Hello, my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends on this Thursday,
I’m sure you’ve been in the crowd listening to someone speak when what they were saying seemed so radical that your mind couldn’t quite comprehend it all. And even though the speaker may have paused from time to time, to let your brain adjust, did you still struggle as the speaker just kept pouring it on, with each new major point simply blowing your mind?
I think it’s safe to say THAT is exactly what the disciples were feeling that day at Caesarea Philippi, as Jesus, with only a few sentences, simply overwhelmed them. Today, let’s rejoin that amazing conversation because it has huge implications for you and me, 2000 years later.
Jesus had asked the disciples WHO the people were concluding Jesus was, as He did miracles and spoke about the kingdom of God. Then, Jesus asked who THEY, His disciples, thought He was. And Peter blurted out, “You are the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the living God.” (Matt. 16:16)
We don’t know if any other disciple said anything, but Jesus responded to Peter by saying “Blessed are you Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood but by My Father in heaven. And I tell you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church (ekklesia), and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matt. 16:18) It’s safe for us to assume their heads were spinning as the disciples tried to wrap their minds around the words Jesus had just spoken.
In the past two days we’ve looked closely at all but the final line of Jesus’ shocking statement. So today, let’s wrestle with Jesus’ words: “And the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
Hades, not to be confused with the country of Haiti where I grew up, is a place referred to in both Old and New Testaments of the Bible, as the place where the departed souls/spirits of unsaved people wait until the final day of judgment. Revelation 20 specifically describes Hades in this way: “…and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Rev. 20:13-15)
The disciples would have all been well acquainted with this word Hades and into their minds would likely have come an image of perhaps a huge encampment of countless people suffering behind high walls and barbed wire, being held in inescapable torment. Who are these terrified people? Those who have not believed in God. So, what did Jesus mean by His statement that His ‘ekklesia’ would not be overcome by Hades?
It means Jesus is, as the angels declared Him to be, the Savior of the world. Powerful enough to rescue any person out of their sin bondage so they will NOT end up in Hades. And more than that, any person who had been rescued by Jesus, is absolutely protected by Jesus, so no power of Hades can take them captive and draw them out of Jesus’ hand and into Hades.
Do you remember Jesus specifically stated that in His message to the people recorded in John 10? “I give them eternal life and they shall never perish.” Please remember the word ‘perish’ is eternal separation from God. Jesus continued: “No one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:28-30) Do you see the direct promise of Jesus here, that once rescued by Jesus, no power on earth or in Hades can snatch that saved person away from Jesus.
Now friends, we need to summarize each of these powerful promises of Jesus made at Caesarea Philippi that day.
1. First… the powerful, clear statement of Simon Peter, about the true identity of Jesus, was possible ONLY because God had revealed the truth of Jesus’ divine identity to Peter.
2. Second… Jesus Himself, and His atonement death and resurrection, are the ROCK upon which Jesus is building His ‘ekklesia’, which is His global Church.
3. Third… JESUS is the builder of His Church for only Jesus can save, rescuing repentant sinners from the inescapable stronghold of their sin bondage and sin condemnation.
4. Fourth… Once a person is fully rescued by the full work of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit; that saved person is rescued from the dark kingdom, and their future is no longer Hades with Satan, but rather their future is heaven with Jesus.
5. Fifth… Finally, once a person has been rescued from the dark kingdom by Jesus, NO power can steal them back and bring them to Hades. Hades will never overcome the ‘ekklesia’ Jesus is building by His supreme power!
Now, let’s pause right here my friends, we must consider two important questions:
First: Do you and I understand these remarkable truths in Jesus’ statement and how they can be applied to our lives, today?
Second: Have you and I fully trusted Almighty God to fully accomplish HIS salvation work in you and me, and are we confident we are part of Jesus’ ‘ekklesia’? Are we fully confident NO power can undo the saving work God has accomplished in your life and mine? And are we confident our ‘Jesus earned’ spiritual inheritance and eternal future are absolutely secure in heaven for all eternity?
Finally, Jesus said one more very powerful statement: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 16:19)
Now, THAT we’ll unpack tomorrow, together because it’s so powerful! For today, key ‘lessons learned’ study notes are at the link below, and I found a great global rendition of a historic song proclaiming Jesus as the ONE foundation of His church. Listen very carefully to the words, they powerfully describe these shocking words of Jesus. And I’ll be here tomorrow ready to discuss the ‘keys of the kingdom’ with you.
Today’s Scripture: Matt. 16:18.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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