A Daily Death - February 7 Readings: Matthew 16:13-28, Mark 8:27-9:1, Luke 9:18-27

Today’s Readings

Context

This is one of our most significant readings. Powerful truths abound. It syncs up with our reading from a few days ago in John 6, when Jesus began to lay down his harsher teachings and saw many disciples turn away. 

• The confession by Peter at Caesarea Philippi is significant, and has been argued much by interpreters. I have included a blogpost I wrote at the end of the devotional that explains what I believe is the real and powerful truth of Jesus' words. 
• The shocking part is Jesus' teaching that he was planning to die and rise again. The disciples and everyone else thought Jesus was coming to establish an earthly and political kingdom and the idea of dying on a cross in shame had no part in that. Jesus' sacrificial death is still a stumbling block to many. 
• Building on Jesus' death is his teaching that those who follow him must walk as he did - the path of the cross. The essence of Christianity is not "your best life now" but dying to self to rise to Christ. That message was not popular then and is not popular now. 

Basically, this is the message of Jesus. 

I am going to build a church and nothing in this world is going to stop the work I am doing. No power on earth or power from hell can stop me. My plan requires that I lay down my life for the sins of the world and rise again in power as Lord of all. If you want to be part of my kingdom, you must also die with me, deny self and follow me. I will raise you to power and strength - MY power and MY strength. 

That is the faith Jesus came to establish on earth, and the gates of hell cannot stand against THAT faith. 

Devotional - A Daily Death

As I went through our readings today, one word struck me; a word from a passage I quote about as often as any other, Luke 9:23. The verse gets to the heart of where modern American Christianity varies from the faith of the New Testament era Christians.

“If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me."

Today, Christianity is often presented as a motivational, self-help system. God will help find your self-esteem, be happy and healthy, and be the best, most successful you that you can possibly be. In this aberration of the faith, Christ came to help us attain our goals, dreams, aspirations and ambitions. It's all about me.

But biblical Christianity is something very different. Following Jesus means walking the Way of the Cross. We must first deny ourselves - turning away from our own ambitions, our own pleasure, to serve Jesus Christ. We must also take up our cross. The cross was an instrument of death. Conversion is often described in the Bible as experiencing the death and resurrection of Christ. "We are buried with him by baptism into death" and "raised to walk a new life in Christ." We die to self and are born again to a new life in Christ.

As those who attend Southern Hills know very well, I quote this verse as much as any other. It gets to the heart of the issue. What kind of faith do you have? A self-serving, self-aggrandizing faith that is a spiritual fiction? Or the true faith of the Bible - dying to self to live for Christ.

But there is one word in that passage that I have often overlooked - a word that cannot be overlooked.

Daily. 

 Being saved was something I did once, and only once. In February of 1964, my dad led me in prayer as I lay on my bed and I put my faith in Christ. Once. But the decision to take up my cross and follow Christ is one I must make every day.

That is why we need these daily Bible readings and prayer times. That is why it is not enough to go to church on Sunday (as important as that is). The heart and soul of the Christian life is a decision you must repeat every single day. Every day I must decide that I will not serve myself. Every day I must take up my cross, die to self again, and decide to follow Jesus. Every day!

You may have heard this well-worn but absolutely true statement: "you cannot live on yesterday's manna." Our walk with Christ must be renewed day by day. Many years ago, I made a lifelong, even eternal commitment to Christ. I gave myself to him. Once for all. But it is a commitment that must be renewed every single day. I cannot live on yesterday's commitment, yesterday's passion, yesterday's decision. The choice to follow Jesus on the Way of the Cross is one that needs to be made every single day.

Father, I've made big commitments to you, but I've all too often failed to renew that commitment daily, as your Son commanded. May I deny myself today, take up my Cross today, and follow you today. 

Special Note on "The Gates of Hell" 

In October of 2013 I was privileged to visit Israel with a group of pastors from around the US, led by Dr. Frank Page. One of the more interesting portions of that trip was our visit to Caesarea Philippi, about 25 miles north of Capernaum and the Sea of Galilee. It was a Roman city, full of pagan shrines. 

