Restoration is a network of house churches.
We make disciples, gather together, and
equip people to minister.
All in Matthew
Matthew 17 provides an account of Christ Jesus revealing His divine glory. John and Peter both reference the event in their own writings. This profound event gives us a deeper understanding of Christ’s deity and reminds us that He has been God for all eternity and will be God for all eternity.
This week we will be studying Matthew 16 where Jesus affirms Peter's affirmation of His deity and talks about the Rock the Church is built upon. This passage has been hotly debated between Roman Catholics and Protestants (and Eastern Orthodox) until recently. Historically, Roman Catholics have seen the "rock" in Matthew 16 as being a reference to Peter as the first pope. Orthodox and Protestants see Christ as the Head of the Church and thus view Peter differently. With this in mind, you may have heard that the new Pope (Leo XIV) has recently made statements that Jesus (not Peter) is the Rock upon which the Church is built. In the process, he rejected papal infallibility. This Sunday, we will endeavor to exegete the passage well while addressing Church history on the issue.
Matthew 15 shows us that Christ Makes Us Clean, Not Tradition. Pastor Daniel Samms walks us through how the traditions of the Pharisees became an encumbrance as they acted without faith. Only Christ can make us clean by faith.
Pastor Daniel addresses the theological implications of John the Baptist's beheading as well as Jesus' feeding of the 5,000 and walking on water as we see the ongoing theme of Christ's Kingship demonstrated in His power and authority.
