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[0:00] Good evening. Welcome back here.

[0:15] It feels like a long time since last week. Not sure why. Yeah, I suppose it's been busy. All right.

[0:39] We have a few new faces. Ben, do you guys need a book? Yeah.

[0:59] Last two. Thank you. All right. We're on page 11 in your notes. And if you look at the last page, page numbers, we're on page 11, and the last one is 28.

[1:32] And if you do the math, it means we're, maybe after today, we'll be at the halfway mark. Maybe not quite.

[1:44] So we're definitely taking more time than I had anticipated, and yet I feel we're going through very fast. And so a thought that I had, just wanted to share this and see what the feedback would be, to go to the end of April and then maybe start back up in October, do a short review, and then finish off with two months in October or October-November.

[2:17] Something you want to think about? Instead of rushing through it, I guess my scope on this was that we would be able to go through it faster, but I haven't taught through this before ever.

[2:37] And so I've been mistaken here too, so just taking more time. Yeah. In school, it was a 40-hour course.

[2:50] And we would have to have 30 weeks or almost to get there, so the equivalency. But give that some thought, and then maybe at the end of the month we can decide for sure that's what we want to do.

[3:08] Yeah. All right. Well, let's open in prayer. Lord Jesus, we again thank you for the day.

[3:24] We thank you for being present here. And thank you for leaving us such a rich heritage or an example by your life, by your teaching, how you train the disciples.

[3:43] And Lord, all of this you've left so that we too can learn and grow and mature in you. And so again, Father, we invite you to just again teach us tonight as we open your hearts to your word.

[4:02] In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. So we had started a new section, moving on to Instruction of the Twelve by the Messiah.

[4:23] And we had done the first part there. So it's number six, A, Feeding the 5,000. We had looked at that last week.

[4:36] and so we're going to continue with this theme where for six months or roughly six months Jesus is intentionally focusing on the twelve and doing a fair amount of activities where he's taking them by themselves not always but quite a few times he's taking them apart and teaching them, taking them much deeper and so feeding the five thousand was the first one and there he challenged them with the need for the multitudes that followed him they were in a deserted place and there wasn't food there and Jesus says to them, feed them figure it out and they were unable to figure it out and then Jesus took over and of course from the five loaves and fishes he broke and fed five thousand men plus women plus children and so the disciples there learned we trust a lesson that with Jesus everything is possible there are no impossibilities with him and so that's something they learned firsthand so let's go on to B

[6:15] John we're going to read the account in John John 6 14 and 15 John 6 14 and 15 and so he's fed the five thousand and verse 14 then those men when they had seen the sign that Jesus did said this is truly the prophet who is coming to the world therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king he departed again to the mountain by himself alone so after the miraculous feeding the people perceive that he is a prophet and not only a prophet but the prophet that Moses spoke about in Deuteronomy in regards to the Messiah and so they recognize that this is the prophet and so let us let us lay hold of him and make him our king forcefully and he will then conquer the Romans and lead us into the millennial kingdom is their thinking and so Jesus because his time was not yet went out of their hands or departed and went off by himself into a mountain so so he

[8:17] Jesus rejected that rejected that totally all self glory he resisted because it would have brought human glory to be the king here on earth right and especially if the people make him king but he fully knows that that at the end of the age he will be the king appointed by God and and he will come in his glory and so a little bit later tonight we're going to look at the transfiguration where we get a glimpse of that glory of his coming kingdom so just so they reject or Jesus rejects the offer or the the attempt to make him king now let's go back to Matthew 24 Matthew 14 verse 24 Matthew 14 and I think we'll start in verse 22 and we'll read through 33 you get the honors this time yeah immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side while he sent the multitudes away and when he had sent the multitudes away he went up on the mountain by himself to pray now when evening came he was alone there but the boat was now in the middle of the sea tossed by the waves for the wind was contrary now on the fourth watch of the night

[10:25] Jesus went to them walking on the sea and when the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were troubled saying it is a ghost and they cried out for fear but immediately Jesus spoke to them saying be of good cheer it is I do not be afraid and Peter answered him and said Lord if it is you command me to come to you on the water so he said come and when Peter had come down out of the boat he walked on the water to go to Jesus but when he saw that the wind was boisterous he was afraid and began to sink he cried out saying Lord save me and immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him and said to him oh you of little faith why did you doubt and when they got into the boat the wind ceased then those who were in the boat came and worshipped him saying truly you are the son of God okay thank you so after the feeding