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The dark area at the back of this picture is the opening to the Temple of Pan, a cave from which flows a spring that flows into the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee. This was the most important of the shrines in the area (the town was called Baneas or Paneas after the Temple of Pan). The picture below is some of other pagan shrines in Caesarea Philippi. 

In Matthew 16:13, Jesus and his disciples were walking through the Caesarea Philippi area. For Jews who were offended by pagan temples, simply being in "Baneas" with all its shrines must have been intimidating and overwhelming. And there was no subtlety to this town - it was given over wholeheartedly to the worship of the false gods of the Romans. 

It was here that Jesus made one of his most argued statements. It was an exchange with his disciples, especially Peter. He asked them, in verse 13, 

'Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

The disciples answered him, 

“Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

Then Jesus got to the heart of the matter, 

“But you, who do you say that I am?”

That is when Peter took over and spoke some powerful words. Peter is best known for putting his foot in his mouth, blustering, speaking without thinking. But this time he said the best thing he could possibly say.

“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!”

 It is what Jesus said next that has been the subject of debate, and perhaps of misinterpretation, throughout church history.

Simon son of Jonah, you are blessed because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the (gates) of Hades will not overpower it. (16:17-18)

What was the "rock" on which Jesus would build his church? The Catholic church has held that this was Peter's appointment as the first pope, but I believe that Jesus was speaking of Peter's clear confession of Jesus. The church is built on Jesus Christ and the work of God through those who clearly profess and confess him. 

But it is the next phrase I wish to focus on. Jesus said that he would build his church and the gates of hell would not overpower it. What did he mean in that passage? 

What I Learned at Caesarea Philippi

The pagan Romans believed that the gods lived in the Underworld, and the spring at the Temple of Pan was celebrated as a gateway from the Underworld to our world. It was a place where the Roman gods were believed to spring forth to do their work in this world. 

The Temple of Pan was known as "The Gates of Hades (or Hell)." 

If that is true, what might Jesus have meant when he told his disciples that he would build his church and the gates of hell could not stand against it.?  Right there in the center of paganism, Jesus was proclaiming his superiority and supremacy over all of the gods that the Romans honored. He was King of kings, Lord of lords and God of gods. The world might reject him and resist him, but they could never stop him. His work would go on! He will build his church and all the false ideas and false religions will be helpless against him. 

Many are predicting today the end of the church, the demise of Christianity. They gloat that many are rejecting Jesus, turning away from Christianity and embracing doubt. They are right about that. The last 30 years, especially in America, have shown a massive abandonment of God's authority, God's Word and the Lordship of Jesus Christ. 

But skeptic, do not get your hopes too high about the end of Christianity. Jesus Christ is Lord over doubt and skepticism. There are still those who confess Christ and he is still building his church. You may rage and scoff, but one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. 

Adherents of false religion, know that Jesus Christ is Lord whether you believe him or not. He has risen from the dead and he is Lord! 

Professing Christians who deny the truth of God's Word, the doctrines of the faith, the reality of Christ's miracles and that Jesus is the only way - your disbelief does not change the fact that it is on THIS rock and this rock alone that God is building his church. 

Jesus' affirmation at Caesarea Philippi was a shot across the bow of false religion, paganism, doubters and scoffers. This itinerant preacher from Nazareth was claiming that the church he would build would be victorious over all, no matter the strength of the opposition or the force of the lies that would flow. 

Know this, my Christian friend. The forces of doubt and disbelief may be strong. They laugh at us, discount our beliefs, scoff at the Word and its teachings. But Jesus is building his church and nothing they do can stand against him. They can rant, but they cannot win. They can doubt, but their doubt does not lessen the power of Christ a bit. 

Jesus is Lord, and there is nothing anyone can do about that. The "gates of hell" can spew forth darkness, and doubt, and lies and evil and perversion to come against the power of Jesus. But Jesus will prevail against all of them and stand supreme as Lord over all. 

It is a sick and sinful world, no doubt about that. But we ought never be afraid or intimidated. We have to deal with their sin, but they have to deal with our Lord! And in every such battle, Jesus reigns supreme. 

Think and Pray

Have you bought into the false American Christianity - "Jesus came to be part of your life and make  you happy" or are you living out the real faith Jesus established, described above?