(Read Matthew 16:13-20)
This morning continue our overarching series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing with our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”. We have been studying the life of the Apostle Peter and our study brought us to Matthew chapter 16. We have looked at this passage for two weeks now. Today will be the last day we look at it.
The Bible says, “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.”
Today I feel led to go back to something that happened in Matthew 6 and tie it to this passage from Matthew 16. In Matthew 6 the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, as John taught his disciples to pray. Jesus, in turn, provided a model prayer that is commonly referred to as the “Our Father” prayer. Jesus closed out that model prayer with the words, “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” Jesus closed out the prayer by putting all the emphasis on God. The Kingdom is His Kingdom, the power we operate in is His power, and whatever glory comes as a result of what we get to do down here in the earth should be ultimately God’s glory! If we go back to Matthew 16 we see the same emphasis. The Kingdom is God’s Kingdom, the church is His church, the power to bind and loose comes from Him and everything we do, we do FOR Him!
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
- The more you study the life and message of Jesus, the more you realize how much emphasis He put on the Father and how much He deflected all the glory and attention to Him. This is how we are supposed to live today.
- Whatever you are, whatever level of success you have attained, and whatever you hope to be and do in the future, is all based on the grace of God. Without God’s grace you would be nothing and your future would be dismal.
- God saved you from hell by His unearned grace, because He loves you. He told you about the plans He made for you from the foundations of the world, because He loves you. And He chooses to use you because He is so good, not necessarily because you are. So please show some appreciation for His grace towards you and be sure to deflect the glory when the spotlight is on you for something you did, that you would have never done without God’s grace.
- Simon the Fisherman was converted to Peter the Apostle by the grace of God. Your BC and AD names may be different, but the message is still the same: you would be nothing without God and His grace towards you.
- If you determine to live your life for the glory of God you will find that God will glorify you, in the earth, so your life can glorify Him!
- Everything you do in life should be done for the glory of God. When you live with this mindset you can’t help but be blessed.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace and my requirement to live by faith. Everything I do by faith is predicated upon Your grace towards me. I am nothing without You. All I want to be in life is the person You birthed me to be. All I want to accomplish is what You destined me to accomplish. My life is All About You! Who I am today, I owe to You. Who I will be tomorrow, is only because of Your grace. I live my life IN You and FOR You. I can ask You to bless me richly, because I know that the more You glorify me, the more I will glorify THEE! So Father, I open my heart to Your blessing. I declare that You enlarge my vision and expand my territory. You bless me indeed. You love me and cause Your face to shine upon me. So that I can, in turn, bring You the glory in my life and living. I live my life with this prevailing thought: “Thine is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and forever!” I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
