339-Who Do You Say Jesus Is#
339-Who Do You Say Jesus Is
(JP Text Group - Organized by Life Like an Eagle)
Matthew 16:13-19:
13 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?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also 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. 19 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.”
Let’s pray together:
Heavenly Father, thank You for this beautiful day! Thank You for giving us the start of a new week. We believe that in this week’s beginning, You have prepared abundant blessings for us. Through Jesus, You want us to see more grace, to experience Your presence in our lives, and help us to receive Your provision here. May the Holy Spirit renew us and help us to know Jesus more. We completely surrender the next moments to the Holy Spirit to guide us. In the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen!
Sharing Topic: Who Do You Say Jesus Is
Our understanding of Jesus directly determines our lives and also determines what kind of life we will lead. If you think Jesus is just a doctor, you will only come to church when you are sick. If you think Jesus is just a comforter, you might seek a pastor when you are hurt. But if you recognize Jesus as your Savior, who can save you in everything, then you can pray to Him about everything. Some people acknowledge Jesus and agree that what He says is very reasonable, but they do not acknowledge Jesus as God.
Especially in the Gentile lands at that time, there were many false gods. People had a certain understanding of their gods, and many believed that it didn’t matter which god they worshipped, as long as it encouraged goodness; Jesus was just one of them. Do you think so? Are there many people around you who think like this? Isn’t Buddhism and other religions the same? They all encourage goodness and teach people to do good things. Is Jesus such a god? No.
In Matthew 16:13, when Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”
Caesarea, also known as Caesarea Philippi, was named after Caesar Augustus. You’ve heard of Caesar, right? In the Bible, he is referred to as Caesar, and later it became known as Caesarea. Caesarea Philippi is located north of the Sea of Galilee, governed by Philip, and is influenced by Greek and Roman culture, with countless pagan temples and idols. Philip rebuilt this city and renamed it “Caesarea Philippi,” adding his name to it. The city was originally called Caesarea, the same name as the capital of Herod, Philip's brother.
Caesarea Philippi is situated at the foot of Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights (you can check it on a map). In the first century, the Greeks here worshipped a god called Pan, who was half man and half goat, referred to as the “shepherd god.” If you travel to Israel today, you will be taken to see a cave, which was the site of worship for Pan, where a large stone still remains. Water used to flow from this cave.
Why am I telling you this? Because the Greeks and Romans at that time believed this cave was the boundary between the living and the dead, and they made sacrifices to Pan in this cave. It was near this temple of Pan that Jesus posed the question: “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”
I have mentioned before that Jesus taught using “situational teaching methods.” He didn’t just preach from a pulpit; He took His disciples to the mountains, by the rivers, on boats, and preached in many places. This time, He arrived at a special place—Caesarea Philippi, near this temple, and asked His disciples: “Who do men say that I am? Who do you believe I am?” At that time, Simon Peter said: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
In Jesus’ response, He mentioned the previous statement, which was:
“I will build My church on this rock, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” Now you understand why Jesus brought this up! The people in that region worshipped Pan, believing that this river governed both the underworld and the living. Now Jesus tells His disciples: “I give you My church, and the church built on this rock can overcome the authority of Hades they speak of.”
You must know that Greek culture had a profound influence on people at that time. Even today, Greek culture, with thinkers and philosophers like Socrates and Plato, has a deep impact on people. Many worshipped this god, and the city was home to a large number of Gentiles. At that time, it was all under the rule of Herod and Philip, making it a very important city. Given the characteristics of this city and the worship of Pan, Jesus wanted His disciples to have a correct understanding of Him.
The first point of sharing: How people speak and believe cannot influence us.
In Matthew 16:14, they said: “Some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
When Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” there were many rumors about Jesus, and these were all other people’s opinions. It’s like when I go to some places, they say, “Teacher Ren, I finally get to see you! I’ve only heard your sermons but never seen you in person.” Some say, “I guess you’re about 1.5 meters tall and probably quite fat.” Others say, “I guess you’re in your 50s!”
