Convinced. I attached a 3-foot string to a child's toy top and secured it to the top of the blackboard FOR DISCUSSION

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1 In college I was asked to prepare a lesson to teach my speech class. We were to be graded on our creativity and ability to drive home a point in a memorable way. The title of my talk was, "The Law of the Pendulum." I spent 20 minutes carefully teaching the physical principle that governs a swinging pendulum. The law of the pendulum is: A pendulum can never return to a point higher than the point from which it was released. Because of friction and gravity, when the pendulum returns, it will fall short of its original release point. Each time it swings it makes less and less of an arc, until finally it is at rest. This point of rest is called the state of equilibrium, where all forces acting on the pendulum are equal. I attached a 3-foot string to a child's toy top and secured it to the top of the blackboard with a thumbtack. I pulled the top to one side and made a mark on the blackboard where I let it go. Each time it swung back I made a new mark. It took less than a minute for the top to complete its swinging and come to rest. When I finished the demonstration, the markings on the blackboard proved my thesis. Convinced I then asked how many people in the room BELIEVED the law of the pendulum was true. All of my classmates raised their hands, so did the teacher. He started to walk to the front of the room thinking the class was over. In reality it had just begun. Hanging from the steel ceiling beams in the middle of the room was a large, crude but functional pendulum (250 pounds of metal weights tied to four strands of 500-pound test parachute cord.). I invited the instructor to climb up on a table and sit in a chair with the back of his head against a cement wall. Then I brought the 250 pounds of metal up to his nose. Holding the huge pendulum just a fraction of an inch from his face, I once again explained the law of the pendulum he had applauded only moments before, "If the law of the pendulum is true, then when I release this mass of metal, it will swing across the room and return short of the release point. Your nose will be in no danger." After that final restatement of this law, I looked him in the eye and asked, "Sir, do you believe this law is true?" There was a long pause. Huge beads of sweat formed on his upper lip and then weakly he nodded and whispered, "Yes." I released the pendulum. It made a swishing sound as it arced across the room. At the far end of its swing, it paused momentarily and started back. I never saw a man move so fast in my life. He literally dived from the table. Deftly stepping around the still-swinging pendulum, I asked the class, "Does he believe in the law of the pendulum?" The students unanimously answered, "NO!" ~ Ken Davis, How To Speak To Youth, pp FOR DISCUSSION How do you think the above illustration might relate to belief in Jesus?

2 ENCOUNTER Read God s word so that He can speak to you. Matthew 16: 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." EXAMINE what the passage says before you decide what it means. In this passage, keep track of who said/did what: Circle you are (v. 16), this (v. 17), and this rock (v. 18) and connect all three together with a line. Put brackets [ ] around I will build and I will give (vv ) Put brackets around must go and must be in verse 21. Underline stumbling block (v. 23) Draw boxes around deny, take up, and follow (v. 24) Circle and draw lines connecting the pairs of words (vv ): save/lose, loses/find, gains/forfeits. EXPLORE God s Word by asking questions of what you saw. The notes which follow may help you to think through these questions. 1) We tend to focus on certain characteristics of Jesus; so we may describe Him as Savior, shepherd, teacher, Lord, friend, leader, or provider. But these stereotypes give a slice of truth about Jesus but often fail to tell the whole story. Without just repeating Peter s words in Matthew 16:16, who do you say He is?

3 How did you come to this understanding? 2) Many people today seem to view the church as weak, fragmented and impotent. Why is that? Jesus words in Matthew 16:18-19 seem to say just the opposite of modern opinion strength and authority. How do you reconcile that? How do people see us? 3) There are different reasons why Christians don t share the truth about Jesus with other people. What are some of them? How do Jesus words in Matthew 16:19 address our fears and excuses? 4) What are some ways that we put our interests ahead of God s (verse 23)? What is the connection to Satan? What do you think God s interests are? 5) What does it look like when you take up your cross and follow Jesus? Give specific daily examples. How are you doing with this? What can others pray for? NOTES ON THE PASSAGE Revelation of Jesus as the Son of the living God is given to the disciples by the Father. (16:13-17) "Who do men say I, the Son of man, am?" Jesus asserts His Messiahship and wants a report on the verdict of Israel in order to call the disciples to their own confession of faith. Their answers show the people connect Him with a Messiah concept, but in unbelief they cannot see the reality of who He is (cf. John 8:47) Then Jesus asks for their decision about Him--"Who do you say that I am?" This answer shows (1) Recognition that He is the Messiah (the Christ); and (2) Recognition that He is Deity (the Son of the

