I Will Build My Church | By John MacArthur | Matthew

I Will Build My Church
Sermons
Matthew 16:18-19 Mar 21, 1993
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The desire of my heart this morning to bring to you a word from the Lord which is fitting for our Shepherd’s Conference and for the many folks who are with us who are pastoring and leading churches and church ministries around the country and the world. And with that in mind I have been drawn, I’m sure, by the prompting of the Holy Spirit to a marvelous text in Matthew chapter 16 and I would invite you now to open God’s Word to that chapter, Matthew 16. And I would like to read from verse 16 on, down through verse 19, Matthew chapter 16.
“And Simon Peter answered and said, ‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.’”

[@kathymharris2432]

What Good News from our Lord and Savior!

[@jesusharvestlife]

Ephesians 1:3 Praise for Spiritual Blessings Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Amen thank you

[@asarose4680]

Perfect

[@angloaust1575]

Jesus said it! His words shall abide forever!

[@1234poppycat]

What a pity John MacArthur wants to build macArthurs Church !!! ....... We see elsewhere in Scripture where “this” is used in reference to a person. For example, in Matthew 21:44, Jesus says, “And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” What does “this stone” refer to? The answer is Jesus, who is “the very stone which the builders rejected” and “has become the head of the corner” (v.42). Notice Jesus doesn’t say, “And he who falls on me, the stone, will be broken to pieces”? According to the logic of the objection, this is what he’d say if he intended “this stone” to refer to himself. But he doesn’t. Must we conclude, therefore, that “this” in verse forty-four can’t refer to the person of Jesus? Of course not! Since “this” can be used to refer to the person who is addressed in the preceding phrase, the argument that says Jesus can’t be referring to Peter as the rock because he uses “this” fails. A second response is that Peter’s declaration of faith is two verses removed from the pronoun “this.” So, when we read “this rock,” it’s natural to think the pronoun refers to Peter because he is the nearest thing for the pronoun to refer to. “this” refers to Peter becomes clear when we consider that Peter’s name literally means rock. This serves as a third response. If we translate Peter’s name (Petros) literally in Matthew 16:18 it reads, “You are rock, and upon this rock I will build my church.” This makes Peter the only one to which “this” refers to. Once again, in Matthew 21:42-44 Jesus says, The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner . . .And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but when it falls on any one, it will crush him. No Protestant would argue that “this stone” in verse forty-four doesn’t refer to the stone spoken of in verse forty-two. If Jesus speaks of a stone in verse forty-two, and then speaks of “this stone” in verse forty-four, it’s natural to conclude that “this stone” in verse forty-four refers to the stone in verse forty-two. The same line of reasoning applies to Peter and the rock in Matthew 16:18. If Jesus speaks of a rock in the first part of the sentence in this verse, and then speaks of “this rock” in the second part of that same sentence, then it’s reasonable to conclude that “this rock” in the second part of the sentence refers to the rock spoken of in the first part of the sentence, namely, Peter. Jimmy Akin pointed out.: 1. Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona (v.15) 1a. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you (v.17a) 1b. By my Father who is in heaven (v.17b). 2. And I tell you, you are Peter (v.18a) 2a. And on this rock I will build my Church (v.18b) 2b. And the gates of hades shall not prevail against it (v.18c). 3. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven (v.19a) 3a. And whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven (v.19b) 3b. And whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (v.19c). Given this structure, it becomes clear that the phrase “and on this rock” must refer to Peter. Why would every other statement that Jesus makes explain his main declarations to Peter except that one? To suggest that it doesn’t is to introduce something into the context that doesn’t fit !!

[@angloaust1575]

Upon this rock means upon this truth Peter had confessed You are the Christ the Son of the living God Peter wasn't a rock Jesus foretold his denial and Paul Rebuked him later Still he was restored and went Onto glory!

[@1234poppycat]

@@angloaust1575you obviously did not read my rebuttal. As a Christian you accept Gods word and not change the meaning to suit yourself

[@angloaust1575]

As Jesus is the truth let him judge Who is in the right! Ever since the bible has been Studied by scholars there has Been numerous interpretations Of scripture!

[@1234poppycat]

@@angloaust1575 The Catholic Church gains scholars and theologians such as the three Church of England Bishops since 2021 Whilst it looses the impressionable ill informed poorly educated who fall for the hate preachers

[@robertcunningham9889]

Our Savior told us that if they hate you, remember they hated me first. I ask Steve- where did you hear anything at all about building the church on anything but the Cornerstone of Jesus Christ? You are blinded by your own opinions, but tell me please, what religion do you follow personally?