At that time, Jesus was only about 30 years old when He preached. He asked His disciples: “Who do you say that I am?” At this moment, the disciples began to express their opinions…
Perhaps your understanding of Jesus today comes from others. You might hear them say, “I’ve believed for many years, but I’ve never seen a miracle. God has never helped me. Many people around me pray, but they still get sick and die. It seems Jesus hasn’t done anything.” What will you do when you hear this? Now you have a problem: will you rely on Jesus to pray, or will you believe those around you and think, “Forget it, I’ll just treat Jesus as a spiritual crutch”? Will you continue to believe that the Jesus written in the Bible is God, has great power, can heal and save, or will you choose to believe what those around you say?
Many people always ask me: “Teacher Ren, have you ever seen someone healed?” Have you seen it? I want to tell them that I have seen too many. They say, “I’ve never seen it, so it’s hard to believe in the Lord written in the Bible.”
I want to tell these people that even if you don’t see it around you, you should still believe in the God written in the Bible. Then miracles will start with you and will influence those around you. If you are influenced by those around you and believe their testimonies, you will doubt Jesus and find it hard to see His power manifest in your life.
In this world, we influence each other. If you are convinced that this Jesus is truly the Son of God, He has great power, when you encounter problems, don’t look at how those around you speak; believe firmly that He is God. The Bible says He has promised to heal me, and I can receive it! He has promised me abundance, and I can receive it! He has promised me wisdom, and I can receive it! Then you will receive Jesus’ promises and let those around you see, and they will be influenced. This is the testimony.
Some think evangelism is about catching others and forcing them to believe in Jesus, saying, “Believe in Jesus and go to heaven; don’t believe in Jesus and go to hell.” It seems that this is no longer attractive, but there is something very attractive—letting others see the power of Jesus in you. Many people will want to follow you and believe in Jesus because they see the beauty of Christ in you. This means you have begun to influence those around you.
Those around you cannot represent Jesus. If you believe in the Lord written in the Bible, who is the resurrected Lord, who has great power, and you receive and declare “the power of Christ is upon me,” you will surely see it. Do not be influenced by those around you and negative things. Although they all believe in the Lord, it is still different.
Many people always ask me: “Teacher Ren, our neighbor also believes in the Lord, and he prayed, why did he still die?” How should I respond? Should I say God doesn’t listen to his prayers, or that God doesn’t answer his prayers? It seems that way. We don’t know the reasons behind it. Many times, what we see is only the surface phenomenon. We don’t know how that person truly believed because everyone says they believe in Jesus, but people’s faith is still different.
I can only tell everyone that correct faith will inevitably lead to a correct life and beautiful testimony. The disciples of Jesus in the Bible could bring forth beautiful testimonies, and we can do the same today! Looking at today’s text, what kind of Jesus did the disciples hear about? How did those around them preach Jesus?
Some say you are John the Baptist.
Why do some people think Jesus is John the Baptist? Because these two preached and taught in very similar ways:
Matthew 3:1-2: In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
How did Jesus preach?
Matthew 4:17: From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Aren’t they quite similar? Because of this, many people said Jesus was similar to John the Baptist, just that John the Baptist died, and his soul transferred to Jesus, so Jesus continued to preach. That’s not the case, brothers and sisters. What kind of message did John the Baptist preach? Today I want everyone to know that John the Baptist and Jesus are still different. Let’s take a look at what John the Baptist preached. Whose message are you listening to today, Jesus’ or John the Baptist’s?
Mark 6:12-14:
12 So they went out and preached that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them. 14 Now King Herod heard of him, for his name had become well known. And he said, “John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.”
Brothers and sisters, what do you see here? Some say He is John the Baptist, but King Herod said, “I have already killed John the Baptist!” The fame of Jesus was growing larger and larger, and he thought John the Baptist had risen from the dead, and these powers were coming from Jesus. Now you know whose opinion this is! It’s King Herod’s opinion.
Secondly, some say He is Elijah.
What kind of person was Elijah? The name Elijah means “Yahweh is my God.” This is a very great declaration, a very good name. Elijah was also one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament. You can see from the books of Kings that Elijah had a significant influence on the people of Israel and held a very important position in the hearts of the Jewish people, almost comparable to Moses.
When Jewish children are circumcised, they always set a place for Elijah. Every year during Passover, every household prepares a place for Elijah! Elijah performed many miracles at that time, and his prestige among the people of Israel was particularly high. Let’s take a look at the similarities between Elijah and Jesus.