[11:32] Jesus sends away the multitudes and commands the disciples to get into the boat to cross over and so they do and he goes up on the mountain by himself to pray and as the disciples start to row across they are met with stormy weather head wind and it says that they are fighting it to the fourth watch in the night so the their day was or their night shift would have been in quarters so from 6pm to 9pm would have been the first watch and 6pm to 12pm the second and so the fourth would have been from 3am to 6pm or 6am and so somewhere after 3 in the morning they are still rowing must be very frustrated it is night it is dark and there might have been better moon

[12:45] I don't know but then they see they see Jesus walking on the water and I love the boat stories in scripture there is always lessons in there for us as Jesus teaches dependence on him and so our scriptures tell us that they when they see Jesus they cry out it is a ghost or a spirit we are seeing a spirit and they are fearful they cry out for fear and then Jesus speaks to them be of good cheer it is not I do not be afraid and so then he calms them down by identifying himself that it is

[13:47] Jesus himself but Peter seeing that Jesus is walking across the water he says Lord if it is you command me to come down out of the boat and to come to you and Jesus says come and Peter steps out of the boat and he is full of faith and and starts to walk now I don't know how big the swales were or the waves but it was stormy and and then as he starts to walk he looks around him and he sees the waves and fear sweeps over him and he begins to sink and Jesus reaches out and takes hold of him and what's the lesson there for us fear and faith are polar opposites okay keep your eyes focused that's what you were going to say too

[15:06] Barb yeah yeah keep your eyes on Christ right and so the the rough waters sometimes we are called to get stretched in life or God God stretches us he put something new before us and and if if we say yes to that that which if the Lord calls we need to we need to keep our eyes focused on him to be fully dependent on him and as soon as we take our eyes off of Christ and look at the scary things that could go wrong with whatever we're called to do we begin to sink yeah and be fearful right and yeah so all of us from time to time are asked to do something that stretches us and that's that's the times especially where we need to learn to focus on Christ

[16:28] I mean it should be every day but so that's there's an illustration or lesson for us that's very very clear and definite when we focus on our circumstances we sink and and also another thought again Jesus walked those waves as if they were nothing to him minor detail and so when we face storms with and we're walking with the Lord to Jesus the rough waters that we're treading or walking through with Jesus by our side to him they're nothing and we talked about being in harness with him and so as we keep our eyes on him we will weather those storms just fine we'll get through fine as long as we focus on him so that's a very very good illustration there any further thoughts there

[17:54] I don't know the this is 10 miles so it's about 8 miles that way they were the first feeding is believed to have been there somewhere and they ended up over here whether they were trying to go that way but the wind took them back but this is where they ended up in the next story so they would have maybe made 4 miles yeah so how long does it take to go 10 miles across on a boat yeah and these are experienced fishermen like they yeah they know boats and water so all right okay so we're on page 11 reception in

[19:09] Genesaret and I'm not going to we're not going to read that one but just just very briefly they land there and he is recognized there and we have people so that that town is right here and so people from the feeding had run on the roads and met him there and so the next day when he gets there some of the multitudes that were fed are there and they spread the word and and there's many people bring their sick and they're healed it says as many as touched the garment of or the hem of his garment were healed and so that's just the recognition in that town and then we want to move on to

[20:10] E instruction concerning the bread of life and John chapter 6 this is a very long passage John 6 22 and let's start with 22 to 40 and then we'll talk a bit and then we'll keep going so you can break that up if you want on the following day when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there except that one which his disciples had entered and that

[21:18] Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples but his disciples had gone away alone however other boats came from Tiberias near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there nor his disciples they also got into the boats and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus and when they found him on the other side of the sea they said to him Rabbi when did you come here Jesus answered them and said most assuredly I say to you you seek me not because you saw the signs but because you ate of the loaves and were filled do not labor for the food which perishes but for the food which endures to everlasting life which the son of man will give you because God the father has set his seal on him then they said to him what shall we do that we may work the works of

[22:23] God Jesus answered and said to them this is the work of God that you believe in him who sent whom he sent therefore they said to him what sign will you perform then that we may see it and believe you what work will you do our fathers ate the manna in the desert as it is written he gave them bread from heaven to eat then Jesus said to them most assuredly I say to you Moses did not give you the bread from heaven but my father gives you the true bread from heaven for the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world then they said to him Lord give us the bread always and Jesus said to them I am the bread of life he who comes to me shall never hunger and he who believes in me shall never thirst but I said to you that you have seen me and yet you do not believe all that the father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me

