Matthew
The Place of Revelation
Jesus took His disciples to the most confusing place on earth of that time
The place was called the Caesarea Philippi to the Romans
And Paneas to the Greeks after the god, Pan
This was a place of worship and sacrifice to the gods of the Romans and Greeks
Jesus took His disciples to a place the Jews considered
The source of the evil underworld
Which flowed from a cave to the rest of the world
This was the place Jesus asked His disciples,
"Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
This is the place Jesus asked
"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
In the surroundings of the gods, Peter got a revelation
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”
As the world continues to worship other gods,
As people increase in the worship of themselves, the fulfillment of fleshly desire
The revelation of the Living God is being received
People around the world who worship other gods and themselves
Are turning to the “One and Only True God”
The revelation from Heaven is still coming today
The Place of Revelation
Jesus had been preaching throughout all Galilee.
Large crowds came to hear
His message of the Kingdom…
And to experience the Kingdom’s power
over evil spirits, depression, oppression, and sickness.
His message of “Follow Me” was embraces by 12 men
who traveled with Jesus to learn from the Master.
John the Baptist had been beheaded
and now, toward the end of Jesus’ life on earth…
Jesus took His disciples to the northern territory of Galilee.
It is said the timing was around winter
before Christ was crucified.
The place Jesus took the disciples was not heavily populated.
The region was called Caesarea Philippi.
Mount Hermon, the largest rock formation in Israel, stands there.
At its base is a grotto...
A cave where the god of Pan was worshipped.
The Greek god, Pan, was known
for being part goat and part man…
With powers to teleport from one place to another.
A god of music noted for playing the flute.
Also known as a god associated with
shepherds, music, fertility, and unfettered sexuality.
We get the word “Panic” from the Greek god, Pan…
Who sometimes caused humans
to flee in unreasonable fear.
To the right of the cave opening,
was the temples of the dancing-goats
and the tomb of the sacred goats.
It was named Panion and later Paneas
by the Hellenist Greeks, some 200 years before Christ.
Herod the Great built a temple
and dedicates it to Caesar.
After Herod’s death, His son, Phillip,
name the place, Caesarea Philippi.
This area, Caesarea Philippi, was a place
of worship to Greek gods and Roman gods.
This place, Jesus took His disciples,
was a place where there are many gods.
Jesus took His disciples to a place
the Jews considered the source
of the evil underworld…
Which flowed from a cave to the rest of the world.
This is the place Jesus asked His disciples…
"Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
This is the place Jesus asked…
"But what about you?" he asked.
"Who do you say I am?"
In the surroundings of the gods,
Peter got a revelation.
Simon Peter answered,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”
Peter’s revelation did not come from
the temples at the base of Mount Hermon.
Peter’s revelation came from Heaven, Father God.
Peter’s revelation did not come from
a love for music, hunting, romantic scenery
of the waterfalls, rocks and lush vegetation.
Peter’s revelation did not come from sexual desire.
Peter’s revelation came from the purity of heaven,
the Father in heaven the “Living God”.
It is important to see Jesus, the Messiah,
the Son of the Living God was revealed…
In the most spiritually confused
area in the world at that time.
Over two years of Jesus’ ministry
and the revelation of who He is…
Was revealed.
The disciples received the greatest revelation
and their lives were about to change.
Jesus was about to reveal His plan
for the Kingdom of Heaven…
Where they would play a key role.
The revelation that Jesus Christ
is the Son of the Living God
is still possible.
As the world continues to worship other gods…
As people increase in the worship of themselves,
the fulfillment of fleshly desire…
The revelation of the Living God is being received.
People around the world
who worship other gods and themselves
are turning to the “One and Only True God”.
The revelation from Heaven is still coming today,
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."
No comments:
Post a Comment