Say Less Part II
Notes
Transcript
Matthew 16:13–20 (KJV 1900)
When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 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. 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. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
Introduction:
a lot can be said for what we say. As author Yehuda Berg states, when asked what are the most powerful force available to humanity, it was not weapons, It was not atomic bombs, It was light poles and light bulbs oddly The Bert stated that “Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity… My brothers and sisters Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble.” The words we choose and how we use them can build others up or tear them down; bring the community together or rip it apart.
Our words are powerful, and should be treated with respect. So how do our words impact others, and how can we choose them wisely?
Your words have meaning.
The greatest mistake we can make is believing our words have no value in other people’s lives. Have you ever had a conversation with someone and, for whatever reason, can still remember it practically verbatim years down the road? Now consider a similar conversation in someone else’s life: your words could be the ones they have in their head.
The words we choose mean something. Whether that meaning is positive or negative is up to you. ?
Your words make a difference.
Words. Are. Powerful. Think of powerful words throughout history which have had a lasting difference in our world. “Four score and seven years ago.” “I have a dream.” speech spoken by Martin Luther King almost single handedly changed the way Americans viewed racial relations.
It was once stated that because our words have such an effect on those around us. Our silence is often as powerful as our voice. When we understand the this we learn that somethings don’t necessarily require our words. Somethings require our silence. Ecclestics said it like it, to everything there is a time and a season, a time to talk and time to be silent.
Jesus understood this context, that’s why in one context Jesus can tell his disciples to tell no man, and in another context he can say But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
When find in Matthew 16 Jesus having a casual conversation with his disciples. Perhaps there was less people flocking after him in other places, perhaps on this coast is where the disciples and Jesus were about take a breather However the conversation came up.3 statements he said.
1st thing Jesus asked was- who do men say that I’am
I asked myself the question why would Jesus ask the disciples who he was if he already knew who he was .
It was not for his own ego.
It was not so that he could pump his chest out.
It was not for any fashion or Show.
___However, Jesus understood the importance of surrounding himself with those who would not see him through the eyes of others.
those whom he could trust with the keys and that would get to know him for them selves.
They compared him to other prophets(other men compared him)
When Jesus asked them what was the word out about him.
Some said Elijah, John the Baptist, some said Jeremiah.
True enough all of these individuals were great men
(Examples of their greatness)
John the baptist
John stated i baptized with water but he shall baptize with the holyghost.
John Baptized Jesus in Matthew 2:13
Jews sent levites and preist to ask John who he is, John stated that I am the voice of the one crying out, make straight the way of the lordJohn 1 :19-23
-Before Jesus’ Ministry John the baptist was one who confirmed who he was.
Elias(Elijah)
Miracle Worker
Personal name meaning “my God is Yah.” The prophet from the ninth century b.c. from Tishbe of Gilead in the Northern Kingdom has been called the grandest and the most romantic character that Israel ever produced (1 Kings 17:1–2 Kings 2:18). He was a complex man of the desert who counseled kings. His life is best understood when considered from four historical perspectives that at times are interrelated: his miracles, his struggle against baalism, his prophetic role, and his eschatological relationship to Messiah.
Miracles His first miracle was associated with his prophecy before King Ahab (1 Kings 17:1) in which he said there would be no rain or dew apart from his declaration. Immediately after the prophecy, he retreated to the brook Cherith where he was fed by ravens. His next refuge was Zarephath where he performed the miracle of raising the widow’s dead son (1 Kings 17:17–24). Here he was first called “a man of God.”
On Mount Carmel his greatest public miracle involved his encounter with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah (1 Kings 18:19–40). The contest was to determine the true God. The false prophets called on their gods, and Elijah called on His God to see which would rain fire from heaven. After the false prophets failed to hear from their gods, Elijah wet the wood on his altar to the true God by pouring four jars of water over it three times. In response of Elijah’s prayer, Yahweh rained fire from heaven to consume the wet wood. As a result of their deception, Elijah ordered the false prophets killed.
Elijah next prophesied that the drought was soon to end (1 Kings 18:41) after three rainless years. From Carmel, Elijah prayed. He sent his servant seven times to see if rain was coming. The seventh time a cloud the size of a hand appeared on the horizon. Ahab was told to flee before the storm. Elijah outran his chariot and the storm to arrive at Jezreel.
Nelson Price, “Elijah,” ed. Chad Brand et al., Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 478–479.
1.Jeremiah
The name of one of the greatest prophets of Israel. The Heb יִרְמְיָהוּ, yirmeyāhū, abbreviated to יִרְמְיָה, yirmeyāh, signifies either “Jeh hurls” or “Jeh founds.” LXX reads Ἰερμίας, Iermías, and the Vulg Jeremias. As this name also occurs not infrequently, the prophet is called “the son of Hilkiah” (1:1), who is, however, not the high priest mentioned in 2 K 22 and 23, as it is merely stated that he was “of the priests that were in Anathoth” in the land of Benjamin. In Anathoth, now Anâta, a small village 1 1/2 hours N.E. of Jerus, lived a class of priests who belonged to a side line, not to the line of Zadok (cf 1 K 2:26).
2. Life of Jeremiah
J. was called by the Lord to the office of a prophet while still a youth (1:6) about 20 years of age, in the 13th year of King Josiah (1:2; 25:3), in the year 627 BC, and was active in this capacity from this time on to the destruction of Jerus, 586 BC, under kings Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah. Even after the fall of the capital city he … Read more »
Even in their greatness the weren’t Jesus.