[23:29] I will this is the will of the father who sent me that of all he gives he has given me I shall lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day and this is the will of him who sent me that everyone who sees the son and believes in him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up on the last day all right so we'll go over that portion first so they're now in Capernaum so it's up top here the town up here and so the feeding happened over here and so Jesus is in Capernaum and there the multitudes follow and are seeking Jesus and they find him in

[24:30] Capernaum and they ask Lord when did you come here and Jesus doesn't answer them that way but his answer is I say to you you seek me not because you saw the signs but because you ate of the loaves and were filled do not labor for food which perishes but for blood or but for food which endures to everlasting life which the son of man will give you because God the father has set his seal on him so Jesus is reading their hearts and knowing their motives and he's telling them you've sought me out not because you saw the miracles I did that led you to believe who I was but because you were fed physically and so as as human beings we're very quick to adapt to allow others to minister to us and if

[25:44] Jesus would feed them on a daily basis they would have no problem with that and so that's so he gets he cuts right to the heart here and says you're after me for the wrong reasons at the end of this chapter we find that many followed him no more after the teaching of chapter six so he's very direct and blunt with them the verses that follow is that they ask what work shall we do or what shall we do that we may work the works of God and Jesus clearly says the work of God is this that you believe in him whom he sent and whom did God send the one that was speaking to them Jesus that is the work of

[26:47] God is to believe in the Messiah whom God has sent and that's the very thing that they're refusing to do but notice it's referred to as a work or they ask what work can we do and that is characteristic of fallen nature as well we want to work to please and Jesus turns it into faith if you want to work well the work that you can do is to believe and generally we don't call that work right but that's he turns that into faith and then we have again a request what sign will you do to perform that we may see it and believe and so again and again they ask for signs this is at least the third time in the last two weeks where the people ask for a sign and he's been doing signs and wonders the whole time but what are they looking for in a sign what are they looking for that's different than what he has been doing because he's been healing the sick and raising the dead and and cleansing the lepers and casting out demons and and so on right dominate

[28:27] I think they're looking for a celestial sign something coming down from heaven like Elijah called down fire from heaven if God would somehow reveal some miraculous thing from heaven that's what they're asking for I think but that wouldn't cause them to believe either they're being deceived here and but as they ask for a sign Jesus goes back to their history 40 years they were dependent on

[29:48] God for physical food every day they had to go and collect this manna and two liters per person every morning except on Friday they could go twice get four liters and it sustained them for 40 years now they say Moses gave us the manna it wasn't Moses it was God and the spiritual lesson there that they missed was that God was teaching them that every day we need to be dependent on our father in heaven and not only in the physical but spiritual and they missed it the spiritual aspect and so here 1500 years later they're still after the physical and they want

[30:54] Jesus to feed them again and here Jesus now translates the meaning of the manna and he says I am the fulfillment of that I am the true bread from heaven I have come down from heaven into this world to give life to the world so he's not talking physical bread but spiritual and to give spiritual life to those who will eat so he's taking them from the physical to the spiritual okay eternal life versus natural life we have that in John 3 where Nicodemus wanted to be born again physically and Jesus says no spiritually not the physical but the spiritual the physical comes first and then the spiritual always in that order so we're born physically and then we need to be reborn spiritually okay so the life that

[32:10] Jesus came to give is eternal life it comes from heaven he says it's satisfying you will not hunger or thirst anymore and it's a life a resurrection life as all that find that life will be resurrected by Christ and as he continues he says and this bread is in me this life is in me as in Jesus Christ a very clear teaching of kind of bringing their history into it and saying I am the one so let's read verses 41 through 58 the Jews then complained about him because he said

[33:10] I am the bread which came down from heaven and they said is not this Jesus the son of Joseph whose father and mother we know how is it then that he says I have come down from heaven Jesus therefore answered and said to them do not murmur among yourselves no one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him and I will raise him up at the last day it is written in the prophets and they shall all be taught by God therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the father comes to me not that anyone has seen the father except he who is from God he has seen the father most surely I say to you he who believes in me has everlasting life I am the bread of life your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and are dead this is the bread which came which comes down from heaven that one may eat of it and not die I am the living bread which came down from heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live forever and the bread that I will give is my flesh which