In the Bible, there are two people who did not experience death but were taken directly by God: one is Enoch, mentioned in Genesis 6, who walked with God for 300 years, and then God took him away, and he was no longer on earth. The other is Elijah. Elijah was taken up in a whirlwind; he did not see death, and no one knew where he went; he was taken by God.
At this time, many Israelites were eagerly awaiting the coming of God. Why am I telling you this? There is actually a 400-year gap between the Old Testament and the New Testament.
In the time of Malachi, the Israelites did not like God, so they offered lame, blind, and sick sacrifices to God. Later, God stopped speaking to them for a full 400 years; He did not say a word. But at the end, in the last part of the book of Malachi, God gave them a hope:
Malachi 4:5-6: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”
Is this a prophecy about Elijah? At that time, the Israelites thought such a person would be very powerful! He did not see death; he was taken up in a whirlwind and disappeared. But God also said that one day Elijah would return, and many people speculated about who Elijah was! They easily thought Jesus was that Elijah! Is Jesus Elijah? No. Many Israelites believed that Elijah had gone and would come back, and he had more important work to do. So what was Elijah’s work? Did Elijah come? Who is Elijah?
Matthew 17:10-13:
10 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11 Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. 12 But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise, the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.
When it comes to the end times, does Revelation also mention the prophet Elijah? It doesn’t necessarily mean that the real Elijah will resurrect and appear; it means that someone like Elijah will appear, preaching the gospel of the Lord; someone with great power will testify about Jesus. Today, is this not John the Baptist?
John the Baptist preached for six months and never performed a miracle, but he always testified about Jesus. So people thought this person was amazing and different! He lived in the wilderness, wore clothes made of camel’s hair, ate locusts and wild honey, and lived like a wild man. But the people went to him because he preached the gospel of the kingdom, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Now Jesus clearly tells His disciples that Elijah has come, and his name is John the Baptist. What John the Baptist preached is not completely the same as Jesus. Although they have many similarities, they are still different. You need to believe that the Lord is not John the Baptist, but Jesus. Let’s look at what is different in the messages of these two people. John the Baptist was actually in the wilderness, preparing the way for the Lord, the messenger who straightens the way for the Lord; he was the road builder, you know?
Luke 1:13-17:
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
Is this Elijah? Yes. The new era’s Elijah has appeared! Hallelujah! John the Baptist had the spirit of Elijah, so when people saw Elijah, they would rejoice, and many would be glad because of Elijah, and Elijah’s work was to turn many Israelites back to their God. So what Elijah did was to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; they were waiting for the coming of Jesus.
Today, do you want to preach such a message? “We prepare our hearts, waiting for the coming of Jesus”? No! In the past, many churches did this; when they arrived at church, they would pray: “Lord, we prepare our hearts, let the Holy Spirit come down now, right?” Will He come down? He has already come down! “Let’s praise together and let Jesus come among us!” Does Jesus come like this? Jesus is already here, Amen! If you use that method of praise and prayer to let God dwell in your heart and come down, that is the message of the Old Testament prophet John the Baptist. What John the Baptist did was actually to prepare the way for the Lord.
Mark 1:1-4:
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the Prophets: “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way.” The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.” So John came, baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
Here, I want to share with you that after the Elijah of Jesus’ time came, he turned people’s hearts back, but how did he turn them back? What he spoke was different from what Jesus spoke. Let’s take a look:
John came, what did he do in the wilderness? Baptizing. Baptism does not save people; what saves people is believing in Jesus. Moreover, he preached a baptism of repentance. What does repentance mean? It means to change your thoughts and intentions. In the past, their thoughts were always about sin; now John the Baptist turned them to righteousness. In the past, their hearts were rebellious; now John the Baptist said, “Turn back.” Do you remember what John the Baptist said to those soldiers? Do not extort from anyone. He always gave people some advice to turn back. But he was not the Christ; he was not the Savior.
In the end, it is mentioned that “for the remission of sins.” John the Baptist could not forgive sins, so his preaching was to make people confess and repent. Every person who came to John the Baptist acknowledged themselves as a sinner, then was baptized in water, and went home to prepare their hearts, waiting for the one who was to come. Is that right?
