Sermons on Matthew 16:13-23

Matthew 16:13-23 Interpretation:

From Rock to Stumbling Block: A Call to Faith (Epiphany Catholic Church & School) offers a vivid metaphorical interpretation of Matthew 16:13-23, focusing on Peter’s rapid shift from being the “rock” on which the church is built to a “stumbling block” that causes others to trip. The sermon highlights the duality within Peter—and by extension, within all believers—who can be both foundational and divisive, sometimes within the same conversation. The preacher draws out the meaning of “Satan” as “divider” or “separator,” emphasizing that Peter’s rebuke of Jesus is not just a personal failing but an act that introduces division and separation from God’s will. The sermon uniquely frames the passage as a continual choice for every Christian: to be a rock that others can build upon or a stumbling block that causes division and harm.

Embracing the Cross: Lessons from Peter's Rebuke (Open the Bible) provides a detailed, practical analysis of the passage, especially the dynamic of two rebukes: Peter rebuking Jesus and Jesus rebuking Peter. The sermon uniquely interprets Peter’s error not as misunderstanding but as willful opposition—Peter fully understands Jesus’ prediction of suffering and death but cannot accept it. The preacher draws a sharp distinction between faith and presumption, noting that Peter’s attempt to “teach the teacher, save the savior, and master the master” is the opposite of true discipleship. The sermon also explores the phrase “Get behind me, Satan,” emphasizing that Jesus recognizes both the influence of Satan and Peter’s personal responsibility, and that Jesus’ rebuke is an act of love that separates the disciple from the deceiver. This nuanced reading, including the idea that rebuke is a blessing and a safeguard against self-destruction, is a notable interpretive contribution.

Overcoming Stumbling Blocks: A Journey of Faith (Valley Independent Baptist Church) interprets Matthew 16:13-23 as a vivid illustration of the ongoing spiritual battle in the believer’s mind, emphasizing that even after a person’s mind is opened by God to recognize Jesus as the Messiah, the struggle to submit to God’s will continues. The sermon uses the analogy of “stumbling blocks” to describe how Satan attacks the mind, attempting to divert believers from God’s will, just as Peter, after his confession, became a stumbling block by opposing Jesus’ path to the cross. The preacher draws a parallel between Peter’s initial spiritual insight and his subsequent failure, highlighting that spiritual growth involves repeated confrontations with one’s own resistance to God’s ways. The phrase “get thee behind me, Satan” is presented as a spiritual weapon for believers to use when facing mental or spiritual opposition, suggesting that vocalizing this command, as in the movie “War Room,” can help realign the believer’s will with God’s. The sermon also notes the significance of Peter’s confession that Jesus is “the Son of the living God,” contrasting it with the dead gods of other religions, and stresses that only God can open a person’s mind to this truth.

Confronting the Identity of Christ: A Timeless Question (Ligonier Ministries) offers a nuanced interpretation of Matthew 16:13-23 by framing it as the ultimate question for every generation: “Who is Jesus?” The sermon explores how Peter’s confession is not merely intellectual but a divinely revealed truth, unattainable by human reasoning alone (“flesh and blood has not revealed this to you”). The preacher draws a sharp distinction between the “inculturated” Jesus—shaped by cultural preferences and historical trends—and the Jesus revealed in Scripture, warning against reductionist views that domesticate Christ. The sermon uses the metaphor of “turning Jesus upside down” to see if he is “Made in America,” critiquing how different eras have recast Jesus to fit their own values (e.g., the “confessional Jesus,” the “Biblicist Jesus,” the “personal/cultural Jesus”). The preacher also highlights the irony that Peter, who is called a “rock,” quickly becomes a “stumbling stone” when he opposes Jesus’ mission, showing how even spiritual insight can be quickly clouded by human concerns. The sermon draws on the Greek term for “rock” (petros/petra) to underscore the play on words in Jesus’ statement, and it emphasizes the necessity of divine revelation for true understanding.

Understanding Discernment and Christ's Atonement in Faith (SermonIndex.net) interprets Matthew 16:13-23 as a foundational text for understanding the dual nature of Christ—fully God (“Son of the living God”) and fully man (“Son of Man”)—and the necessity of both for his role as Savior. The sermon delves deeply into the theological implications of Peter’s confession, arguing that Jesus’ acceptance of these titles is a direct claim to divinity, which was understood as such by his contemporaries and led to his crucifixion. The preacher uses the passage to launch a detailed exposition of Christ’s atoning work, connecting Jesus’ prediction of his suffering and death to the Old Testament sacrificial system, especially the Day of Atonement. The sermon uniquely distinguishes between “propitiation” (turning away God’s wrath) and “expiation” (removal of guilt), arguing that only the God-man could accomplish both. The analogy of the two goats from Leviticus 16 is used to interpret Jesus’ atonement as both visible (propitiation through shed blood) and invisible (expiation through bearing guilt in darkness), mapping these onto the daylight and darkness of the crucifixion. This dual focus on the objective and subjective aspects of atonement is a notable interpretive contribution.

