Pastor Jeff on the Radio

Guest (Male): You're listening to Pastor Jeff Ministries, the Bible teaching ministry of Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub. On today's program, Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub begins the message "Three Critical Confessions" from the series "Mission Critical" and explains why your answer to Jesus' question, "Who do you say I am?" is the most important decision of your life.

Our mission is to challenge you to respond courageously to God's word and live fully for Jesus Christ. As we prepare our hearts for Easter, we're focusing on what it means to be made new in Christ and sent on mission for him. To grow deeper each week, visit pastorjeff.com and sign up for weekly devotional emails delivered straight to your inbox. Now, here's today's message.

Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub: When a space shuttle or a rocket ship is going to take off and you get down to about 10 seconds, you hear T-minus 10, and then T-minus 9. When that begins to happen, what you begin to see is the rocket engines get lit and fuel begins to get dispersed and fire begins to come out of that rocket. You recognize, if you've ever been to Cape Canaveral, you've got to stay miles back because there's so much power that's about ready to launch that space shuttle or rocket into orbit.

As I was thinking about our church this week, I was thinking God is about ready to unleash some very new things that we've never experienced before. Some super exciting things that God is doing, which is why this series, "Mission Critical," has been so important to us. As I was thinking about that, I realized every time I've watched a rocket take off, I've always been on the outside looking in. I've never gotten to go into space.

I have a friend I played football with in college that's a NASA astronaut. He's been on the Space Station twice. He knows what it's like. I don't know what it's like, but I do know what it's like to plant a church, and I do know what it's like to see others plant a church, and I do know what it's like to see God start something with just a little bit of a vision and be on the inside as he takes it somewhere that it's never been before. Friends, I'm here to tell you that God's about ready to take Brave Church to a place that you couldn't even dream or imagine because of his glorious power that's at work within us. Amen?

In this series, we've been talking about how Jesus wants you. We've been talking about what it looks like to be his disciple, what it looks like to be empowered by his Holy Spirit. Today, we're going to talk about three critical confessions that every believer needs to have in order for God to use them. No matter what generation you're a part of, no matter who you are, no matter your gender or your economic background or your socioeconomic status, God wants you to make these three confessions.

Today, we'll conclude our series. Next week, for those of you that, like me, like to be in a book and go through word by word and verse by verse, we'll be in the book of Hebrews next week. We're going to start that book. I'm so excited about that. Powerful book, never preached through it before. I can't wait to do that. But today, we want to talk about what it looks like to make these three critical confessions.

Now, just so you know, when people hear the word confession, here's what they think: sin, I've got to be sorry for my sin, I have to lament my sin. But that's not what a confession is. A confession means that you say with your mouth exactly what the word of God says until by faith you believe it. There are three critical confessions that we need to make as believers in Christ in order for God to do in and through us everything that God would want us to accomplish for his kingdom name.

To take a look at that this morning, I want to take you to a familiar passage with Jesus and his disciples found in Matthew chapter 16, verses 13 to 20. I'd like to read that aloud while you're looking at it where you're at and then unpack what three confessions that you need to make.

It says, "Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he was asking his disciples, 'Who do people say that the Son of Man is?' And they said, 'Some say John the Baptist, and others Elijah, but still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.' He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?' Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'

And Jesus said to him, 'Blessed are you, Simon bar-Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.' Then he warned the disciples that they should tell no one that he was the Christ."

Here in this short little interaction with Jesus and his disciples, we see three confessions, critical confessions, that every single believer must make. Now, get the picture here. Jesus is traveling a few miles north of Galilee. He goes into the town of Caesarea Philippi. We may not know a lot about that town, but Caesarea was named after the emperor Caesar and King Herod Philip. So you have Caesarea Philippi. It was named after the emperor and the king.

The height of all pagan worship took place there. If there was any place in the world where there was some sort of pagan deity being worshipped, it would have been in Caesarea Philippi. It was a place Jesus took his disciples to see what the world was saying about who God was. In the middle of that, here's what he asks. Jesus, being the greatest teacher of all time, uses questions. He says, "Who do people say that I am?"

And his disciples begin to answer. That's not a very threatening question, is it? If I were to ask you, "Who do people say that Jesus is?" Well, some people say this and some people say that. They said, "Well, some people say that you're John the Baptist. Some people say that you're Elijah, still others Jeremiah, even one of the prophets." We're hearing a lot of things about you, Jesus. A lot of people see that you're a prophet or a good teacher.

What do people say in Denver? If I asked you who do people say that Jesus is, what would they say? Well, some say he's a good man. Some say he's a good teacher. Some say he was a revolutionary. Some might even say that he didn't exist, people just make it up, it's just a myth and a story. Then Jesus took the question from the general to the more specific and he asked this question: "But who do you say that I am?"

