Avoiding the Crash

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Avoiding the Crash

Matthew 16:14-19

5/13/07am

In 1962, maverick inventor Bill Lear wanted a challenge. The sixty-year-old Lear had already invented the 8-track tape, and the automatic direction finder and auto pilot for aircraft. So in 1962 he sold his interest in Lear, Inc. to form Learjet, which became the leading supplier of corporate jets within five years.

But soon after his company started producing jets, there were two Lear aircraft that crashed under mysterious circumstances. Lear was devastated. He'd developed the plane to offer business travelers a fast, economical alternative to the airlines. At that time, 55 Lear jets were privately owned. Bill sent word to all the owners to ground their planes until he and his team could determine what had caused the crashes.

To Bill, who was a Christian, risking the loss of more lives meant far more than the adverse publicity that grounding all Lear jets might generate in the media. He protected his customers and counted on God to protect the reputation of his corporation. As he researched the two ill-fated flights, a possible technical problem emerged. Bill experimented with his own plane to recreate the same problem. He nearly lost control of the jet in the process, but found that a defect in the plane's design did exist.

All 55 planes were fitted with a new part, eliminating the danger. Bill spent two years rebuilding the business. Lear jets were soon soaring again, carrying thousands of business people safely to their destinations.
   We are responsible for our actions and we will reap the fruit of our labor. Today in prayer, thank Christ that He blesses those who look to Him and work responsibly for the Lord's glory.

     Jesus had been walking and talking with his apostles. He had warned them of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. At a certain juncture in Caesarea Philippi, He made them step up and be responsible.

    Like Bill Lear, we must take on our responsibilities, or crashes in life will be unavoidable.

PROP-Christians should understand the importance of being responsible

PQ—“What are Responsibilities of a Kingdom person?

To help us avoid the crashes of life and to help others do the same, let us look at our responsibilities.

I.We Need to Make our Position Sure- Vs14-17

Still making them step up to the plate and be responsible, He asked them “Who do men say that I am?” As we read, John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.

  Vs15—Jesus brings it closer to home.

 Vs16- you are the anointed One. You are the Son of the living God. We have walked with You, watched you, felt you—I know this is You.

  Vs17-No room for boasting---Jesus tells Peter that this was not the result of Peters investigation, but it was the gracious act of God. God had hid this from the Pharisees and Sadducees and revealed it to the babes.

Today, Parents need to make sure of their position. We are too busy watching what everybody else is doing with their homes. We need to stop watching, unless they are living godliness before us, others and start making sure that we are in the right position .

II. We Need to know that our Platform is Solid- Vs18

-Was Peter the platform the church would be built on? Some religions put more energy on St. Peter that on Jesus.

-Was it the profession that Peter had just made back in vs 16? I think so!

Vs18” Thou art Peter(Petros , a loose stone or rock) and upon this (petra-befrock or quarry from which smaller stones are quarried)I will build my church. The bedrock is the statement of faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of the Living God and Peter is an example of the many stones to be hewn from the quarry

1 Peter 2:5   5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is our Platform!

“The gates of hell shall not prevail”- those who are truly born again in the name of Jesus will never have to worry about being separated from Jesus Christ.

Jesus is still building the church. The question is have you made sure of not only your position(Jesus is the Son of God), but as you solidly planted on Him today? It’s one thing to have a position, but another to stand firm regardless.

  You may ask why it is important for me to stand firm?

 

III.  In Christ, our Power is Sanctioned-Vs18b-19

What was at stake with the malfunction of the LearJet? Lives!

What is at stake in your life? How much power do we hold?

Listen to what Jesus told Peter-

“Keys of heaven”—He was giving Peter authority. This command concerning remitting and retaining sins, and that promise made to Peter concerning binding and loosing, ought to be referred to nothing but the ministry of the word. When the Lord committed it to the apostles, he, at the same time, provided them with this power of binding and loosing. For what is the sum of the gospel, but just that all being the slaves of sin and death, are loosed and set free by the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, while those who do not receive and acknowledge Christ as a deliverer and redeemer are condemned and doomed to eternal chains

  ‘Whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be that which has been bound in heaven, etc.’; so the binding and loosing had already been done in Heaven (the nasb expresses this in its translation). This special power that Jesus conferred on Peter was thus only to announce authoritatively what had already been decided in Heaven, not to make pronouncements on his own initiative.

   Shortly afterwards, Jesus conferred this power on all the apostles(Matt 18:15-18)

 

  Moms, Dads—you are the Key-Keepers for your children -what keys do you hold today?

Spiritual—keys doctrine, discipline, to bold witness, loving others, prayer, encouragement, sacrifice, compassion, mercy, desire to please God, life of trusting God.

Personal—self-esteem—you either build or tear down; habits, respect, work ethic, joy, critical,

 

You have the power to bind- unforgivness, jealousy, hate, division, bad attitudes, etc.

To loose—Godly standards, forgiveness, kindness, sharing,

What has already been settled in heaven, we can live under the same rule—to loose and to bind.

The key—the authority is in our hand!

How much longer are we willing to neglect our responsibilities? What is at stake? Lives!! Ours, our families, our neighbors.

We can be responsible and avoid the crash, or be irresponsible and get ready to count the costs.

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