Matthew Chapter Sixteen Poem by Day Williams

1 The Pharisees and Sadducees approached Jesus

And tested him by asking him to show

A sign from heaven to them.2 He replied,



"When evening comes, you say, ‘Red sky at night,

The weather will be fair, ' 3 and in the morning,

‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky



Is red and overcast.' You know how to

Interpret the appearance of the sky,

But you can't read the symbols of the times.



4 A wicked and unfaithful age insists

Upon a sign, but it will not receive

A sign at all except the one of Jonah."


Then Jesus walked away from them.5 When they

Had crossed the lake, the followers discovered

They had forgotten to take bread.6 "Watch out, "



Jesus warned them. "Be on your guard against

The yeast of Pharisees and Sadducees."

7 They talked among themselves and said, "It is



Because we didn't bring the bread." 8 Aware

Of their discussion, Jesus asked, "You who

Have little faith, why do you talk among



Yourselves about not bringing bread? 9 Have you

Not grasped it yet? Don't you recall five loaves

For the five thousand, and how you collected



So many basketfuls once they were fed?

10 Or seven loaves for the four thousand, and

How many basketfuls you gathered? 11 Why



Do you not understand that I was not

Talking of bread to you? But guard against

The yeast of Pharisees and Sadducees."



12 And then they understood that he was not

Instructing them to guard against the yeast

Used in bread, but against the teaching of



The Pharisees and Sadducees.13 When he

Came to the area of Caesarea

Philippi, Jesus asked his followers,



"Who do the people say the Son of Man

Is? " 14 They replied, "Some say you're John the Baptist,

And others say Elijah; and still others



Say Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

15 "But who do you say I am? " he asked them.

16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ,



Son of the living God." 17 "God has blessed you,

Simon, the son of Jonah, " Jesus said,

"For this was not revealed to you by man,



But by my heavenly Father,18 and I tell

You that you're Peter, and upon this rock

I'll build my church, and Hades' gates will not



Overcome it.19 I will give you the keys

Of heaven's kingdom; what you bind on earth-

That will be bound in heaven, and what you



Set loose on earth will be set loose in heaven."

20 Then he impressed upon his followers

That they should not tell anyone he was



The Christ.21 From that time onwards Jesus started

To plainly tell his followers that he

Would have to travel to Jerusalem



And bear much suffering due to the elders,

The chief priests and the teachers of the law,

And finally be murdered and be raised



To life on the third day; 22 then Peter took

Him to one side and started to rebuke

Him. "Never, Lord! " he said. "This never shall



Happen to you! " 23 Then Jesus turned and said

To Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You're

A stumbling block to me; you do not have



In mind the things of God, but things of men."

24 Jesus told his disciples, "If a man

Would follow me, he must deny himself,



Take up his cross and follow me,25 because

Whoever wants to save his life will lose

It, but whoever loses his own life



For me will find it,26 for what good is it

For you to gain the world but lose your soul?

What can a person trade for his own soul?



27 Because the Son of Man will come in his

Own Father's glory with his angels, and

He will reward each man for what he's done.



28 Trust me, some standing here won't feel death's sting

Until they see the Son of Man as king."



S.D.G.