The Promised Son of God

Matthew 16:13-20
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
14 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”
15 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. 18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”
20 Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Public opinion will call Jesus anything but who He really is.

Matthew 16:13-15
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
14 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”
15 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

The church is built upon an authentic and accurate confession.

Matthew 16:17-18a
17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. 18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church..."

1 Peter 2:4-6
4 You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. 5 And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. 6 As the Scriptures say,
   “I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem,
    chosen for great honor,
   and anyone who trusts in him
   will never be disgraced.”

Ephesians 2:20
Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.

"The rock is Christ, whom Peter confessed—it is upon this faith that the Church is built."
-Augustine

Matthew 16:18
"Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it."

If the church is on offense, then hell is on defense.

Matthew 16:19-20
19 "And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

In the ancient world, keys were symbols of stewardship. Whoever held the keys had royal authority because the king had authorized it. Jesus is not only handing the church access to the kingdom but also the authority to offer others access through the gospel.

The church isn't here to destroy the enemy. It's here to empty his prison.

1 John 3:8
But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.