Dr Tom Hover
October 19, 2025
Matthew 16:13-19 / Matthew 16:1-12
The Church That Jesus Is Building! / The Pharisees Demand A Sign
AM
The Church That Jesus Is Building!
Text: Matthew 16:13-19
Introduction: The greatest organization the world has ever known is the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is also the most misunderstood organization the world has ever known.
The Church is shown in Scripture as:
1. A Body- I Corinthians 12:12-31
2. A Building- Ephesians 2:10-22
3. A Bride- II Corinthians 11:2, Ephesians 5:22-28, Revelation 19:6-9, 21:1-21, Ephesians 5:25.
We need The Holy Spirit’s illumination like Peter had to understand these great truths.. Matthew 16:13-17
1. A general question- verse 13.
2. A general answer- verse 14.
3. A Personal and direct question- verse 15.
4. A God Given Answer Matthew 16:16-17, Matthew 11:25 “..because thou hast”
I. The Church Has Deity For Her Cornerstone. Matthew 16:18
A. The Foundation of the Church is Jesus.
Peter = a rock, a little rock. (Nickname could be Rocky)
Petra = Big, massive, immense, gigantic kind of rock.
1. Christ a rock in an Old testament Figure. I Corinthians 10:4
2. Christ is the Foundation Rock in the New Testament. I Corinthians 3:11
3. Christ is the all time Head of the Church. Colossians 1:18
B. The Cornerstone of the Church is Jesus. Ephesians 2:19-22
II. The Church Is Definite In Her Construction. Matthew 16:18
A. The Church is owned by Jesus. “My Church” Acts 20:28
B. The Church is Built by Jesus. “I Will Build”
1. Jesus builds and is still building His Church.
C. The Church is Preserved by Jesus.
“And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it,”
1. The Preservation and Perpetuity of the Church. Ephesians 3:21
III. The Church Is Distinct In Her Character. Matthew 16:18 “Church”
A. It is Distinct in Her definition
The Greek word for Church is: ekklesia = a called out Congregation or called out assembly.
B. It is Distinct in Her Daily Function Acts 2:1, 41-42, 45-47
1. Regular in church going together Acts 2:41-42
2. Regular in church giving Act 2:44-45
3. Regular in church gospelizing Acts 2:46-47
C. It is Distinct in its Dynamics
1. Notice the order that is given in: Acts 2:41.Acts 2:42, 46.
2. Notice some other verses of scripture. Ephesians 2:19-22 “fitly framed together”, “Building Together”, I Peter 2:3-8 ”living stone”, “lively stones”
IV. The Church Is Directed In Her Commission. Matthew 16
A. The word “keys” speaks of knowledge
B. The word “keys” also and upmost speaks of authorities.
1. Authority to bind and loose. a. Bind the devil Matthew 12:29
b. Loose the Holy Spirit to impart Truth. Matthew 16:19
2. Authority to Preach the Gospel Mark 16:15 a. The gospel will save you or judge you John 3:18, John 3:36 EXAMPLE: Matthew 10:14-15, Luke 9:5-6, Mark 6:11.b. The Gospel will be a savior of life or death II Corinthians 2:14-17
3. The Authority to Discipline another church member Matthew 18:15-20, I Peter 4:17
a. A man is put out of the Church I Corinthians 5:1-13
b. Then is restored back in the Church II Corinthians 2:6-11
4. The Authority to Disciple Matthew 28:18-20 The Three-fold Commission-TEACH, BAPTIZE, TEACH ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU a. Heaven’s Record Matthew 18:18
V. The Church Is Destined To Conquer. Matthew 16:18 “THE CHURCH TRIUMPHANT”
A. Get the Figure Right! The Gates of Hell are not beating on the Church, but it is the Church beating on the Gates of Hell. The Church is to be on the Offensive Attacking the Devil, and even Hell’s very gates
B. Go, Be, and Conquer Romans 8:37, I John 4:4, Philippians 4:13
C. The Three C’s to Victory Revelation 12:11
“And they overcame him (the Devil) by....”
1. Calvary- “the blood of the lamb”
2. Confession- “and by the word fo their testimony”
3. Commitment- “and they loved not their lives unto death.”
PM
The Pharisees Demand A Sign,
Jesus Gives A Prophetic And Pertinent Message!
Matthew 16:1-12
I. THE PHARISEES DEMAND THE PROOF OF CHRIST Matthew 16:1-4
Christ has another encounter with those pesky critics, the religious leaders of that day—particularly here the Pharisees and the Sadducees, who could not agree on doctrine but could agree to attack Christ.
A. The Desire for Proof Matthew 16:1
1. The defining of the desire. “Desired Him that he would show them a sign from heaven” (Matthew 16:1).
First, their unbelief. Second, their unsatisfaction.
2. The dictating in the desire
(Matthew 16:1). “Show them a sign from heaven.”
3. The deception in the desire.
“Tempting … Him” (Matthew 16:1).
B. The Denouncing About Proof Matthew 16:2-4
1. The illustration in the denunciation.
2. The indictment in the denunciation.
First, the characterizing in the indictment.
“O ye hypocrites” (Matthew 16:3)
Second, the charge in the indictment.
“Can ye not discern the signs of the times?”
Third, the corruption in the indictment. “A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign” (Matthew 16:4).
C. The Denial of the Proof Matthew 16:4
1. The excluding in the denial.
“There shall no sign be given unto it” (Matthew 16:4).
2. The exception in the denial.
“But the sign of the prophet Jonah” (Matthew 16:4).
II. JESUS GIVES A PROPHETIC AND PERTINENT MESSAGE. Matthew 16:5-12
Christ gave a good warning to the disciples about the apostate religion of that day, namely, about the Pharisees and the Sadducees. We need to be warned about unbelief especially when it comes in the disguise of religion.
A. The Circumstances for the Message Matthew 16:5-6
First, the scarcity of bread. “They had forgotten to take bread.”
Second, the symbol of bread. “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.”
B. The Confusion About the Message Matthew 16:6-7
C. The Censure About the Message Matthew 16:8-11
Christ rebuked the disciples for their failure to get the spiritual lesson He was teaching them. His rebuke was twofold.
1. The deficiency in their faith. “O ye of little faith” (Matthew 16:8).
First, the interest problem. Small faith is interested in the physical and the material more than the spiritual.
Second, the infliction problem.“Do ye not … remember the five loaves of the five thousand …” (Matthew 16:9).
2. The dullness in their understanding. “Do ye not yet understand … How is it that ye do not understand” (Matthew 16:9, 11).
First, the intensity of the dullness.
Second, the inexcusableness of their dullness.
D. The Clarification in the Message Matthew 16:11
1. The smallness of leaven. Leaven is small but has a big effect on bread dough. Even the small error of the Pharisees and Sadducees can cause major problems.
2. The secret working of leaven. Leaven is put into the bread dough and works secretly. False doctrine often works behind the scenes craftily to influence corruption. It conceals its intentions and masks its objectives so that the innocent are often unaware of its evil.
3. The spreading of leaven. Put a little leaven in the bread dough and it will spread quickly throughout the entire dough. Likewise false doctrine spreads quickly.
You cannot tolerate false doctrine even a little bit or it will spread quickly throughout the church or school where it is tolerated.
Pharisees and Sadducees Doctrine Matt. 15:9, Colossians 2:20-23, Ephesians 4:14, I Timothy 4:1-3, II John 9-11
Jesus’ Doctrine Matthew 22:33, John 7:17,I Timothy 4:13,Romans 16:17,II Timothy 4:2-4