Now, if you hear the message and still confess every day, “Lord! Cleanse my heart! Cleanse my…” what are you waiting for? Are you still waiting for Jesus to come again? Jesus has already come! He has already paid the price for your sins on the cross, so you can no longer walk the path of John the Baptist; we should believe in Jesus, Amen! After John paved the way, the Lord Jesus came. The coming of the Lord Jesus truly changed humanity’s inability to extricate itself from sin; He freed us from the dominion of death, and it is not John the Baptist who truly turns our hearts back, but Jesus.
Brothers and sisters, many are anxious for our loved ones, especially hoping they can believe in Jesus and that their hearts can turn back. But remember, if you keep telling them they are corrupt, it is useless unless they recognize the beauty of Jesus; then their hearts will turn back. Amen! Just like when selling something, if you don’t tell others how good it is, why would they buy it?
The gospel of Jesus is to attract people to Him, not to scare them. Many people say after attending a revival meeting, “I was scared to death; I have to believe in Jesus!” But how long can this scare last? After “911,” every church in America was filled with people, but it lasted less than four months, and people returned to their original state. At that time, people were afraid and went to church, fearing death and believing in Jesus. But after a few months, people returned to their original state; this cannot last long.
If you keep scaring believers, they will eventually stop coming. But if you tell others about the beauty of the kingdom of heaven, that Jesus Christ is willing to help each of us, they will be attracted to follow Jesus. You see, the twelve disciples of Jesus were all attracted to Him and followed Him, right? No one was behind them with a whip saying, “If you don’t follow Jesus, I’ll beat you!” No! They saw the beauty of Christ and were willing to follow Jesus. They discovered God’s love in Jesus; this is the second point: some say you are Elijah.
The third point is that some say you are Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Jeremiah was a prophet, and many people think Jesus is just a prophet. Do you know what a prophet does? A prophet speaks on behalf of God on this earth. So when people see a prophet, who do they see? God. In the Old Testament, prophets were also called men of God.
The man of God Elijah, the man of God Elisha. If you dare to offend a prophet, it is like offending God. Do you remember Elijah back then? Elijah was praying on a mountain when 50 captains came with 50 men and said, “Man of God, come down! My king is looking for you!” At that time, Elijah did not get angry and say, “If I am a man of God, may the Lord send fire from heaven to consume you and your 50 men.” What happened? Fire came down from heaven and consumed all 51 of them.
Do you know how serious this consequence is? In the Old Testament, if you dared to oppose a man of God, it was the same as opposing God. Nevertheless, a prophet is still not God; he is very close to God, a spokesperson for God, but he is still not God. So when people recognize “Jesus, you are a prophet,” they have made great progress, but it is still not accurate. If you think Jesus is a prophet, you might think, “This person can speak God’s words, perform miracles, and understand some of God’s intentions.” This is already good, but it is still not complete.
Now let me share with you that in the Old Testament, people did not know what our God was like, what characteristics God had, or what God’s will was. Therefore, through the prophets, people could know a little about God. At the same time, the prophets conveyed God’s will and taught the people how to live. Does Jesus have this ability? When He came into this world, was He not also conveying God’s will and teaching us how to live?
For example, if you bought a very advanced TV with many functions but don’t know how to use it, would you look at the manual? If this thing breaks, can you fix it yourself? No, you would go to the manufacturer’s after-sales service. Brothers and sisters, who created this world? Our God created it. The things you can see, such as flowers, trees, beautiful mountains, and rivers, as well as the things you cannot see, like radio waves, are all created by God. So if you want to understand more in this world, you must first know this God. When God gives you wisdom, you will naturally understand.
For example, if you are doing business, don’t you need to be able to read people’s hearts? Where does this wisdom come from? You need to understand Jesus; knowing the Holy One is wisdom. When you understand His wisdom, you will have it! Why? Because He created people; He knows what people’s hearts are like, more accurately than doctors. Doctors see the internal organs, but our God sees through people’s hearts. Hallelujah!
If you are a teacher, don’t you hope to teach your students better? Where does wisdom come from? You need to know these people from God. If you are a very professional person, studying something or researching a topic, and you encounter a bottleneck, you need to pray to God. God is the one who created the world; He can give you wisdom to unlock everything.