[34:12] I will give for the rest of the world the Jews therefore strove among themselves saying how can this man give us his flesh to eat then Jesus said unto them verily verily I say unto you except you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink this blood he gave he have no life in you whoso eateth my flesh and drink of my blood hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day for my flesh is meat indeed and my bread is drink indeed he that eat my flesh and drink my blood dwelleth in me and I in him and the living father hath sent me and I live by the father so he that eat of me even he shall live by me this is the bread which came down from heaven not as your fathers did eat manna and are dead he that eat of this bread shall live forever all right so we have Jesus continuing to to teach on the same subject that I am the bread of life come down from heaven he says that one may eat of it and not die and so he's talking about the spiritual aspect so if we eat the bread of life we will never die spiritually we will live we have eternal life we'll live forever for eternity and then in verse 51

[35:30] I am the living bread which comes down from heaven which came down from heaven if anyone eats of this bread he will live forever and the bread shall give for the life of the world and he is referring here to the cross that the offering the sacrifice that he's going to do which we just celebrated on good friday Jesus dying for us and so through this day of teaching the multitudes are not grasping the truth here and in 52 it says they quarreled among themselves saying how can this man give us his flesh to eat does he want us to be cannibals start eating people they're going physical again they're not getting it they don't understand when he says

[36:39] I'm going to give of my body that he's not talking about his physical flesh but rather the salvation which he will accomplish on the cross and 53 most assuredly I say to you unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood you have no life in you whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and will raise him up in the last day so it's figuratively speaking as Jesus shed his blood for us and gave his body which was broken and horribly abused for our sake and there there there are some groups well the Catholic group is the biggest one they practice what's called trans substantiation

[37:41] I think it's called where a communion when they take of the cup and the bread the teaching is that once it's in your mouth it literally becomes the flesh and blood of Christ and they take that from this passage and whereas when we do communion it's symbolic it's just bread and it's just wine and so when we take that to literally that it turns into his flesh and blood as we consume it it's false teaching it's not what he is saying here so it's in the spiritual sense that we're to recognize Jesus gave his flesh and blood and if I will endorse that if I will accept that by faith for the forgiveness of sins I will have eternal life life and yeah if we could just eat physically a little bit that would give us eternal life then that would be easier right even though it would be gross but that's not what he's getting at it's by faith

[38:56] I am the bread of life alright so let's read 59 to 71 and finish this off these things he said in the synagogue as he taught in Capernaum therefore many of his disciples when they heard this said this is a hard saying who can understand it when Jesus knew in himself that his disciples complained about this he said to them does this offend you what then if you should see the son of man ascend where he was before it is the spirit who gives life the flesh profits nothing the words that I speak to you are spirit and they are life but there are some among you who do not believe for

[39:59] Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe and who would betray him and he said therefore I have said to you said to you that no one can come to me unless it has been granted to him by my father for for that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him and said then said Jesus unto them the twelve will you also go away then Simon Peter answered him Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life and we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ the son of the living God Jesus answered them have not I chosen you twelve and one of you is the devil he speak of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon for he it was that should betray him being one of the twelve okay thank you okay so this is the teaching he says that he gave in the synagogue and in

[41:14] Capernaum and many of his disciples meaning followers from the multitudes when they heard this they said this is a hard saying who can understand it and it says his disciples complained about this and so they're they're they're not grasping it and they're frustrated their hearts are out for the wrong thing and Jesus is now he's kind of sifting he's dividing them and going to read verse 62 there what then if you should see the son of man ascend before ascend where he was before it is the spirit who gives life the flesh profits nothing the words that I speak to you are spirit and not life and they are life but there are some of you who do not believe and so again elevating them to the spiritual plane or level and you know

[42:30] Jesus knows their hearts and he says that in the verses that follow there are some of you who do not believe and it says from that time verse 66 many of his disciples went back and walked with him no more as they realize Jesus is not here to help us physically to just meet all our physical needs he has helped them physically by healing their sick and so on and he did feed them on the mountain and so on but Jesus has come primarily to give spiritual life and but they were looking for all physical they wanted a king that would rule with them and bless them and would be a kingdom age where their crops would never fail and you know evil would be subdued and it would just be good for us and so but we don't want any part of this spiritual stuff and so they have their order reversed first we need to come to

