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[139.96 --> 140.84] and the teachers of the law,
[141.08 --> 142.30] and that he must be killed,
[142.42 --> 144.92] and on the third day be raised to life.
[147.08 --> 148.34] So there's our passage.
[149.82 --> 150.76] As the title says,
[150.82 --> 152.24] on this rock I will build my church,
[152.32 --> 154.50] so we're kind of going to look especially at that part.
[154.96 --> 157.00] But I'd like to deal with just a few things
[157.00 --> 157.88] in this passage,
[158.48 --> 161.08] but first I want to start with this opening scene.
[161.40 --> 162.66] I want you to be able to see it.
[162.94 --> 164.06] So we've got a picture up here.
[167.44 --> 169.36] Jesus and his disciples are here,
[170.88 --> 172.52] standing in front of this cave,
[172.60 --> 174.54] which contained a very deep pool
[174.54 --> 177.52] that supposedly couldn't be measured.
[177.52 --> 181.44] That's according to the Jewish Roman historian Josephus.
[182.10 --> 185.26] It was believed to be the gates of hell,
[185.26 --> 188.88] the way to the underworld in Greek and Roman mythology.
[189.66 --> 191.62] You can see it had several niches,
[191.70 --> 192.84] or little window things,
[193.38 --> 198.78] and those held images of the gods Pan, Echo, and Hermes.
[199.36 --> 201.98] Those who know your mythology will recognize those names.
[201.98 --> 203.76] Herod the Great,
[204.28 --> 205.88] and then his son Herod Philip,
[206.24 --> 208.26] built a complex of buildings there,
[208.60 --> 210.38] some of the residents of a palace,
[211.14 --> 212.72] another part was a temple,
[213.66 --> 215.90] and he was trying to honor Caesar.
[216.52 --> 217.58] So there he's foreign name,
[218.14 --> 219.36] Caesarea Caesar,
[219.66 --> 220.88] but notice Caesar Philippi,
[220.96 --> 222.48] so he honored himself while he was at it too.
[222.48 --> 226.62] And they have all sorts of crazy,
[226.84 --> 230.68] pagan, awful stuff happening around here.
[233.34 --> 235.98] And here's where Jesus takes his disciples
[235.98 --> 238.04] for a field trip.
[239.40 --> 240.76] Crazy place to be, right?
[242.28 --> 244.14] And he takes the time here,
[244.40 --> 246.36] so picture yourself standing there,
[246.46 --> 248.02] there you are by the gates of hell,
[248.40 --> 248.98] and Jesus says,
[248.98 --> 251.96] so who do people say I am?
[253.32 --> 254.96] Here, at the gates of hell,
[255.02 --> 256.06] let me ask you this question.
[257.56 --> 259.32] Here, among these pagan idols
[259.32 --> 261.06] that are still visible today,
[262.86 --> 265.40] Rome had this big tent kind of perspective
[265.40 --> 266.42] when it came to religions.
[266.56 --> 267.76] Whatever god you worship,
[267.88 --> 268.64] that was fine,
[268.70 --> 269.76] as long as you participated
[269.76 --> 273.44] in the civic aspects of Roman religious life,
[273.58 --> 276.06] and as long as you recognized Caesar as Lord,
[276.18 --> 276.84] then you were fine.
[277.20 --> 278.64] Rome was about options.
[278.64 --> 279.92] You can do you,
[279.98 --> 281.44] as long as you include us.
[282.86 --> 284.60] And Jesus seems to be asking,
[285.28 --> 288.46] so am I just another one of the options?
[290.72 --> 293.26] I'm just another choice among many.
[293.88 --> 296.66] Who do people say I am?
[297.96 --> 300.28] Jesus asks the question of his identity
[300.28 --> 303.66] in a place far removed from the Jewish heartland.
[303.74 --> 305.56] He's in the midst of what you might call
[305.56 --> 307.32] enemy territory, as far as that goes.
[307.32 --> 308.36] And notice,
[308.36 --> 308.38] and notice,
[308.38 --> 310.06] he goes out there.
[310.52 --> 312.56] I think that's important for churches to realize.
[312.90 --> 314.62] Jesus is stepping into it,
[314.96 --> 316.20] not hunkering down and hiding.
[316.76 --> 317.38] And the disciples,
[317.54 --> 318.42] they respond to the question,
[318.52 --> 320.26] who do they say I am?
[320.28 --> 320.40] They say,
[320.44 --> 321.78] well, some think you're John the Baptist
[321.78 --> 322.58] who's come back to life,
[322.92 --> 323.96] proclaiming the Messiah again.
[324.24 --> 325.48] Some think you're like Elijah,
[325.84 --> 326.90] fiercely righteous prophet.
[327.02 --> 327.74] Some think Jeremiah,
[327.86 --> 328.80] the suffering prophet.
[329.36 --> 330.18] Basically saying,
[330.72 --> 330.96] yeah,
[331.10 --> 332.42] they kind of think you're another prophet.
[332.42 --> 335.66] This question Jesus asked,
[335.70 --> 337.24] I think also has a feel for this.
[337.68 --> 338.98] Who rules?
[339.72 --> 340.18] Herod?
[341.34 --> 341.78] Caesar?
[342.58 --> 343.06] Philip?
[343.62 --> 344.48] These gods?
[344.98 --> 345.44] Or
[345.44 --> 347.14] something else?
[349.46 --> 350.72] And then Jesus gets it personal.
[350.88 --> 351.08] He says,
[351.16 --> 351.30] now,
[351.74 --> 351.98] okay,
[352.04 --> 352.74] let me ask you this.