In our lives, many people often fail, and many people often feel discouraged. We hope to be successful. Do you know who the most successful person in this world is? Jesus is the most successful person. No matter from which angle you say it, from the worldly perspective or the heavenly perspective, Jesus is the most successful person. Is Jesus a teacher? Yes, He is Jesus the teacher, that’s right! How many followers does He have? So far, who can surpass Him?
Brothers and sisters, He is also a God. Since He is such a Lord and such a God, He can help you succeed in this world, and He is willing to help you. If you learn worldly success from a teacher, that teacher can only deceive you once, saying, “Just do it this way!” The help they provide is ultimately limited. But only Jesus says, “I give you My power; I help you move forward together.” So a prophet is still different from Jesus.
The second point of sharing is that when you believe He is the Christ, the Son of God, you will be saved.
Matthew 16:16: Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
The people before were saying you are Elijah, you are John the Baptist, you are a prophet, etc. But when it came to Peter, he said you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. What is special about Simon Peter’s answer? Do you know what Christ is? We are about to celebrate Christmas soon, and the English word “Christmas” comes from the Greek word “Christos.” (In English, Christ). The two words are very similar. In fact, there is also the Hebrew word “Messiah,” which is the same; one is Hebrew, and the other is Greek, both meaning the anointed one.
You see some people with prophetic anointing often mention a word called “anointing,” saying, “You need to have the anointing of the Holy Spirit; you need to have the anointing of God.” In fact, they exaggerate this. Do you know Jesus is the anointed one? Who anointed Him? The Holy Spirit came upon Him, so He was filled with power; He is the anointed one. How did this come about?
Before Jesus was 30 years old, He was an ordinary person who had worked as a carpenter. Did He have power at that time? No. When did His power start to manifest? It was after His baptism when the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus like a dove; at that moment, He was filled with power and became the anointed one. His name is the anointed one; it’s just that His physical body is God, so we call Him Jesus Christ.
We often say, Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus; in fact, it tells us that He is the anointed one, the one called Jesus, who has been anointed, so He is no longer the same. We cannot become Christ, but we can be anointed by Christ.
Today, you don’t need to spend a lot of effort saying, “Lord, I want to receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit.” The power of the Holy Spirit is already upon you. The moment you accept Jesus as your Savior, the Holy Spirit has already dwelled in you; you have already been anointed by the Holy Spirit. Hallelujah! So Jesus performed miracles and did things with the power of the Holy Spirit, filled with wisdom. Today, you already have it. What you need to do is to discover and release the power within you; the treasure is already inside you; just use it.
The Son of God, Jesus Christ, represents God coming to the world. When you acknowledge Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, it means you acknowledge Him as your Lord; He is your God. When do we acknowledge Him as our Lord and God? — When we pray. Because in prayer, you acknowledge, “Lord, I cannot; I acknowledge You as my God. I praise You, Lord; You are my God.” By doing this, you acknowledge Him as your Lord, and you are willing for Him to save you. So never treat prayer as a burden; acknowledge Him as your Lord, your Savior, your anointer. Amen! Then this power will flow through Jesus to you, filling you.
Matthew 16:17: Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”
Now it tells us how to become a blessed person. When you acknowledge Jesus as your Lord, the Christ, the Son of God, you are blessed. Is it easy to be a blessed person? Is it restful to live in this world? Jesus also said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
After you believe in Jesus, do you feel relaxed? Do you feel the burden is light? Do you know what that yoke symbolizes? In the past, when Israelites used oxen to pull carts, there was a wooden beam that was placed on the necks of two oxen, one old ox and one young ox. The two oxen had to walk in sync; otherwise, it would be very difficult to work. If one went east and the other went west, the work would be impossible, and they would become increasingly tired.
I want to tell you that if you feel more and more tired after believing in Jesus, it may be because you are walking in the opposite direction from Jesus; your steps are not in sync, and it will become more painful. What should you do? Adjust your steps, and you will feel very relaxed. It’s not just about talking; it’s the same in life.
Let me share a testimony as a reference: A sister who sells medicine said that it’s not easy to sell these days. She kept praying to God, listened to our sermon recordings every day, and served online. If she had any problems, she would message me. She often prayed and said that about 30%-40% of her daily life was spent working, while the rest was spent connecting with God. Every month, her performance was number one. She told me, “Teacher Ren, I found that relying on Jesus is so simple. Many times, while chatting with you and discussing the truth, I closed deals, and customers found me, which never happened before.”
