MATTHEW LESSON 33

     Last lesson we learned that Peter recognized Jesus as the Christ,
the Son of the Living God.  Jesus informed Peter that the Father had
revealed this to him.  We pick up this lesson at Matthew 16:l8.

    Matthew 16:18 "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."

     In this, Jesus was telling Peter that His church would be built on
the foundational rock of truth, which had just issued from Peter's
mouth.  All the blessed (believers in the Lord Jesus Christ) have this
truth from the Father.  "Peter" means rock.  The gates of hell shall
not prevail against the church that is built on the truth.

     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."

     You see, Jesus has based entrance into heaven on belief in the
truth, which is Him.  A key opens something, and truly the way to
heaven is open to the true believer.  God has given these true
believers great power through the name of Jesus.  This is a spiritual
gift from Jesus.  The strength of the enemy is almost overwhelming,
but we can bind that spirit through the power of Jesus Christ.  Jesus
actually binds it for us.  The same is true of loosing.  It is the
power of Jesus in us.

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

     It was not time for this to be revealed.  Even today, when you
speak of Jesus being God manifest in the flesh, it causes people to
hate you. Nevertheless, I shall proclaim it to everyone who will hear.

     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."

     Jesus did not want His own to be unaware of the fate that lay
ahead for Him.  He was trying to tell them that the learned in the law
would have Him killed, believing they were doing God a favor.  He, also,
gave them hope of the resurrection.  They were just not ready for this
message.  When persecution arises even today, many will flee.

     Matthew 16:22 "Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him,
saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee."

     This "rebuke" was not the same as it is usually used.  It meant
Peter just did not want this to happen to Jesus.  He just would not
accept it.

     Matthew 16:23 "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."

     He was telling Peter (he was looking at this from the earthly
standpoint) he did not understand the purposes of God.  This is not a
rebuff of the person of Peter, but rather of the spirit of evil which
would try to tempt Jesus not to go through with the death of the
cross.

     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."

     Jesus told these disciples and His followers for all ages, if
you think it is going to be easy to follow Me, you are wrong.  It is a
life of self-denial and sacrifice.  To follow Jesus, we must die daily
to self and pick up whatever burden has been allotted for us to carry
without complaining; following in the footsteps of Jesus.  Not living our
lives for self, but letting Jesus live through us.

     Matthew 16:25 "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it:
and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it."

     You see, to be truly Jesus', we must allow it to be His life and
not ours, as we read in Galatians 2:20.  "I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life
which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God,
who loved me, and gave himself for me."  You see, it is Christ in us
living this life.

     Matthew 16:26 "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?"

      Life is temporary at the very best.  We could possess all the world's
 goods, and still be lost. In fact, we, probably, would be lost.  It
 reminds me of the rich man in the Bible who decided he had it made
 and started building new buildings to hold his wealth.  Then God
 required his soul, and he left it all behind.  We will stand before
 Jesus. Then it won't matter how great we were here.  Only the
 treasures we have laid up in heaven will count.  You see, it would be
 no price at all to give all to Jesus, and exchange 70 years here for
 all the eons of eternity in heaven.

     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."

     You see, there is coming a day when the eastern sky shall open up
and Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords, shall appear with His
angels and shall blow the silver trumpet to redeem us from this earth.
On that day, we shall see Him in all His majesty.  Jesus is the Judge
of the earth.  He shall judge those who are true believers of Him not
guilty of any sins, and He will reward those who worked and were
martyred for Him.  Works do not get you into heaven, but they get you
rewards after you get there.

     Matthew 16:28 "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."

     Whether this was written for then, or whether it was intended for
those of us who read this Scripture now, I cannot say.  We know the
kingdom is at hand.  I personally believe this could be the time when
the great tribulation begins or it could be the time that the falling
away of the church begins. There will be some who will not die, but will be 
changed in the twinkling of an eye, and go to meet the Lord in the air. We
will not know the day or hour, but we will know the season is near. 
    I personally believe that John was changed and carried into heaven
without tasting of death on this earth.

     Next lesson, we will begin in chapter 17 of Matthew.


                              NOTES




























                          Matthew 33 Questions



1.  What promise did Jesus make Peter about the church?
2.  What foundation rock is the church built upon?
3.  Who are the blessed?"
4.  What did Jesus give to the kingdom of heaven?
5.  The true believers' power comes from what?
6.  What did Jesus tell the disciples not to tell?
7.  What did Jesus tell the disciples that worried them?
8.  When Peter did not want Jesus to suffer, what did Jesus call him?
9.  What did Jesus give in the way of hope?
10. Peter did not understand the -------of God.
11. What two things must we do to follow Jesus?
12. Following Jesus is a life of what?
13. If we are truly Jesus', our lives belong to whom?
14. What does Gal.  2:20 teach?
15. What is our soul worth?
16. What is the only wealth that matters?
17. When the Son of man comes, who will be with Him?
18. The rewards we receive will be according to what?
19. What will Jesus be called when He comes in the sky?
20. What type trumpet will blow?
21. What is the author's personal belief about how near the coming
    of the Lord is?