My brothers and sisters in this season don’t compare yourselves to anyone else. This next season I bind the spirit of comparison.
That even in others greatness they are not you.
Jesus was not intimidated by their success because he knew who he was.
He was so secure in who was that he let John Baptist baptize him.
If we really want to get to our God purpose we are going to have to know we are. You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Can’t nobody be you better than you. No need to explain, Just walk in the call and anointing on your life.
The next question Jesus asked was Who do you say that I am.
He ensured that those around him believed in who he was.
This season you have to know him for yourself.
There are some us who has looked over your life and you’ve lived off of Mommas, grandparents faith.
But this next season your going to have pull from your own experiences with God.
The older saints would say your going to have know without a shadow of a doubt who he is in your life.
Not that only are you going to have to know who he is like Peter, but you are going to have to do as Jesus and asked those around you what do you say.
We have to surround yourself with those who encourage you, push you and believe in you.
3.charged that the should tell no man.
By no means do I want us to misunderstand the text, this text is not telling us in this day and age that we should not be witnessing Christ. By all means we should be the first to tell of the Goodness of God.
However, I’ve learn that biblically speaking we must understand the context and timelines of the text.
Jesus mission was to die on a the cross, be borrowed in a borrowed tomb and risen on the third day. Which was his purpose. Yes believe it or not Jesus had a purpose, and as many people as he healed, that was not his purpose, as popular as he was, that was not his main purpose, his main purpose was the cross. His main purpose was to redeem mankind back to their rightful place and that was only through the shedding of his blood that would be the ultimate sacrifice for redeeming mankind back to their rightful place with God. Without the shedding of his blood their would be no remission of sin. So Jesus understood the bigger. He understood his purpose, not only did he understand his purpose he also understood that he could not get sidetracked or distracted from that purpose because he knew what was at stake.
In this particular conversation Jesus had not been to the cross.
He was not in it for himself, However, He knew that it was not about him but rather about his purpose. My brothers and sisters we find our purpose when we begin to think outside of ourselves and realize my walk with God is bigger than me. Is it anyone in here that can say its more than me depending on my relationship with God, My children are depending on me to fulfull my walk, my family is depending on me, When we understand this we will move different. You move different when you have something to lose.
Jesus understood his purpose and he was not going to let anyone stop him from fulfilling it.
That’s why in one moment he can tell peter that upon this rock I build my church, and then the next minute he could tell him to get behind me satan. Because, although Peter understood who was he didn't understand his purpose.
My brothers and sister in this season don’t let the minor issues you deal with stop you from reaching your purpose. Sometimes we have to be careful that we surround ourselves with not only those who know you are but also those who believe in your purpose.
Look at someone and say you have purpose.
As I begin to look at Peter, I beleive all of us got a bit of peter in us.
Because although Peter knew who Jesus was, Peter still had his struggles, Out of the disciples Peter knew who although Jesus gives Simon the name “Peter” (“rock”; Πέτρος, The same peter, that fell asleep in the garden (Matt 26:40; Mark 14:37), his attack on Malchus (Mark 14:47; John 18:10–11), The same Peter that denied Jesus.
However he was still called to preach. How do I know he was called to preach because in John 21:15–17 Jesus asked him(“Do you love Me … feed My sheep”)This communicates Jesus confidence in and selection of him as the head of the early church.
t Jesus give him the keys to kingdom the next moment he says get thee behind me satan. Why because Peter did not agree with Jesus purpose,.he did not agree when Jesus told him his purpose. This next season of your life you have to surround yourself with those who not only know you but know your purpose and if they don’t know your purpose, when you tell them they wont disagree with you.
Look at someone and say you know me, but do you know my purpose.
Truth of the matter is your more than what the eye can see. Tell someone don’t let the look fool you. There is more in me than what the eye can see.
Jesus as most of us knew biblically spent a lot time and with his disciples, and although they were accustomed to him and walked with him. Jesus had to continually show them and prove to them that he was the son of God. He often referred to them as having little faith.
He was more concerned about his works than his reputation
That’s almost the sign of the times because now we want a reputation without works. We wasn't concerned about what they thought because he was to fulfilling his call. You have to be so busy working that you don’t have time to sit around and wonder what people are saying about..
You have to be so busy working that you don’t have time to talk about anybody else. Im to busy working on me to talk about anybody else; Look at somebody and say I’m busy working on me. So when you understand that where you going is going require work. Often time we want the reputation but we don’t want the work. We want the title but we don’t want the work.
So Jesus tells them to say nothing.
That’s all I’m trying to tell you that where God is requiring you to go, is going to cause to say less.
Say Less because because God is getting ready to work with your works.
Say Less because God is getting ready to turn your reaping in to joy.
Say Less because your getting ready to blessed in the city blessed in the field, bless ehn you come and blessed when you go.
Say Less, because in this season eyes have not seen ears have not heard neither has it entered into the hearts of men what God has in store for you.
Say Less because you your due season is here because you didn’t faint when you were weary.
Say less because he that started a good work in uyou able to perform it.
This next season let your faith do the talking.
I may not can see it but I have faith to that its going to work out. We know what the bible says that faith without works is dead. Work your faith.