Recently, another sister shared a similar testimony, saying that she now focuses on Jesus, prays for wisdom when she arrives at her workplace, blesses her workplace, and believes God will bring people over and change the work environment. When she has free time, she listens to sermons with her Bluetooth headset, and many times customers come to her, and she signs big deals, completing her work performance.
Brothers and sisters, which is easier: this way or relying on yourself as before? Where there is someone giving me money, I see every customer as money! But you find you can’t get anything. Relying on the Lord is the simplest way.
When Jesus is your Lord, He can help you live a relaxed and restful life. Amen! As long as you acknowledge Jesus as your Lord in every aspect of your life, you are blessed!
Is Simon Bar-Jonah a blessed person? After he heard Jesus’ words, was fishing easy for him? It was too easy! Jesus said to cast the net here. If you listen to Jesus and cast the net, won’t you catch fish? Later, three and a half years later, Peter went fishing again, but this time he relied on himself, and what was the result? He caught nothing!
After being with Jesus for three and a half years, if he relied on himself again, he found it was still empty. Just before dawn, Jesus said from the shore: “Cast the net on the right side,” and they cast the net on the right side and caught 153 large fish. What do you discover? Even if you have heard for three and a half years, if you do not rely on Jesus’ words, it will still be empty. But if you have heard for three and a half years and through Jesus’ words, you can instantly receive greater blessings than before.
When Peter first met Jesus, he listened to Jesus’ words and cast the net; that time it was mentioned that “the net was almost breaking.” But after Jesus died and rose again, when they heard Jesus’ words to cast the net on the right side, the Bible says, “the net was full of large fish, a total of 153,” but it does not record that “the net was almost breaking.” What do you discover? Although Peter did not rely on the Lord during those three and a half years, he heard Jesus’ words, and he would immediately use them. At that time, there would be no breaking. Amen!
Every time you listen to the sermon, you might wonder what effect it has; you still don’t rely on Jesus. Until one day you do rely on Him, you won’t lose what you had before, and you won’t risk breaking. Thank and praise the Lord! I hope every brother and sister, when encountering any problems in the future, will rely on this Lord and acknowledge Him as your Lord in prayer. Amen! Believe that there is nothing difficult for Him.
The third point: You can use Jesus’ authority.
Matthew 16:19: “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.”
Do you know what this statement represents? Each of you is remarkable; you have the ability to reach heaven. It doesn’t mean you can go to heaven; don’t say I have the ability to go to heaven! — Just the ability to reach heaven. When you correctly understand Jesus, when you recognize Jesus’ authority, God has given you a key. Do you know what this key is for? Many people may not have thought about this question. At this moment, I refer to Peter’s situation. When Jesus said, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven,” what is it for? Is it just to show off a key? The key here refers to authority. Many people say, “You always say Jesus accomplished everything for us on the cross; what else do we need to do?”
Yesterday, a brother asked me, “Today, under the New Covenant, since Jesus accomplished everything for us on the cross, do we still need to pray? Do we still need to work? Jesus has accomplished everything!” Yes, we need to! Why? Very simply, Jesus accomplished everything on the cross; He forgave all your sins, sacrificed for your sins, shed His blood, and rose from the dead three days later, letting the Holy Spirit dwell in you and preparing all the blessings of the kingdom of heaven for you. This is a fact.
Under this fact, many people say, “I still haven’t received it.” — That’s right; the reason you haven’t received it is that you have never used the key to open that door. It’s like saying Jesus has built a house for you, prepared everything for you, food, drink, and the house is decorated. At this moment, Jesus gives you a key and says, “I’m going back.”
Then you take this key outside, freezing to death every day, and complain, “Why am I living like this? I believe in Jesus!” You say He accomplished everything for me; why hasn’t anything changed? You keep looking at this key, wondering if there’s a treasure map inside. Where is the problem? Can you use this key to open that door, the door to the kingdom of heaven?
