YOU ARE THE CHRIST
Matthew 16:13-20 Summer Bible Conference
Key Verse: 16:17 2003
“Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.’”
This passage teaches how Simon Peter confessed to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Peter’s confession was sincere. It shows his personal understanding of Jesus. By his confession, he proclaimed that Jesus is God’s Son. He also declared Jesus to be full of life-giving power as the one and only Son who came as the Lamb of God, to shed his blood for the sin of the world. Peter should have submitted his whole will and life to Jesus Christ at that moment. Apparently, he needed a little more training. We might think that Jesus would have no hope for Peter. But Jesus had great hope for Peter. Jesus helped him to make a personal confession. Through his confession, Jesus blessed Peter and chose him to be the foundation Rock for his church. Like Peter, may we know Jesus personally through Bible study. And may we confess that Jesus is the Christ and receive his blessing to be a chosen people.
First, Peter shares an excellent Bible testimony (13-16).
Look at verse 13a. “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi…” Jesus was concluding his Galilean ministry and was ready to start on his way to Jerusalem. Caesarea Philippi, is 110 miles north of Jerusalem. In Jesus’ day, it was known as a center of pagan worship of the god Pan. This remote and spiritually desolate place is the starting point of Jesus’ journey back to Jerusalem. This was his last journey to Jerusalem; there he would give his life as a ransom sacrifice for the sin of the world. Jesus had been preaching the kingdom of God, healing many sick people, and performing many miracles. But he was doing something else: he was planting faith in his twelve disciples so that they would believe he is the Son of God. The climax of these events was the feeding of the Five Thousand with five loaves and two fish. Through his common life with them, his disciples had come to know him as God’s gracious and merciful Son who saves men from their sins, and who gives them the kingdom of God. But they needed one more thing: to share a testimony on what they learned from Jesus.
Look at verse 13b. “He asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’” Jesus could ask very hard, probing questions that stretched their brains to the limit, making them feel like they know absolutely nothing. This time Jesus asked an objective question – a very easy question! The Twelve thought they were getting an easy “A” that day. They already knew the answer: “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
All of the people claimed Jesus to be a man of God. Many thought he was John the Baptist, a holy man who preached repentance of sins through baptism, until he was put to death by Herod. Perhaps they said this based on Jesus’ holy and sacrificial lifestyle. Some claimed Jesus was Elijah, a man of prayer who challenged godless idolatry, and raised one disciple, Elisha. Perhaps they said this based on Jesus prayer life and discipleship ministry. Still others claimed Jesus was one of the great prophets. No one could agree on who Jesus really was. Nor were they willing to stand up and put a stop to the constant slanderous attacks of the religious leaders. Their head knowledge about Jesus bore no fruit.
That was only the first question. Jesus was testing them to see if they were thinking independently from public opinion. Jesus directly confronted his disciples: “But what about you? Who do you say I am?” Perhaps there was an uncomfortable silence as each one looked down at his shoes, avoiding Jesus’ glance. But one of them stood up to speak. It was Simon Peter. Normally, Simon Peter had test anxiety, and would freeze and choke and totally fail. How did Peter respond to this challenging test of Jesus? Look at verse 16. “Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’”
Peter was confessing his “so-gam”, his testimony. In the past, Peter’s Bible testimonies were centered on himself. His first Bible testimony occurred just after Jesus gave him a miraculous catch of fish. It went like this: “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” (Lk 5:8) This was not a very good Bible testimony. He only talks about himself with no word of Jesus. Still, Jesus blessed his testimony and made it the turning point of his life. Later, Peter witnessed the glorious transfigured Jesus. His testimony then was, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (Mt 17:4) Not so good. It’s so complicated, and shows he doesn’t know what he is talking about. Another time, when Jesus taught a rich young man how to enter the kingdom of heaven, Peter’s testimony was, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” (Mt 19:27). Not so good. It is just a list of complaints about his life. But this time Jesus challenged him to confess what he believed about Jesus. Peter stopped thinking about himself for a moment and started to think about Jesus from his heart. He thought about Jesus—what Jesus said, what Jesus did, and what Jesus wanted for him. Then, Jesus came into his heart. For the first time, Peter saw true hope and glory in Jesus. And for the first time he shared an excellent, Christ-centered testimony. Let’s read his testimony in verse 16: “Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’”
Second, Jesus’ hope for Peter (17-20).