[43:47] Christ spiritually and then we will be part of the millennial kingdom yeah well when your heart is out for for for meeting your own personal selfish needs right yeah had had a an illustration from Bolivia back in the 70s there was a missionary out there and he was writing back and relating back to Canada that the outreach church is full and over full and I need help and and so they sent another couple to come and help and maybe even take over and when they get there the church is almost empty and that's very different than all the reports we've been getting and next Sunday or next weekend it's it's quite empty again there's only a few and after three or four

[45:20] Sunday he starts to ask what's going on and then some of the locals tell him that yeah the previous guy that was here a missionary he said that if we came to church and got baptized we would get care packages from Canada as Bolivia at that time was going through a bit of a drought and a bit of a tough time and so literally he had filled the church with people who were looking for physical food and they willingly got baptized upon the confession of faith and when the food stopped the church was empty again is this any different that's this is a true illustration that I'm referring to here it happened Jesus turns to the twelve lesson time so they've they've heard this all day long too they've seen the people's reaction and now the people say we're leaving we're not going to walk with you anymore and

[46:40] Jesus turns to the twelve do you also want to go away and he's putting them on the spot what about you guys and Simon Peter again is the spokesperson Lord to whom shall we go you have the words of eternal life also we have come to believe and know that you are the Christ the son of the living God Peter answers correctly and in such a manner that we realize they have grasped the truth and are on the spiritual plane and they're recognizing that Jesus has come from God and he is the bread of life and he says we have nowhere else to go but to follow you and that that is the response that every believer today needs to make we have nowhere else to go but then to follow our Lord to have him as our spiritual life all right any thoughts or questions about that it's a long passage but it was a very defining one for the Jews and

[48:17] God used that to sift and so many many stopped following him from that day on yeah right yeah same as the rich young ruler right who comes running up and and says Jesus what what must I do you know what good thing must I do to to inherit the kingdom of heaven and and and so on and and when Jesus tells him well go sell your possessions and follow me and he goes away sorrowful he goes away sorrowful and we don't see Jesus running after him and saying oh wait a minute I didn't mean that let me soften that for a bit no it says he let

[49:19] Jesus looked at him loved him and let him go Jesus brought him to a point of decision and then let go that's that's something that we need to realize that we are faced with decisions all the time but when we share the gospel we're bringing people to a point of decision we have to let go we cannot make that decision for them and sometimes the truth offends but if they are refusing to to become humble like a little child to accept it then there's nothing you can do right all right let's move on to

[50:21] F I'm going to just we're not going to read this one it's a bit of a longer one I'm just going to share a little bit on it it's instruction concerning defilement and so they again accuse Jesus their disciples are eating without washing their hands and we had about six weeks back we had one illustration like this already so again they're washing or they're eating with unwashed hands and Jesus proceeds to teach them what is it that defiles a man a few things that come out here let me turn to the right place here is that Jesus recognizes that hand washing is cultural or traditional not biblical it's not the commandment of God to do so and so he distinguishes between traditions and the word of

[51:48] God and he uses an example he says you teach the doctrines of men as the commandment of God that is wrong but the commandment of God which says honor your mother and father you don't uphold in fact you have in your traditions a tradition called Corbin where instead of taking care of my elderly parents I have the option of giving my money to some other organization and thereby escaping my duty of taking care of my parents and that's acceptable in your tradition and Jesus says thereby you transgress the commandment of God which says honor father and mother which entails we are to take care of them if need be and so he's making that difference but then he ends this passage with bringing very clearly out the fact that defilement comes from the heart and it's not what you take into your mouth that defiles you but what's coming out of your mouth because any food or anything dirty that goes in just your body takes care of it it doesn't defile you but what comes out of your mouth comes from the heart and the heart is the problem that's the lesson here the heart is the problem there's a there's a verse in

[53:42] Jeremiah 17 verse 9 that says the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it Jeremiah 17 9 the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it out of the heart comes all kinds of evil the natural heart we need to be born again to receive a new heart so that's the teaching on defilement okay and then the next one G reception in Tyree and Sidon and let's read this one Matthew 15 21 to 28 then then

[54:48] Jesus went and departed into the coast of Tyree and Sidon and behold a woman of Canaan came out of the same coast and cried unto him saying have mercy on me O Lord thou son of David my daughter is grievously vexed with the devil but he answered her not a word and his disciples came and besought him saying send her away for she crieth after us but he answered and said I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel then came she and worshipped him saying Lord help me but he answered and said it is not me to take the children's bread and to cast it to dogs and she said truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table then Jesus answered and said unto her all right so Tyree and Sidon are over here the Mediterranean sea so they're in a Gentile area already north of Israel and so

