Matthew 16 Where Is Christ?

Where Is Christ?

Introduction:

1. How would you go about finding Christ?

A. If you were interested in discovering what Christianity is all about, where would you begin. Looking through the yellow pages for a church is very confusing to the average person. Visiting different churches would probably be just as confusing as looking through the yellow pages for a church.

B. How would you determine which preacher to listen too and believe? So many different approaches to the scriptures. Everyone is teaching something different.

2. When I went into the United States Air Force, I was asked, "Are you Protestant, Catholic, or Jew? I was neither. I was a Christian.

I. Christian Only.

A. The name Christian originated in the lifetime of the apostles.

Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

B. Christianity is a taught religion. The process of becoming a Christian is a learning process.

John 6:44-45 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

Matt 28:18-20 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

C. The process of becoming a Christian is growing in grace and in knowledge.

2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

II. Discovering Christ's Teaching.

A. What are men taught?

John 8:31-32 31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

B. You might say, "But Jesus is dead, where would you go to discover the teaching of Jesus Christ?

1. Jesus chose and trained twelve disciples.

Luke 10:16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

John 14:16-17 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 16:12-13 12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

1Cor 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

1Cor 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

Ephesians 3:1-5 1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: 3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

2 Tim 3:16-17 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

2. The reason we are hearing conflicting views from preachers and churches is summed up by Dr. John Leith of Union Theological Seminary in Virginia. He indicates the different approach men have to the scriptures.

"There is a virus eating at the . . . . . . . . Church in the USA, a deadly disease that is making us sick, gradually but surely destroying our life together. The disease is characterized by the attempt to turn the Scriptures into a relativistic document that takes two forms... "First, the Scriptures are viewed no longer as the ultimate authority for our faith and practice but only as a unique authority, one differing from other authorities yet not necessarily superior to them. Second, the Scriptures are said to have no objective meaning in themselves but rather contain only that message which the individual interpreter brings to them." --Theology professor Dr. John Leith of Union Theological Seminary in Virginia (quoted in First Things, Dec 1992)

3. When the above approach is taken we make the Bible say anything we want it to say.

C. How do we know if someone is teaching the teachings of Christ?

1 Cor 14:37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

III. Begin with the Life of Christ.

A. I would not only begin with Jesus Christ, I would begin where Jesus began.

Mt 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

B. The kingdom of God is a constant theme through out the Bible. In the Old Testament it was physical having to do with the Jewish nation, but in the New Testament it is a spiritual kingdom.

Mt 16:18-19 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. 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.

C. Church is the rule of God in hearts of men. Christianity is not external observance; Christianity is not human philosophy invented to accommodate the new day; Christianity is not geographic separation; Christianity is not social activism.

Luke 17:20-21 20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

D. A search through church doctrines may never reveal the Christ of scripture nor the kingdom of God. Christ came to establish the rule of God in the hearts of men --- that is what the kingdom of God is --- that is what the church in the first century was and that is what being a Christian is all about.

Mt 15:8-9 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

E. Becoming a member of Christ church is a matter of accepting the rule of God in your heart.
The life of Christ is the doctrine of God's kingdom.

John 1:4-5 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Mt 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.

F. Jesus is our example.

1 Peter 2:21-25 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

G. Baptism is symbolic of this death to self and alive to God.

Mk 16:15-16 15
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Romans 6:3-4 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Acts 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

H. Christ allows us to bury our past. It is essential that we bury our past to begin a new life in Christ.

2 Pet 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

I. We celebrate that new life we have in Christ each time we take the Lord's Supper.

Mt 26:28 For this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Conclusion:

Where must I go to find Christ?

Should I just accept whatever a Church teaches?

Should I accept what the Bible teaches?