Matthew 16:13-23 Theological Themes:

From Rock to Stumbling Block: A Call to Faith (Epiphany Catholic Church & School) introduces the theme of the Christian’s ongoing oscillation between being a source of strength and unity (“rock”) and a source of division and harm (“stumbling block”). The sermon adds a fresh angle by connecting this to the daily choices and self-examination required of believers, suggesting that discipleship is not a static state but a continual process of aligning one’s will with God’s, often in the face of pride, envy, or self-interest. The preacher also briefly touches on the faith-versus-works debate, linking Peter’s confession and subsequent failure to the necessity of both belief and action in Christian life.

Embracing the Cross: Lessons from Peter's Rebuke (Open the Bible) presents several distinct theological themes: (1) The vulnerability to temptation at moments of both disappointment and blessing, suggesting that spiritual highs can lead to pride and presumption; (2) The necessity of humility in prayer and discipleship, warning against the temptation to dictate to God rather than submit; (3) The importance of discernment, as even the most well-meaning and spiritually mature believers can give counsel that is contrary to God’s will; (4) The concept that rebuke—especially from Christ through Scripture—is a profound expression of love, designed to prevent self-destruction; (5) The dual reality of spiritual influence and personal responsibility, where Satan may tempt but individuals are still accountable for their choices; and (6) The act of Jesus separating the disciple from the deceiver, offering hope and restoration even in moments of severe correction.

Confronting the Identity of Christ: A Timeless Question (Ligonier Ministries) introduces the theme of the “inculturated Jesus” versus the Jesus of Scripture, warning that every generation is tempted to remake Jesus in its own image—whether as a confessional, Biblicist, or cultural figure. The sermon’s fresh angle is its historical tracing of how American Christianity has successively redefined Jesus, culminating in a call to return to the “seed of the woman, sovereign King, and sacrificial Lamb” of the biblical witness. The preacher also stresses the necessity of divine revelation (“a divine and supernatural light”) for true faith, drawing on Jonathan Edwards’ language to highlight the immediacy and supernatural character of saving knowledge.

Understanding Discernment and Christ's Atonement in Faith (SermonIndex.net) presents a distinct theological theme by rigorously distinguishing between propitiation and expiation in Christ’s atonement, arguing that the cross addresses both God’s wrath and human guilt. The sermon’s unique facet is its mapping of these concepts onto the two goats of Leviticus 16, with one goat’s blood (propitiation) and the scapegoat’s removal (expiation) both fulfilled in Christ. The preacher also critiques various contemporary and historical distortions of the atonement (e.g., Mormon, Catholic, and liberal Protestant views), insisting on penal substitution as the heart of the gospel and warning against any view that diminishes the sufficiency or necessity of Christ’s sacrifice.

Overcoming Stumbling Blocks: A Journey of Faith (Valley Independent Baptist Church) adds a practical theological theme by focusing on the “battlefield of the mind” and the believer’s ongoing need to submit personal will to God’s will, even after conversion. The sermon’s new angle is its application of Peter’s experience to the daily spiritual warfare faced by Christians, encouraging the use of the phrase “get thee behind me, Satan” as a spiritual discipline to resist mental and spiritual attacks that seek to divert believers from God’s purposes.

Matthew 16:13-23 Historical and Contextual Insights:

From Rock to Stumbling Block: A Call to Faith (Epiphany Catholic Church & School) provides historical context by referencing the first-century Jewish focus on “works of the law” and the religious leaders’ preoccupation with external rituals. The sermon situates Jesus’ conflict with the Pharisees and scribes within this context, explaining that the “works” debated in the New Testament were often about ritual observance rather than the deeper demands of charity and love. This background helps clarify the tension between faith and works that underlies Peter’s confession and subsequent rebuke.

Embracing the Cross: Lessons from Peter's Rebuke (Open the Bible) offers contextual insight into the expectations of the Messiah in Peter’s time, noting that the needs of the world—healing, feeding, freeing the oppressed—were as pressing then as now. The preacher also references the rural setting of Jesus’ early ministry and the disciples’ anticipation of a broader, more political mission in Jerusalem and beyond. Additionally, the sermon draws on the cultural practice of rebuke and correction, both in ancient and modern contexts, to illustrate the necessity and loving purpose of Jesus’ sharp response to Peter.