Peter had just risen to Jesus’ great challenge. Overwhelming public opinion was against him. He also had an unreliable track record for testimony sharing. He was not great, and he had personal problems. How could he prepare an instant testimony and deliver it with power? Look at verse 17. “Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.’” Now we know! In this verse we learn that knowing who Christ truly is can not come from human knowledge, but must be given by God. How? God reveals Jesus as the Son of God through his word in the Bible. Through God’s word we have a personal relationship with God, and have a revelation from God. A powerful testimony doesn’t come from our own thinking—it is a revelation from God.
Look at verse 18. “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Jesus blessed Peter, and announced his new name. He had formerly been known as Simon, which is Aramaic for “sand”. Sand is not a good foundation for anything. Peter’s old name, Simon, represents the fact that he was weak in his human nature. He overcompensated by being a big-mouthed guy. He tried to be a leader, but his efforts always ended in failure. But Jesus saw him with God’s hope. So Jesus appointed him to be the foundation of his church, and changed his name to “Peter” – which means “The Rock”!
Still, Peter showed signs of his old character from time to time. For example, immediately after this, when Jesus tried to teach the glorious gospel truth about his death and resurrection, Peter rebuked him. But Jesus still had great hope and vision for Peter. How? It is because Peter had Jesus in his heart, so he had the kingdom of God in his heart. Later Peter would describe the glorious hope all people who believe in Jesus share. 1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” Jesus declared that when we have Jesus in our heart, not even Satan and the gates of Hades can overcome us.
Jesus’ hope also means Jesus chose him to serve. Look at verse 19. “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” When someone gives you the keys to an office or building, it is a privilege and a responsibility. It means you are supposed to unlock the door, go inside, and do something useful and fruitful. When Jesus says he will give us the keys to the kingdom of heaven, he is promising to equip us with authority to call people to live under his kingdom. The disciples didn’t have a broken shepherd’s heart for all people of the world. They didn’t even have a broken shepherd’s heart for one another. But Jesus has a broken shepherd’s heart for all people on earth. He longs for them to be set free from the tyrannical regime of the power of sin and death, and to open the door to heaven, where there is no tears, or pain or death. He longs to rule the peoples of the nations with grace and peace. Out of his broken shepherd’s heart, he chose twelve disciples to be his apostles to a sin-sick, dark and lost world. Out of his great grace, he equipped them with authority to call people to live under his kingdom. Whoever becomes a believer in Jesus through their Bible teaching would become naturalized citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven! But they were so selfish! When a crowd of people came hungering for the word of God that could save them, the disciples proposed to Jesus, “Send the crowd away”! Nevertheless, Jesus chose them as a royal priesthood, serving the people of the nations with the word of God when they believed Jesus’ word and obeyed Jesus’ word. Who is going to serve in this priestly duty, to minister to the people of our generation? Somebody else? Maybe you think that the person sitting next to you is a chosen person, but not you. However, let us consider Jesus’ words: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” If we confess to our Lord Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”, then we must also accept our calling to be a chosen people. It is Jesus’ great hope for you! He has a vision to build his church on you.
I can confess, “Jesus, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Through Bible study, Jesus has helped me to make this confession, and also chosen me for a life of mission as a Bible teacher and shepherd. Jesus sent me to Penn State nine years ago. It seems to have gone by so fast—marriage, children, working, feeding sheep. I look back and say, “What happened?” Jesus says he is building his church on me. And he is building his church on you too.
How will you answer Jesus question, “Who do you say I am?” Tonight we will be listening to several very excellent testimonies. In them we will learn how Jesus changed their lives and made history when they made confessions of faith to Jesus. May God help you confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus has great hope for you, and has given you the keys to his kingdom, that you may enter and bring many others in as well. May God make you a chosen people, to serve as Bible teachers for the people of our generation.