now we see a prophetic sermon. All this brought Jesus to this point in verse 17, and I want you to notice this. Jesus answered and said unto him, blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood, bless, that's a combination of flesh and blood.

I just call it bless. 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. What a doctrinal statement. So let's quickly, as we draw to a close, let's talk about this prophetic sermon. What did Jesus say? First he says this, blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jonah. Now this is an interesting term that Jesus refers to Peter as.

This name Bar-Jonah means son of Jonah, or son of Jonas. Why would Jesus refer to Peter as that as soon as Peter refers to this is what we believe? Then Jesus immediately says Peter, if it is true that you believe that, then blessed art thou Simon son of Jonas. You see, he reminds Peter here of his origin. Jesus reminds Peter here how he was born in sinful humanity. He helps Peter remember here the rock out of which Peter was hewn. He's reminding Peter that he was not born to the dignity of son of God, an heir to Christ.

Listen to me. He was reminding Peter that he was only brought to that because of divine favor. It was free grace that made Peter different.

He was just Simon Bar-Jonah, but he became the apostle Peter. Why was Jesus reminding him? He was reminding him of the free grace that had been offered to Peter. He was reminding this that he has now a great reason to be blessed, a great reason to be happy. You are blessed, Simon son of Jonas, because you were not born into the family of God because of nature or because of your own intellect or because of anything that you've done. You are now heir to the throne of God. You are part of the family of God because of grace.

You should consider yourself blessed. May I challenge you at home this morning, the fact that you and I have heard the truth, have been taught the truth, and believe the truth, that means we are blessed. We're blessed.

The fact that we believe Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God. We didn't come across that accidentally. It didn't just happen to us that way.

It's not like because we're so smart we figure that out. It's the favor of God, the grace of God that we've been given the truth, that we've been taught the truth, and that we believe the truth. We are blessed today.

May I remind you at home, don't be frustrated that maybe you can't get to a building. Your own body now houses the very God of the universe. We are blessed, which leads next to what Jesus says.

Simon, blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jonah. Notice what he says. Flesh and blood hath not revealed it.

He is saying this. Simon, God should get the glory for this because flesh and blood didn't reveal this to you. It is not because of your own education. Or your own smarts. Or your own reason.

It's not because of instruction or information from others. This light that you've gotten about eternity did not spring from education, but it came directly from my father, which is in heaven. Salvation is revealed. Salvation begins in heaven.

It is not religion from above, but it is a relationship from heaven itself. It's given by inspiration of God. All scripture was given by inspiration of God. That means we wouldn't have it if it wasn't for God. Flesh and blood hasn't revealed this to us.

God gets the glory for that. Saving faith is the gift of God, and wherever it is, it is brought to us by Jesus, taught us by the Holy Spirit, and begotten to us because of the love of God the Father. Flesh and blood has not revealed it. And notice what Jesus preaches thirdly. He said, blessed art thou that you believe this.

He said, flesh and blood has not revealed this. But then he says this, thou art Peter. And upon this rock, he said, I will build my church.

That's what we're talking about today. That's the very entity that has changed the lives of each of us who believe the church. Jesus says this, I will build my church. Notice first that Jesus is the builder. The builder and maker of the church is the builder and maker of the church. The builder and maker of the church is Jesus Christ himself.

I will build it. Christ, according to Zechariah chapter six, he is literally the builder of the temple. That means the materials, the workers, and the workmanship all belong to Jesus. By the working of the Spirit and the preaching of his word, Jesus adds souls to the church, and that means that Jesus is building his church as he promised, I will build my church. You say, preacher, I don't fully understand that. Well, I'm glad that you don't because I want you to look at this passage in 1 Peter chapter two.

Now listen to this. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious, talking about Jesus, a living stone, ye also talking to us as lively stones plural, are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Jesus is that living stone, the chief cornerstone, as we read in the book of Acts, and literally he is building his church one living stone at a time.

He is the builder. May I say today, you are God's building and God is building his church and building is a progressive work. The church is being built and it is a comfort to me that Christ, who has divine wisdom and power, is the one who is building it and he'll never stop building it till the church is complete. Jesus is the builder.

Number two, I want you to see Jesus is the foundation, said upon this rock I will build my church. Now unfortunately, because the name Peter means rock that has been twisted and there are millions of souls that have died and gone to hell because this simple phrase was literally twisted and perverted. Even Peter later talks about the fact that the church is built on Christ. Jesus did not build the church.

Jesus did not build the church on Peter. Peter is not the rock that the church is built on. Jesus is the rock. The rock that is built on is the truth that Peter gave.

You're the Christ. You're the son of the living God and Jesus is saying upon this rock, that rock, what? The rock of Jesus, the true living God. Upon that rock, I will build my church. You see, the foundation on which Jesus' church is built is built on a rock and Jesus is that rock.

You see, an architect can do his part wonderfully but if the foundation is rotten, the building will not stand and we need to see that the foundation is and it is and always will be Jesus Christ because Isaiah 26 says, for other foundation can no man lay and that is laid on Jesus Christ. Thank you for listening today. We hope you received a blessing from our broadcast. The Kerwin Baptist Church is located at 4520 Old Hollow Road in Kernersville, North Carolina. You may also contact us by phone at 336-993-5192 or via the web at kerwinbaptistchurch.com. Enjoy our services live and all our media on our website and church app. Thank you for listening to the Kerwin broadcast today. God bless you.