Confronting the Identity of Christ: A Timeless Question (Ligonier Ministries) provides historical context by describing the cultural and religious climate of first-century Judea, noting the insignificance of Jesus’ birth and background (“an insignificant birth in an insignificant place in an insignificant country under the heel of Rome”) and the expectation of a political Messiah. The sermon also references the development of American religious history, tracing shifts from Puritan confessionalism to Biblicism to cultural Christianity, and critiques how these shifts have shaped perceptions of Jesus. The preacher further situates Peter’s confession as a “cultural stumbling block,” emphasizing how radical it was for a first-century Jew to declare Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God.

Understanding Discernment and Christ's Atonement in Faith (SermonIndex.net) offers detailed historical and cultural insights into the Jewish sacrificial system, especially the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16), explaining the roles of the two goats and the significance of blood sacrifice and scapegoat rituals. The sermon also references the Roman Catholic Council of Trent and Vatican II to contextualize Catholic teaching on the Mass and purgatory, and it discusses the legal concept of the “kinsman redeemer” in ancient Jewish culture as a background for understanding Christ’s mediatorial work. The preacher further explains the cultural meaning of public nakedness and shame in crucifixion, connecting it to the biblical theme of sin and atonement.

Matthew 16:13-23 Cross-References in the Bible:

From Rock to Stumbling Block: A Call to Faith (Epiphany Catholic Church & School) cross-references the book of Isaiah, particularly the “suffering servant” passages, to show how Jesus fulfills Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah. The preacher also alludes to the Epistle of James, connecting the faith-versus-works debate to the events in Matthew 16:13-23, and references stories of Jesus’ disputes with the Pharisees over ritual law (e.g., washing of kettles and jugs, Sabbath observance) to illustrate the deeper meaning of discipleship.

Aligning Expectations with God's Purpose During Advent (First Baptist Church Peachtree City) weaves in several cross-references: Luke 22 (Peter’s denial of Jesus), John 21 (Peter’s restoration by Jesus after the resurrection), and James 1 (the testing of faith producing endurance). Each reference is used to trace Peter’s journey from confession to failure to restoration, illustrating the process of spiritual growth and the necessity of hardship for maturity.

Embracing the Cross: Lessons from Peter's Rebuke (Open the Bible) references Mark 8 (parallel account of Peter’s rebuke), Matthew 11 (John the Baptist’s doubts in prison), and 2 Timothy 3:16 (the purpose of Scripture for teaching, rebuke, correction, and training in righteousness). The preacher uses these passages to reinforce the themes of vulnerability to temptation, the necessity of rebuke, and the sufficiency of Scripture for spiritual correction.

Confronting the Identity of Christ: A Timeless Question (Ligonier Ministries) references John 6, where Jesus’ claim to be the only way to the Father is met with skepticism (“Is not this Joseph’s son?”), reinforcing the theme of Jesus as a stumbling block. The sermon also alludes to Philippians 2 (the humiliation and exaltation of Christ), Hebrews (Jesus as the faithful high priest), and the temptation narratives (Matthew 4), drawing parallels between Satan’s attempts to divert Jesus from the cross and Peter’s similar opposition. The preacher cites the Nicene Creed’s biblical foundations and references the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17) to illustrate Jesus’ divine glory.

Understanding Discernment and Christ's Atonement in Faith (SermonIndex.net) makes extensive use of cross-references: John 5:17-18 and John 10:30-33 to demonstrate Jesus’ claim to divinity; John 8:58 and Exodus 3:14 (“I am that I am”) to connect Jesus’ self-identification with Yahweh; Mark 2 (healing and forgiving the paralytic) to show Jesus’ authority to forgive sins; Matthew 1:21 (“he shall save his people from their sins”); 2 Kings 21:6, Psalm 7:11, and John 3:36 to discuss God’s anger at sin; Genesis 3:21 (God clothing Adam and Eve) and Exodus 12 (Passover) to illustrate the necessity of blood sacrifice; Leviticus 16 (Day of Atonement) as a typological precursor to Christ’s atonement; Romans 3:24-25 (propitiation through Christ’s blood); 2 Corinthians 5:21 (Christ made sin for us); Isaiah 53 (the suffering servant); Acts 8 (Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch); Luke 24 (Emmaus road); Romans 4:25 (resurrection and justification); Psalm 103:10-12 (removal of transgressions); and Hebrews 1:3, 9:28, 10:14 (Christ’s finished work).

Overcoming Stumbling Blocks: A Journey of Faith (Valley Independent Baptist Church) references Matthew 4 (the temptation of Jesus by Satan) to draw a parallel between Satan’s attempt to divert Jesus from God’s will and Peter’s similar opposition in Matthew 16. The sermon also alludes to the book of Acts, noting Peter’s later role in opening the kingdom (“keys of the kingdom”) and spreading the gospel, and to various Old Testament figures (Habakkuk, David) who questioned God’s will.