Friends, I'm here to tell you that your response to Jesus' question this morning to that answer is the most significant decision you'll ever make in your entire life. Who do you say that Jesus Christ is? Now, that's different than saying what do your parents think or what do your grandparents say or what your teacher thinks or your coach or your pastor. That's what you say. Notice he doesn't say "What do you think?" He said, "Who do you say that I am?" In other words, there needed to be something that came out of the mouth.

Notice what Peter says. Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Let me tell you the first and most important confession that every believer needs to make is this: Jesus Christ is Lord. Jesus Christ is Lord. If you get nothing else right in your life, if the world looks on and says "What a loser" and you failed in relationships and you failed in marriage and you failed as a parent and you failed in your job and you failed financially and you failed in every other way, if you get this one right, you're a big winner.

If, on the other hand, your life is going phenomenal for you and you have a great marriage and great kids and a great life and great finances and you get to take great vacations and everybody in the world sings your praise and you get this confession wrong, you're the biggest loser that's ever lived. Jesus Christ is Lord. Here in Englewood, we put it on the wall. Four words. We keep it real simple here.

In Westminster, you'll see it up there eventually because there's nothing else that's more foundational than understanding the fact that Jesus Christ is Lord. What does it mean to make that confession? The Bible says that we're saved by grace through faith. God gives us the grace to show us that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. But by faith, we believe when we confess it and we say it.

Romans chapter 10, verses 9 and 10 says, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and you believe in your heart God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Do you remember after Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, he appeared to 10 of his disciples? Judas Iscariot had already hung himself and 10 were in the room. He came and appeared to them and said, "Peace be with you."

There was one disciple who wasn't there. His name was Thomas. All those 10 ran out and said, "Thomas, we've seen the Lord." What did Thomas say? "No way you did. People don't rise from the dead. I know he died. Unless I see his hands and his scar, I will not believe." About a week later, all 11 of them were together and Jesus came through the wall again. Looked at Thomas and said, "Peace be with you."

He said, "Thomas, reach out, touch my hands and touch my side and stop doubting and believe." What did he do? He made a confession. You know what he said? "My Lord and my God." Confession means I'm saying what the word of God reveals, by faith I'm believing it. So there's confession of sin. The Bible says in 1 John 1:8 through 10, "If we say we are without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."

That means this: all of us are sinners. Even you Christians, born again, we still sin. Amen? If we say we're without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sin—what's confessing our sin? It doesn't mean like "Oh, I feel so much shame. Oh, I'm so sorry. Oh, I should have never done that. Oh, I struggle with that." No. If we confess our sin, it means we're saying what the word of God says about that sin and we're agreeing with God that that is sin. If we confess our sin, God's faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Guest (Male): You're listening to Jeff Schwarzentraub with Pastor Jeff Ministries. And today's message, "Three Critical Confessions," is explaining why your answer to Jesus' question, "Who do you say I am?" is the most important decision of your life. We'll get back to Pastor Jeff in just a moment.

But first, generous listeners like you make this ministry possible. And when you give this month to help share teaching like you're hearing today with more folks around the world, we'll send you Pastor Jeff's booklet, "Made New: Discovering Your New Identity, New Focus, and New Mission." It's a powerful, scripture-saturated guide to help you understand what truly changes when you surrender your life to Christ: your identity, your focus, and your purpose.

This resource pairs perfectly with the messages you're hearing, calling you to step boldly into the mission God has for you. Request your copy today when you give to Pastor Jeff Ministries. Just go to pastorjeff.com. Now, for the conclusion of today's message.

Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub: When men get before the Lord and say, "Lord, in my mind, I'm an adulterer. In my mind, I'm a pornographer. In my behavior, I'm immoral. Lord, and I can't change that and I need your help, and I want to yield everything to you and you change who I am," there's healing for that. When women say, "Lord, it's not just an eating disorder, it's a biblical identity and I don't see myself the way you see me and I'm not receiving your love and I know it's sin, so Lord, change who I am and I'll yield myself to you so you can change me," guess what God does? He changes you.

"I've got financial problems. Lord, I don't know what to do, but if you can lead me to the right teaching, help me get the right person. I confess to you I spend way more than I make and I'm always in debt and it feels awful. I'm confessing to you that's wrong. Help!" God can change that. See, confession means I'm saying what the word of God says. The most important confession you'll ever make is that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Salvation is not just an idea that, "Yeah, I think he's God. My parents talked about him being God. I guess I believe that." No, confession comes when you say that he's the Lord. I have good news for you this morning. God says in John 3:16 that he loved the world so much that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believed in him would not perish but have eternal life. Believe. Well, what does it mean to believe? It means to confess with your mouth and believe in your heart.