I once preached a sermon saying there are many resources in the kingdom of heaven. The honor, abundance, and success you need are all in the kingdom of heaven, right? If you use this key to open it, won’t you see it? Just like this house, if your home has a very advanced security door, but the key goes in and opens it, you don’t need to exert too much effort; turning a key requires little effort! Isn’t that the power of rest? After opening it, everything is prepared for you. Then what do you do? Enjoy it, everyone! Use the key to open the door, and you will find that God has truly prepared everything you need. From now on, you should treat this house as your home.
So what if the devil comes to cause trouble? Bind him. Don’t let the devil come and scare you away! How many church believers, when the devil is mentioned, say, “The devil is so powerful; I fought with him all night…” I usually don’t give such testimonies; I would rather say, “I fought with mosquitoes all night.” At this moment, actually, mosquitoes are a bit more powerful than the devil; the devil is really nothing; don’t think too highly of him.
Brothers and sisters, when the devil appears, what should you do? Bind him. How to bind him? “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I command you to leave!” First, you must know that this house is yours! If you are not sure this is given to you by Jesus, the devil will deceive you in many ways, saying, “This house is mine; what right do you have to take it? Look at how you look!” When we look, we really don’t look great! Aren’t you being deceived by him?
Holding this key means you are the owner of this house. Hallelujah! This world is prepared for you by Jesus, allowing you to manifest His glory and live a victorious life like Jesus. No matter what field you are in, it is possible; Jesus has prepared blessings for you.
So when the devil comes to cause trouble, you can command him to leave in the name of Jesus Christ! Bind him! You say, “I don’t have the strength to bind!” You really underestimate your ability. When you speak in the name of the Lord Jesus, it is not you doing it; it is who? What you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; who is doing this? It is our Lord in heaven doing it, so what are you afraid of? Your backing is great! This is one aspect; what else is there?
“Whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” What does this mean? You can invite your friends to come into this house and enjoy everything Jesus has prepared for you. Today, I invite you to come here; are you enjoying a spiritual feast? Are you enjoying the grace that Jesus gives us freely? This is also a good thing. When the devil comes, we bind him. When you come, we treat you well with food and drink. This is what Jesus’ authority allows us to do.
Once you open with this key, you will see endless blessings already prepared. You are here on earth, relying on this key to proclaim the goodness of Jesus. Do you have this authority? First, let’s look at the authority Jesus gave to the twelve disciples.
Matthew 10:1: And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
What does all kinds of disease mean? This was the authority Jesus gave to the twelve disciples. Did He give it to you? Are you a disciple of Christ? We call ourselves Christians; this name is not given in vain; it represents our identity. Now tell those around you: You are a person of identity. You are not simple; you have identity. What identity? The authority of Christ is upon me. Jesus has also given you this authority, allowing you to cast out unclean spirits and heal all kinds of diseases. Hallelujah! Thank and praise the Lord!
Let’s look at the last passage of scripture, Mark 16:16-20:
16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
Now you know, is this also upon you? He who believes and is baptized will be saved. The baptism of the Holy Spirit lets you acknowledge that Jesus shed His blood on the cross for your sins, sacrificed for you, and rose from the dead three days later. You say, “I am willing to acknowledge this Christ; He is my Lord; He is the Son of God.” At this moment, the Holy Spirit will enter your heart. It’s like you have received a key that can reach heaven. This key is also an authority that allows you to use all the resources of the kingdom of heaven. Hallelujah! Acknowledge that you are saved. Signs will follow those who believe; doesn’t this refer to all who believe in Jesus? If many people have never seen miracles, it can only indicate that their faith may have some issues, so we need to adjust our faith, not our behavior.
Many people always think, “What did I do wrong?” In fact, it’s not where you did wrong; you should ask, “Where did I believe wrong?” Only by adjusting to the correct faith will your behavior change. Then miracles will happen in your life. “Signs will follow them” means that when your faith is correct, God’s power will be manifested in you; this authority, this key will work. How great is this key? We read at the beginning, “the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”
Do you know what the gates of Hades are? Death. Death cannot prevail against you, brothers and sisters! This is the key to the kingdom of heaven that God has given you. Some say, “Many Christians are still killed, right?” You really don’t understand the power of our Lord Jesus. I just want to tell you that you are truly extraordinary. Do you know? You can live in this world, live out the likeness of Jesus, and have a life of power and glory like Jesus, not living like Lazarus at the bottom of the world; no! You can have the reputation and power of Jesus. Amen!