Matthew 16:13-23 Christian References outside the Bible:

Confronting the Identity of Christ: A Timeless Question (Ligonier Ministries) explicitly references several Christian thinkers and authors: Dr. Sinclair Ferguson (for the question “What does Jesus want for the church according to the Scriptures?”), Billy Sunday (for a humorous cultural analogy), J. Gresham Machen (for the quote “No matter how high your view of Christ is any view that is less than Christ as infinite is infinitely less than the real thing”), Jonathan Edwards (his sermon “A Divine and Supernatural Light,” emphasizing the necessity of divine revelation), John Calvin (for the threefold office of Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King), Blaise Pascal (for the quote “The incarnation shows man the greatness of his wretchedness”), Harry Emerson Fosdick (for a moralistic view of the atonement), and Chris Larson (for the phrase “The future belongs to Christians of conviction”). The preacher also references the Nicene Creed and the Reformed confessions as theological guardrails.

Understanding Discernment and Christ's Atonement in Faith (SermonIndex.net) cites a wide range of Christian figures and movements: John MacArthur (on discernment), Kenneth Copeland (criticized for denying Christ’s divinity and atoning blood), Mary Baker Eddy (Christian Science, denying the efficacy of Christ’s blood), Robert Schuller (criticized for self-esteem gospel and altering “Amazing Grace”), Rick Warren (noted as influenced by Schuller), the Council of Trent and Vatican II (Roman Catholic teaching on the Mass and purgatory), Andy Stanley (alleged disregard for the Old Testament), Steve Chalke and Brian McLaren (criticized for rejecting penal substitution as “cosmic child abuse”), Jeffrey John (criticized for calling substitutionary atonement “psychopathic”), William Paul Young (author of “The Shack,” rejecting penal substitution), Giles Fraser (Anglican, rejecting substitutionary atonement), Alan Cairns (theological dictionary definitions of propitiation and expiation), and Charles Spurgeon (on the state of the unsaved). The preacher also references hymns and poetry (e.g., “Hallelujah, what a Savior,” Leslie Armstrong’s poem “The Altogether Lovely One”).

Matthew 16:13-23 Illustrations from Secular Sources:

Aligning Expectations with God's Purpose During Advent (First Baptist Church Peachtree City) uses several detailed secular analogies to illustrate the dynamics of expectation and reality in Matthew 16:13-23. The preacher describes the chaos of family Advent devotions, with children misbehaving and breakfast devolving into a mess, as a metaphor for the gap between spiritual expectations and lived reality. The sermon also employs the analogy of “blind spots” in driving—areas you cannot see that can cause accidents—to explain how Peter (and all believers) have spiritual blind spots that require correction. The preacher further references the experience of being hit by another car in a blind spot to make the point vivid for listeners. Additionally, the sermon uses the metaphor of running and endurance training to connect the testing of faith to the process of spiritual growth, drawing on the physical challenge and discipline of running as a parallel to the spiritual journey of Peter and all Christians.

Overcoming Stumbling Blocks: A Journey of Faith (Valley Independent Baptist Church) uses the movie “War Room” as a detailed secular illustration. The preacher recounts the story of a woman whose marriage is in crisis; after learning to pray, she confronts Satan by going outside, slamming the door, and declaring, “Satan, you’re not going to have my home no more.” This scene is used as a metaphor for spiritual warfare, encouraging believers to vocally command Satan to “get behind me” when facing mental or spiritual attacks, paralleling Peter’s experience in Matthew 16.

Confronting the Identity of Christ: A Timeless Question (Ligonier Ministries) references several elements from popular culture: Billy Sunday’s “Made in Germany” joke (as an analogy for cultural reinterpretations of Jesus), Johnny Cash’s portrayal of Jesus as “the greatest cowboy who ever lived” in his 1970s film (illustrating the tendency to recast Jesus as a countercultural hero), and the “rubber ducky nativity set” (as a critique of trivializing the incarnation). The preacher also alludes to the Carter Family’s song “It takes a wearied man to sing a wearied blues” to illustrate Jesus’ authentic humanity, and to the “Disney parks” as a tongue-in-cheek alternative to faith if the gospel is not true.

Understanding Discernment and Christ's Atonement in Faith (SermonIndex.net) uses several secular analogies: the preacher jokes about Kenneth Copeland living near “tornado alley” and challenges him to stop a tornado like in “The Wizard of Oz,” referencing Judy Garland and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” to mock Copeland’s claim to control the weather. The preacher also uses a schoolroom analogy to explain Catholic teaching on purgatory, likening it to a student being forgiven but still required to write lines as punishment. Additionally, the preacher references the “charge sheet” in a legal context to explain justification, and alludes to the BBC and social activism in discussing Giles Fraser’s public profile.