4 living God) How did Peter and the disciples know this (cf. 11:25-27; John 6:44)? It came as a revelation from God. They are the good soil which receives the word of the kingdom, and Peter is now bearing the fruit of being given additional revelation and understanding. Flesh and blood - contrast of humanity with God (Gal 1:16; Eph 6:12; Heb 2:14). They were "babes," not dependent on their own human wisdom (11:25). Christ will build His church with kingdom authority given to Peter. (16:18-20) What is meant by "I will build My church?" (the Greek work ekklesia church is found only here and in 18:17 in the Gospels) ekklesia literally, called out ones The term can refer to any assembly of citizens. It is used in the OT (LXX) to refer to Israel, whether a disorderly or orderly mob. Here it cannot refer to Israel because of the future aspect, I will build. This is something new (cf. Acts 2:47; 5:14). The church began at Pentecost (Acts 2; 11:15). What is the "rock" upon which the church is built? a. Some suggest it is Peter - but, (1) Jesus says upon "this" not upon "you" even though He is speaking directly to Peter as in the previous verses. (2) Peter = Petros = (masculine form) meaning stone "this rock" = petra = (feminine form) meaning mass of rock; shelf, or ledge. So the rock is different than Peter, though linked to Peter in his confession. b. Others suggest the rock is Christ because it is consistent with OT usage of rock for God and cornerstone for Messiah (cf. 1 Cor 10:4) but, "this" is awkward if He is referring to Himself. c. The best interpretation seems to be a reference to the truth of Peter's confession (Cp. Rom 9:33; Eph. 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:5-8). In other words, the foundation of the church is the confession of the truth of Christ s Person and work; which if anyone makes this confession (as Peter did) he/she will become part of the assembly Jesus builds. This view ties all three views together: it is the same confession Peter makes which is centered on the Person of Jesus. Acts 4:12 says there is no other name for salvation. On the basis of this confession of faith, those who make this confession will be added to the church. "Gates" in biblical usage refer to fortifications (Gen. 22:17; Ps. 127:5). "Hades" is the place of departed spirits (cf. 5:22; 11:23). Together these terms refer to death and dying (Job 17:16; 38:17; Ps. 9:13; 107:18; Isa. 38:10). Jesus meant that the powers of death, Satan and his hosts doing their most powerful work of opposing life, would not prevail over the church. The church cannot die. This statement anticipated Jesus' resurrection and the resurrection and translation of church saints. Even Jesus' death would not prevent Him from building the church. Jesus' church would be a living church just a Yahweh was the living God (cf. v. 16). What are the "keys of the kingdom?" "Keys"- Possible meanings: 1.) Peter would be the one who would open the gates of access to the kingdom to both Jews and Gentiles by being first to proclaim the gospel to both groups (Acts 2, 10); 2.) Used as symbol of authority of a scribe who interpreted and taught the law. Some see this as a special promise of authority in the future kingdom; an authority to forbid or permit what is already decreed by God (future perfect periphrastics)- to judge according to the mind of God. 3.) But the best understanding is probably to see the keys explained by what follows--"binding and loosing. These are technical expressions used by the rabbis in reference to decisions, and are legal terms in court referring to guilt or innocence. Allowed or innocent = loose; prohibited or guilty = bind. The grammar

5 uses a future perfect periphrastic, meaning whatever you decree on earth shall already have been decreed in heaven. In other words, the pronouncement of guilt or innocence is already the decision of heaven, and those with the keys are representing heaven s authority and making heaven s pronouncements. To say someone s sins are forgiven and they belong to the Kingdom has the authority of heaven and is based on the confession of faith in Jesus. If someone rejects Christ, His representatives have the authority to decree exclusion from the Kingdom and eternal condemnation in sin. Note: The 12 disciples are promised thrones in the kingdom (19:28), and this authority is also given to all disciples (the church) in regard to church discipline (18:18), so it seems appropriate to say that the authority for making this decree is also given to all the followers of Jesus and not just the sole privilege of Peter and his successors. In the early Church, examples of loosing can be seen in a passage like Acts 2:37-47, and binding in Acts 4:11,12; 8: Discipleship demands the loss of one's own interests to the interests of the Father. (16:21-27) Verse 21 is Matthew's first recorded direct prediction of Jesus' death and resurrection (only alluded to it before). The movement in the Gospel is now toward the cross in view of His rejection by the nation. With each announcement of the cross, the time is closer and the details more specific Entrusted with authority, Peter now tries to exert it; but to accomplish his plans, not God's! To follow Christ means you MUST give up you own interests, life, loves for those of God - (cf. Luke 14:25-35). A cross always means death and as Jesus shows us, specifically it is death to your own will and full commitment to God s will. This will include suffering, and it will be a daily decision. Already the convinced disciples are given the call to move to the next steps to be committed and then consumed. Belief in Jesus is not the arrival at the goal, but the beginning of a journey of following and becoming like Him. The cost is everything now; but the reward is even more in the future! (Cp. 2 Cor. 4:16-18). This is the first specific promise of a second coming by Jesus. What is meant by 16:28? Matthew connects it to the events in chapter 17; in fact Mark and Luke also show that this promise points to the transfiguration of Jesus. This is fulfilled when the three disciples get a glimpse of the glory of the kingdom in Jesus transfiguration. Peter s later testimony (2 Pet 1:16-18) affirms that is how he understood it too. GOING FURTHER One thing we can do to train ourselves to remember, is to memorize a part of what our Father has said to us. The Holy Spirit can use this to change our thinking so that our heads are more like Jesus. This week, memorize Matthew 16:24