[55:51] Jesus meets a woman from there a I think Mark says she's a Phoenician woman Gentile anyway and she is she comes to Jesus and cries out son of oh Lord son of David my daughter is severely demon possessed this Gentile woman calls him both oh Lord and son of David both references to the Messiah it's like a double reference in her greeting her acknowledgement to Jesus so this woman believes who Jesus is and she cries out have mercy on me my daughter is severely demon possessed and and at first he answers her not a word and the disciples get tired of her and they urge

[56:55] Jesus send her away shut her up and and and then as she continues to cry out in verse 24 he answered and said I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel interesting why would Jesus say that test her Jesus Jesus' entire ministry has been focused on the Jews right and it's only after the resurrection that that the Gentiles were were evangelized right okay so it's probably part of it right yeah

[58:10] I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Jesus did came to save Jew and Gentile okay so the Gentiles okay okay so right and the Gentiles also had been taught that the things of God were not for them by the Jews basically they pushed him aside as unworthy of salvation verse 25 and she came and worshipped him saying Lord help me but he answered and said it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs so now we have the culture there of the

[59:23] Jews considered the children take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs and the Jews looked at the Gentiles at these people as dogs and so this woman recognizes Jesus has been sent to the Jews and she says yes Lord yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their master's tables and we like Julius said we are blessed through the Jews Jesus being a Jew even though they rejected him but the whole world has been blessed through Abraham and Abraham was the father of the Jews right and so we have the fulfillment of that this woman recognizes that and she has faith that this is the savior of the world and she is rewarded

[60:28] Jesus answered oh woman great is your faith let it be to you as you desire and her daughter was healed from that very hour what's the lesson in it for the disciples what's Jesus preparing them for for they will they will do much work among the Gentiles after Pentecost and evangelize the world the twelve actually go into different parts of the world alright H rejection in the cap cap cap cap and

[61:29] Matthew 15 29 to 38 and Jesus departed from thence and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee and went up into a mountain and sat down there and great multitudes came unto him having with them those that were lame blind dumb maimed and many others that cast them down at Jesus feet and he healed them insomuch that the multitude wondered when they saw the dumb to speak and the maimed to behold and the lame to walk and the blind to see and the glorified God of Israel then Jesus called the disciples unto him and said I have compassion on the multitude because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat and I will not send them away fasting lest they paint in the way and his disciples said unto him when should we have so much bread in the wilderness as to fill so great a multitude and

[62:45] Jesus said unto them how many loaves have ye and they said seven and a few little fishes and he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground and he took the seven loaves and the fishes and gave thanks and break them and gave to his disciples and up the broken meat that was left seven baskets full and they did eat and they that did eat were four thousand men besides women and children and he sent away the multitude and took ship and came into the coast of Magdala okay thank you we have another feeding and likely a lot of different people here but he it starts off the story starts off with the lame the blind the mute the maimed many others are brought to

[63:49] Jesus and he healed them all and the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking the maimed made whole the lame walking and so on so Jesus continues to minister he's in a different part of Galilee now and perhaps some different people there and they're marveling at his teaching and there's indication here that he has been teaching them for three days verse 32 I have compassion on the multitude because they have now continued with me three days have nothing to eat and I do not want to send them away hungry unless they faint on the way I don't know if they fasted for three days to be part of his teaching or they had a bit of food but not nearly enough either way they are

[64:50] Jesus recognized they are weak I don't want to send them away without food and again he feeds them the disciples ask him verse 33 where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to feed such a great multitude and so again they're they're being reminded again to think deeper and like the first time they were in the physical and they even counted their money there and how can we possibly feed this bigger crowd now where can we possibly find this much food in the wilderness and they've taken their eyes off of Jesus who had just not that long ago maybe months ago fed 5,000 men and so here they're back in the physical and

[65:55] Jesus asked them how many loaves do you have and they said seven and a few little fish and he commands them to sit down and he breaks the loaves and the fish and this time there's 4,000 men plus women plus children that are fed and seven baskets that are taken up so it's a second miracle but it sounds like it's a different group of people that are there taking in that teaching and so the disciples I can't help but think they must almost have a feeling of failure that we didn't get it and yet after the resurrection when they received power from high they didn't fail like this so they're in a hard school here and as long as the master is present then we tend to pull back and that's what they're doing right very very clearly so again they're reminded of the power of