It means you say, "Lord, I believe that. I believe you are the Lord." That's what it means. Everywhere that we look in the word, faith is believing and confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord. Notice how Jesus Christ responds to him. Peter tells Jesus he knows who his dad is. He said, "You're the Christ, the Son of the living God." He goes, "I know your dad."

Notice how Jesus responds. Jesus says, "Blessed are you, Simon bar-Jonah, or Simon Son of Jonah, or Simon Son of John, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in heaven." Jesus says, "I know your dad too. His name's John or Jonah. I know your dad. The only way you know my dad is if my dad revealed to you who he was. The only way you can ever have a relationship with God is if God the Father reveals who the Son is.

It's by grace through faith. God's desire is that all people would know his Son. What Jesus is rejoicing over is the fact that Peter heard the Father say, "This is my Son. He's the Son of God. He is God in flesh. He's the Lord." Peter is the one who speaks it out. Subsequently, all the other disciples are going to speak out that Jesus Christ is Lord. Church history tells us that all of them but the Apostle John went to their death for the Lord and John was exiled while he wrote the book of Revelation.

These guys all believed that he was the Lord. When you believe that Jesus is the Lord, he's the King of Kings, he's the Lord of Lords, he's the ruler of all and you're submitted to him, your life will change forever. Do you have that confession of your faith? I have good news for you this morning. It's not about coming to Brave Church. You can come to Brave Church for the rest of your life and still not have a relationship with God.

You can join a small group the rest of your life and still not have a relationship with God. You can do a lot of good things and be philanthropic and not have a relationship with God. Having a relationship with God is understanding that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except through him. Here's the question Jesus would have for you: "Do you believe this? Then speak it. Jesus Christ is my Lord." Most important confession that you'll ever make.

Notice what he says then. He goes on to say this, "I also say... let me tell you something else. I also say that you are Peter and upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it." Potentially, this is the most controversial passage in the entire New Testament. There's about as many understandings of this as there are biblical scholars.

People will say things like this: is he building the church on Peter? Is he saying Peter's got a specific ministry that he's going to use? Or is it Peter's testimony that Jesus is the Christ that he's going to build the church on? Or is Peter really just a little stone, but Jesus is the rock and Jesus is the foundation of the church? To which I would say, yes. They're all true.

Because of Peter's confession of faith, God is going to do something special through Peter. We see Acts 1 to 12. Peter is the guy that God is using to build the church. Now, I don't believe in apostolic succession. I don't believe Peter was the first pope. But most even evangelicals say, "Well, that's not true because it's too much like Roman Catholicism." No, it's too much like the Bible not to believe it.

God did something special with Peter. But guess what he used? He used Peter's testimony that Jesus was the Christ. Guess who Jesus built his church upon? Himself with the apostles and the prophets. They're all true. We argue over which one's right and which pastor should I believe and we miss the whole point of the passage. It's the back half that he's trying to get us to see.

I tell you, you're Peter. You're the rock, Son of Johnny. Son, man, you're Rocky Johnson. All right? And upon this rock, I will build my church. As soon as Peter makes a confession that Jesus is the Christ, Jesus begins to tell him about a community that he's going to build, that he's going to give his entire ministry to called the church. Notice what he says about this church: "And the gates of Hades will not overpower it."

Here's the second confession every Christian needs to make. Not only is Jesus Christ Lord, but the church is invincible. The church is invincible. The church is unstoppable. The church is uncontrollable. Why? Because Jesus Christ is the head of the church. Now, I've got to pause here and just tell you this. As your pastor, and I've said this before from this pulpit, so this is nothing new, but some of you may need to repent like I have.

Because a number of years ago, if you'd have met me 15, 16 years ago, I would have told you I loved Jesus and I was preaching in stadiums and camps and prisons and everywhere else telling people about Jesus. But deep down in my heart, I had this feeling like, "I love Jesus and I love the word of God and I love seeing people get saved, but I don't really like the church." Not a big fan of the church.

The same people sitting in the same seats week after week doing absolutely nothing. Just complaining about their pastor. Just saying, "I love Jesus, but I don't love the church." That would have been my heart. Now, I didn't go around talking like that out loud, but if you were close enough to me to press me on it, I would have told you the reasons I didn't.

As I began to pray and read through the scriptures, God showed me, "Jeff, I died for the church. I rose for the church. I'm building my church, and I'm coming back for the church. You can either sit around and complain about the church or you can get involved in the church." I repented and came out to Denver and planted a church. Let me tell you why this is important. You can't love Jesus and hate the church.