Some say, “But many Christians are persecuted, and they died!” I tell you, that is the world helping you to transform! Brothers and sisters, in this world, unless the mission is completed, do you think the world can kill us? The Lord Jesus is protecting us! Right? Do you see how Jesus spoke when He returned? He told that old fox, “My work is not yet done; wait until I finish my work today and tomorrow, and then I will come to find you!” What does this mean? My death is not something you can decide.
So brothers and sisters, why be afraid of death? There is no need to worry at all. Unless the time has come, the work is done, like Elijah, saying, “Lord, I don’t want to do this anymore; please take me back quickly!” But many Christians today also pray like this: “Lord, I am really too painful; I don’t want to do this anymore!” The time has not yet come; you are being refined, preparing for great blessings; you don’t want to do this anymore? That’s not acceptable! No, keep doing it!
Continue to let you do it, let you overcome discouragement and weakness, and through God’s words, let you regain faith, stand up again, and then boldly start working, living out God’s power in life, adjusting our faith.
Once we finish our work, we can lie down like Abraham, call the children over, prepare for the afterlife, and then withdraw our feet and leave. When we get to that place, God leaves you with eternal rewards. So I tell everyone, the gates of Hades cannot prevail against you; that key in your hand is truly powerful, Amen! That key can directly keep the devil far away from you; the key is that you must know how to use it, brothers and sisters!
Jesus said, “I give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; I will build My church on this rock.” Today I want you to understand that each of you is built upon this rock of Jesus. When you do things, do them in the name of Jesus. This is what God has given you, the key He has given you; go back and use it. Amen!
What does it say next? “In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them.”
This means that when you use the name of Jesus to do things, God will protect you and not let you be harmed. Do you remember when Paul went to Rome, and their ship had problems and crashed on a small island? Everyone was very cold, and when Paul was gathering firewood, a poisonous snake bit him. The people said, “It’s over; this person is doomed!” The snake was so vicious that this person would die in a short time. But after a long time, Paul was still alive and well. What does this show? This verse has already been fulfilled in Paul’s life; “they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them.”
But still, I often emphasize that Christians are wise people; you cannot test whether this poison can kill you for no reason. I tell you, you will die; that is foolishness. We cannot go back early unless you say, “I want to go back early.” God will not let you die; you cannot die.
Do you see how it says next? “The Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.” (Mark 16:19)
Brothers and sisters, do you know what the right hand of God means? The right hand mentioned in the Bible is the place of victory. Jesus is seated at the right hand of God; He has finished all His work; He has done what He needed to do, so He returned and sat down at the right hand of the Father. Amen! We also have our work to do. When we finish our work on earth, we will also go back and sit there, waiting to receive rewards.
Today we are in different positions; perhaps you run a company, perhaps you work, perhaps you take care of children, etc. In different positions, we are fulfilling our mission. But one thing is common: we are all witnessing the glory of Jesus and using the authority of Jesus. You can do your best in that position. Thank and praise the Lord! This is what God has given us.
Mark 16:20: And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.
Countless witnesses tell us about the gospel of Jesus Christ; miracles and wonders continue to happen to tell us that this God is still alive today. So I don’t want you to treat Jesus as just a preacher who can teach, a pastor in a church, or a prophet, etc. I hope you can recognize like Peter, “He is the Christ, the Son of the living God; He can help you in everything.” Starting this week, in every matter, pray to God; He will lead you and let you see the glory of Christ in victory! I hope each of you experiences the rest, power, and victory of Jesus!
Let’s pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You! Thank You for renewing every brother and sister through Your words. We affirm that Jesus is our Lord, greater than all the Gentiles and all gods! Jesus is the true God who overcomes the authority of Hades. The Holy Spirit also dwells in me; I possess the keys of the kingdom of heaven, believing that this key given to me by Jesus allows me to receive the abundant blessings of heaven that the Lord Jesus has prepared for me. At the same time, it gives me the authority to overcome all the schemes of the devil.
As we begin this new week, I am willing to use the authority of Jesus in my life. Please help us to be victors in life, for You have already overcome the world. I am willing to know You more in my life and experience Your presence. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!