[67:12] Christ okay and then the rejection in Magadan and that's where Jesus went after the feeding of the four we're not going to read that one just in short when he gets to Magadan the Pharisees and the Sadducees come asking for a sign so the two different sects of the Jews that were both involved in leadership kind of looked up to by the Jewish people the Pharisees being super religious and very pious or upright in their outward expressions the Sadducees were known as the wealthy and not very religious at all and they actually taught that there is no resurrection it's this life to the full and that's it and as the saying goes they were sad you see because there's no resurrection

[68:22] Jesus corrects them later as well but these two groups come to him in Magadan and say show us a sign again show us a sign that we may believe and there Jesus reminds them the only sign is John the Baptist so for the second time he brings that out all right then let's turn to Matthew 16 5 to 12 and the disciples came to the other side of the sea but they had forgotten to bring any bread and Jesus said to them watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees they began to discuss this among themselves saying he said that because we did not bring any bread but

[69:27] Jesus aware of this said you men of little faith why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets full you picked up or the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets full you picked up how is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread but beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees then they understood that he did not say to beware of the leaven of bread but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees okay thank you okay so we have another another boat story traveling across the lake again and and Jesus probably testing them verse six says take heed beware of the leaven of the

[70:31] Pharisees and the Sadducees so we we know what leaven is what it represents and the twelve reason among themselves they're wondering what does Jesus mean here and so they're reasoning they're discussing this and they say could it be that we forgotten to take bread well since when was the lack of bread a problem for Christ and so here they're they're thinking physical again and Jesus being aware of it says oh you of little faith why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread do you not understand or remember the five loaves and of of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up nor the seven loaves and of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up don't you guys get it bread isn't the issue here how is it you don't understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread but beware of the leaven of the

[71:54] Pharisees and Sadducees and then they understood they did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees and so it's a it's a teaching there for the twelve to because they've been raised in Israel under the under the Jewish the Jewish teachings the twelve need to start to think for themselves and compare the teachings of their people to what Christ has been teaching and now beware of their teaching because it's it's like leaven it's it's it permeates it it infiltrates it works its way through and and it's poison if it's bad teaching it's poisonous and so he says beware of it be careful be discerning so he's for the first time getting them to now think beyond and so to start to discern does this line up with what

[73:11] Christ has taught what he represents okay all of us need that discernment to to fight against wrong teaching and so on okay now we come to a a critical time in the disciples lives and especially Peter in Matthew 16 13 to 20 so let's read that when Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples saying who do men say that I the son of man am so they said some say John the Baptist some Elijah and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets he said to them but who do you say that I am

[74:13] Simon Peter answered and said you are the Christ the son of the living God Jesus answered and said to him blessed are you Simon Barjona for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my father who is in heaven and I also and I also say to you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatever you mine on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you lose on earth will be loosed in heaven then he commanded his disciples that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ all right thank you okay so they're from Capernaum area they've traveled north to

[75:13] Caesarea Philippi northern Israel very remote and it's also an area where there was a lot of demonic worship you can there's some shrines there today you can go visit there's a cave of Ben Benice what's it called again I didn't research it we were there and it's a place where they worship evil spirits but anyway they're in that area Jesus with the twelve there's no evidence here that there's any multitudes it's just them and Jesus turns to them who do men say that I the son of man am who do others say that I am he asked of the twelve and well some say John the Baptist well he was just put to death a little while ago but some are saying

[76:21] John the Baptist others Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the prophets so they're all recognizing you have to be a prophet because of the things that you do and we know that Elijah did many miracles right as well and so some would say maybe it's Elijah come back but then he turns directly to them and says but who do you say that I am it's alone time not what do others say who do you say I am and again it's Peter Simon Peter says you are the Christ the anointed one the son of the living

[77:23] God is Peter convinced he is all the way he is convinced who Jesus is and Jesus answers blessed are you Simon son of Jonah for flesh and blood have not revealed this to you but my father who is in heaven and so what's he saying the father revealed that to you Peter has lifted up into the spiritual realm because we cannot meet God in the physical and through the spirit of God revealed to Peter who the true identity of Jesus is and I'm assuming the other the other eleven are in agreements here but