[@stevem2529]

Who me!!! Iam not religious

[@1234poppycat]

??? The Catholic Church has always stated that the Church is built on Jesus and the Holy Spirit at Pentecost But we still have multiple scripture that point to Jesus giving authority among humans (under him ) Peter and the Apostles in particular

[@1234poppycat]

....... We see elsewhere in Scripture where “this” is used in reference to a person. For example, in Matthew 21:44, Jesus says, “And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” What does “this stone” refer to? The answer is Jesus, who is “the very stone which the builders rejected” and “has become the head of the corner” (v.42). Notice Jesus doesn’t say, “And he who falls on me, the stone, will be broken to pieces”? According to the logic of the objection, this is what he’d say if he intended “this stone” to refer to himself. But he doesn’t. Must we conclude, therefore, that “this” in verse forty-four can’t refer to the person of Jesus? Of course not! Since “this” can be used to refer to the person who is addressed in the preceding phrase, the argument that says Jesus can’t be referring to Peter as the rock because he uses “this” fails. A second response is that Peter’s declaration of faith is two verses removed from the pronoun “this.” So, when we read “this rock,” it’s natural to think the pronoun refers to Peter because he is the nearest thing for the pronoun to refer to. “this” refers to Peter becomes clear when we consider that Peter’s name literally means rock. This serves as a third response. If we translate Peter’s name (Petros) literally in Matthew 16:18 it reads, “You are rock, and upon this rock I will build my church.” This makes Peter the only one to which “this” refers to. Once again, in Matthew 21:42-44 Jesus says, The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner . . .And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but when it falls on any one, it will crush him. No Protestant would argue that “this stone” in verse forty-four doesn’t refer to the stone spoken of in verse forty-two. If Jesus speaks of a stone in verse forty-two, and then speaks of “this stone” in verse forty-four, it’s natural to conclude that “this stone” in verse forty-four refers to the stone in verse forty-two. The same line of reasoning applies to Peter and the rock in Matthew 16:18. If Jesus speaks of a rock in the first part of the sentence in this verse, and then speaks of “this rock” in the second part of that same sentence, then it’s reasonable to conclude that “this rock” in the second part of the sentence refers to the rock spoken of in the first part of the sentence, namely, Peter. Jimmy Akin pointed out.: 1. Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona (v.15) 1a. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you (v.17a) 1b. By my Father who is in heaven (v.17b). 2. And I tell you, you are Peter (v.18a) 2a. And on this rock I will build my Church (v.18b) 2b. And the gates of hades shall not prevail against it (v.18c). 3. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven (v.19a) 3a. And whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven (v.19b) 3b. And whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (v.19c). Given this structure, it becomes clear that the phrase “and on this rock” must refer to Peter. Why would every other statement that Jesus makes explain his main declarations to Peter except that one? To suggest that it doesn’t is to introduce something into the context that doesn’t fit !!

[@sulongenjop7436]

Each stone/rock mentioned by Jesus can refer to different subject...not to Jesus alone! The term 'rock' phrased in the same verse is actually referred to the same thing. The faith of Peter made Jesus to claim him as the rock so Jesus wanted to build the church based on Peter's faith that cam be equated as a rock, i.e., 'Jesus is the Son of God' is the declarstion of Peter's faith, to be a solid foundation of establishing the church.

[@1234poppycat]

@@sulongenjop7436 Either way it is Peter Jesus is building HIS church on !!

[@sulongenjop7436]

@@1234poppycat Jesus is the church built on Peter/rock! The rock is the Catholic Church!

[@1234poppycat]

At 48 minutes Mr MacArthur just butchered what Jesus said """Jesus said "You are peter and on this rock I build my Church """ AND "Whatever YOU bind on Earth will be considered bound in Heaven whatever you loose on Earth will be considered loosed in Heaven " NOT as MacArthur says you will reaffirm what has been decided in heaven ..... AND of course he left out that that role was not everyone !!! It was for PETER the leader

[@1234poppycat]

Picking bits of the Scriptures that agree with his poor understanding of the Gospels At the end he excludes ""Whatever you bind on Earth will be considered bound in Heaven whatever you loose on Earth will be considered loose in Heaven ..... Strange how when he trys to undermine the Words of Christ in regard to Peters role we dont hear counter scripture !!!

[@stevem2529]

Please don’t build your church on John MacArthur

[@solascripturabiblical]

That's just the title of the sermon. No man can build a church but Christ Jesus himself.

[@sheilawainwright6239]

You obviously didn't listen to the sermon.

[@solascripturabiblical]

That's typical of him.

[@y.cschmidlin8172]

Pope Francis get out of this body. ahahah