Jesus said, "I will build whose church?" My church! Whose church is it? Jesus's church. Now, I know how we talk in circles like "I go to Pastor Jeff's church" or "I go to Pastor Joe's church" or whatever. We're bringing clarity. But let me just ask you this question. This is not rhetorical. Whose church is Brave Church? Jesus! You guys are getting really good at that Jesus answer.

It is. It's not my church. It's not the elders' church. It's not the pastors' church. It's not the staff's church. It's not your church. It's the Lord's church. Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain who do. Some of us need to repent, and here's what you need to repent of. Some of us think that the church is the pastor and when we leave a church, we talk bad about that pastor and we talk bad about that denomination or we talk bad about that group of people.

Don't ever do that. And if you have, repent of it. And where you need to, make amends for it. I mean, I'm just telling you on the authority of God's word, you'll be free from that. Brave Church is not the church. We are a local assembly of the church. We are one of many churches around the world. Does God love this church? Yes. He died for it. He purchased this church with his own blood. He rose from the dead. He wants you to love his church.

He wants us to know this morning the church is invincible. The church is unstoppable. He says this, "I will build my church." Have you ever noticed sometimes you're in a church and it's like one of the churches in the book of Revelation where you walk in and there's like 30 people and it feels dead and the boiling pot of coffee's the most alive thing in the church?

And then afterwards you meet one of the saints that goes there and they're like, "No, the Lord's still here. This guy gets it," or "the Lord's still here. She still gets it." The church isn't going away. The church isn't dying. The church will be here when Jesus Christ returns for his church. Jesus promised he would build his church. And what else? "The gates of Hades will not overpower it." And then there's all this debate: is that offensive or defensive?

Because gates are defensive positioning and overpowering's offensive. Who cares? Here's what it means. The church is taking the kingdom out into the world and it's unstoppable. Death and hell can't stop what the church is doing. And even when the devil is being offensive in his means of getting to us, he can't stop what we do. Now, let me ask you this. If the devil, death, and hell can't stop what we do, who can stop us?

If God is for us, who can be against us? That means there ain't no government, no politician, no teacher, no school, nothing in the world that can stop the church of Jesus Christ. Amen? That needs to be our confession. That's always been my confession since repenting and believing that. But I tell you, in the last year and a half, that confession's just gotten much stronger. Nothing can stop the church. Nothing will silence the church.

You say, "Well, what's the church?" The church is the true people of God. People who are born again. The true people of God united together spiritually as Christ's body. The true people of God united together spiritually as Christ's body who gather for the purpose of advancing his kingdom. Brave Church does not exist for Brave Church. We're not trying to grow Brave Church so we have a bigger church.

We're trying to advance the kingdom of God and to the extent that we grow, it's so that more people experience salvation and more people experience freedom and more people experience hope and more people are unleashed to take the kingdom out to the world. That's what it means. God loves his church and the church is unstoppable even when we have leadership in the church that says, "Oh, we'll just listen to whatever you say in the world. We'll stop it."

You still can't stop the church. Jesus Christ is doing something in and through the church and it's the only vehicle he promises to bless. It doesn't mean that God won't bless you if you work for a parachurch ministry or it won't bless you if you're out preaching. He blesses all true works of him. But the group that he's looking to assemble and put together is the body of Christ.

And guess what? With all your strengths and all your weaknesses, Jesus Christ wants you to be part of the visible representation of the body of Christ and you can't experience the fullness of Christ without it. God can't get done all his work without you all working together and being who God wants you to be. Which means to say "I'm a Christian, but I'm not part of a local church" is to say "I'm not the fullness of what God wants me to be. Period."

Because the church is what God promises to bless. The church is what Jesus Christ is building. And when you hear people talk negative about the church, your conviction should be, "No, no, no. I'm not listening to that. The church of Jesus Christ is invincible. It's unstoppable. And there ain't nothing that's going to keep it from being controlled. Amen?"

Guest (Male): Thanks for listening today. That was Pastor Jeff Schwarzentraub with the message "Three Critical Confessions" from the series "Mission Critical," explaining why your answer to Jesus' question, "Who do you say I am?" is the most important decision of your life. Thanks for joining us for today's program.

Before you go, a quick reminder: when you give a gift of support today, we'll thank you by sending a copy of Pastor Jeff's powerful booklet, "Made New: Discovering Your New Identity, New Focus, and New Mission." This isn't just a devotional. It's a scripture-rich guide to help you understand who you are in Christ, why that changes everything, and how to step boldly into the mission God's given you.

So request your copy today at pastorjeff.com when you give to help others experience the transforming power of God's word. That's pastorjeff.com. We'll see you next time.