[78:28] Peter is speaking that they all believe this except except Judas right okay then we have a very profound moment here after he pronounces the blessing on Peter and he says I say to you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it and we have a lot of wrong teaching out of this out of these two verses but he is saying and very likely they would have spoken in the local languages there would be Arabic and so he is saying you are

[79:31] Peter and the word Peter means Petras a stone you are Peter a stone and on this rock Petra I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it what is Jesus saying is there a difference between the stone and the rock what is the rock referred to here Jesus himself it's it's based on Peter's confession I say you are Peter and on this rock on the confession that you are the Christ the son of the living God I will build my church and the gates of

[80:37] Hades will not prevail against it cannot stop it and so Jesus is saying that on this confession that I am the Christ the son of God I will build my church so it's not he's not building on Peter but on the truth that Peter said and so today as God is building his church it's adding one member at a time to the kingdom as they confess that Jesus is the Christ the son of the living God right it's 2000 years now and he's building his kingdom on that same confession and out of these verses and especially following I'm going to read the next one and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven the keys are the gospel message the teaching of

[81:57] Christ those are the keys that unlock people's hearts to either accept Christ or reject him and and and and as we present as we present the message to people and share the gospel and if there's rejection and if they push back we have the authority to pronounce that you are in your sins and if they accept it and and and and bow before Christ and become a believer we have the we have the biblical authority to say you are forgiven and so we have the keys to the kingdom of heaven and to say you are forgiven you are not forgiven based on scripture and based on their response to the gospel and so for for me to say

[83:04] I'm a church leader and I now have the authority to forgive sins is very very far out it's blasphemy it's literally blasphemy the Lord Jesus forgives sins alone as he died for us and so out of this the catholic system coming right from the early church right from after the apostolic era the catholic church started to form and it was in the first pope was in between the year 200 and 300 I forget the exact year but then they looked back and saw Peter was the first pope and the pope is the the vicar of Christ Christ's representative here on earth as he had to go back to heaven and and the pope has all of

[84:09] Christ's abilities here on earth to act on his behalf is basically what has transpired and so he can do what he pleases make law take away law it's written and all out of these verses taken erroneously and so the church the church has the keys to the kingdom of heaven as we have the gospel in our hands to share and not just I as a pastor but each one of you has those keys you have your bibles in front of you right and so very very profound teaching here but very messed up in many circles and even in a lot of our conservative

[85:11] Mennonite circles this is this is abused and it actually comes out of the Catholic system that they took with them when they left and they didn't see through that clearly and so the bishop does not have the power to forgive sins I miss out I would go to see anointing of Mary that they really lifted up on which would have been the mother of Jesus and they put their faith in the anointing of Mary and then he gets out as a baby and then he gets protected of the city of Jesus and I I've never studied that one yeah well there's there's a fair amount of error there any questions or thoughts so this comes down right to our day as well and he is teaching the disciples that as they will be commissioned and commissioned as apostles which means sent ones and they will be be sent out with the word of God with the message of God but they have the keys to the kingdom of heaven and they are to proclaim it and they have the right to when somebody rejects that message to say that that your sins are retained they remain with you because that's what that means yeah yeah because it agrees with heaven right yeah anybody that rejects Christ remains in their sin and and we can also have the right to say or the authority to say that you're forgiven when people repent because God promises or or to forgive and he does forgive as we confess okay and so we have we have that that authority to to bind on on earth the the Greek says that whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven says already is bound in heaven it's a different tense there than the than the King James uses and so it's basically we're echoing the voice of God when we do that our time is up just like that okay any thoughts or questions there okay okay okay

[88:56] I think for the disciples this was very very I don't know if exciting is the right word but profound teaching equipping them for the time to come could you say that Peter's got up and ready to go or just to look he's put his faith in Christ and he's been walking with Christ and now he's one of them that sticks through and he's got up and he's got up and ready to go okay and yet from now till then Peter goes through a number of deep deep lessons where God matures his character further as before he sends him out right yeah probably the deepest lesson yet yeah yeah we were going to get there but we didn't quite because as as they're walking toward Jerusalem after the transfiguration they begin to argue which which one of us will be the greatest in the kingdom right and it's like yeah there's some maturing that still needs to happen here yeah so yeah so we'll get that we'll get there next next Wednesday

[90:18]  Lord willing all right with that we are dismissed thank you for coming