Matthew
Building Plans
"Who do you say I am?"
Peter answered
"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
In this moment, revelation came that Jesus was more than a teacher
In this place of death, came the revelation, Jesus is the “LIVING Son of the God”
Life from Heaven, hope in the midst of death and hell
Now picture standing with Jesus at the base of Mt Hermon
The largest rock structure in Israel
Jesus picked up a stone that used to be a part of the mountain
And now is in the roadway where people walked every day
A common stone no one pays attention to
And Jesus took that stone from the mountain devoted to destruction, Anathema
And says
And I tell you that you are Peter (meaning a piece of the rock),
And on this rock (meaning a mass of rock) I will build my church,
And the Gates of Hades will not overcome it.
Will you allow Jesus to use you as a living stone in His building plan?
Building Plans
Jesus took His disciples to Caesarea Philippi.
The history of this place was filled with Greek mythology.
The largest stone structure in Israel is Mount Hermon.
In Biblical names, the meaning of the name Hermon is…
Anathema, devoted to destruction.
At the base of Mt. Hermon is a large ghetto,
a cave that is still there today.
This opening in the mountain was
considered to be the Gate of Hades.
In this cave was deep water,
fed by underground streams.
From there, the water came out of the mountain
and traveled on the surface
filling the low areas until it became the Jordan River.
It was believed that this opening to the cave
was the gate to the underworld.
In its heyday, it was a place of debauchery,
where the Greeks celebrated the goat god, Pan…
With acts of prostitution and bestiality.
Jesus, shockingly, took His disciples there.
Standing at the place considered
by the Greeks, to be the Gateway to Hades…
Hades was a gateway to Hell…
An underworld that has many rivers
all describing sentiments of destruction,
hatred, pain, forgetfulness, fire and wailing.
It was in this place Jesus asked
His disciples a pointed question…
"Who do you say I am?"
Peter answered…
"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
In this moment, revelation came
that Jesus is more than a teacher.
In this place of death came the revelation...
Jesus is the “LIVING Son of the God”.
Life from Heaven.
Hope in the midst of death and hell.
Now picture Jesus standing at the base of Mt Hermon…
The largest rock structure in Israel.
Jesus picked up a stone that used to be a part of the mountain
and now is in the roadway where people walked every day.
A common stone no one paid attention to.
And Jesus took that stone from the mountain
devoted to destruction, Anathema.
And said…
And I tell you that you are Peter
(meaning a piece of the rock),
and on this rock (meaning a mass of rock)
I will build my church,
and the Gates of Hades will not overcome it.
The mountain of humanity, devoted to destruction,
falling into the Gates of Hades…
Flowing into the rivers of Hell,
eternal death, destruction, hatred, pain,
forgetfulness, fire and wailing.
This is the place where Jesus revealed
He is the Living God.
Romans 3:23 says…
All have sinned
Romans 6:23 says…
The wages of sin is death
All of humanity is like Mount Hermon…
Devoted to destruction, Anathema.
The stones that crumble and fall off the mountain
lay on the ground and are trampled under feet.
But Jesus sees these stone.
He sees the mountain and says…
I will build my Church out of the ruins of destruction.
He will build out of the ruins an eternal,
living, loving, healed, remembering with gratefulness,
eternal light, and joy, assembly of leaders…
Who will rule with Him over all the kingdoms of the earth.
The Gates of Hades is the foundation of Mt. Hermon.
We are a part of that mountain,
full of evil.
We have fallen off the mountain
and considered of no value,
but to be walked upon.
Then Jesus picks up that stone
and like he said to Peter…
He says to you…
You are Petros (a piece of rock)
and on this Petra (a mass of rock)
I will build my Church.
Is there any escape from the mountain of destruction?
An underworld of death, destruction,
hatred, pain, forgetfulness, fire and wailing?
Yes!!!
Look at the difference of
one stone in the hands of God.
David picked up five stones
and with one stone killed a giant.
In the hand of God,
one stone becomes a precious metal or gem
that He builds together with others,
an eternal city.
Revelation 21:11, 19
Jesus took His disciples to Mount Hermon…
Which at that time, was filled with
Gentile worship of Greek mythology and Roman gods.
Later Jesus spoke of His coming again
and the end of the age…
The destruction of Jerusalem
and the temple stones being in ruin,
not one upon another.
Matthew 24:2
Other notes of interest concerning Mt Heron…
King David compared God’s people living together in unity
to the dew of Mount Hermon falling on Mount Zion.
Some scholars believe Mount Hermon
was the site of Jesus’ transfiguration…
A supernatural event in which Christ
appeared in His true glory as the Son of God,
revealing His identity as Messiah
and fulfilling the law and the prophets.
Matthew 17:1–8; see also 2 Peter 1:16–18
Will you allow Jesus to use you
as a living stone in His building plan?
Scripture Reading
Matthew 16:13-28 NIV
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 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. 19 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." 20 Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!"
23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. 28 I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."
