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Finally catching up with myself. As we all know, life happens and doesn't always go "to plan". Anyway, on to the message --
I'm sure we all had teachers back in school who called on those who may not have raised their hands so often to offer the answers. I was among those in Math Class, as was my Pastor. (I'm in good company!!) lol If I was raising my hand in a Math Class, it was to ask, not answer...
Today's message explores a moment like this between Jesus and the Apostles in the roles of Teacher and Students. The question of the day was this -- Who Is Jesus??
Turn with me to Matt. 16:13-20.
The first important thing to notice about this discussion is the location. Caesarea Phillipi. This was a town literally named after the Roman King and Jesus is asking His closest friends who they think He is!! As you may know, Jesus never did anything without a reason. He was digging to see if they understood the Truth considering all they had seen Him do and heard Him say. The book of Matthew* was addressed to the Jews to show them who Jesus was and prove that He was the promised Messiah.
Their first responses were much like ours might have been. They didn't want to take personal responsibility for a wrong answer, so they started "grasping at straws" and giving answers they had heard from others in various places they had been. "John the Baptist", "Elijah", "Jeremiah", etc... These answers came from the Jewish teaching that there would be someone leading the way ahead of The Messiah. They didn't want to entirely embrace the idea that Jesus actually was The Messiah or presume that He was. (sad that some still don't) Our guesses today include terms like, "good man", "great teacher", "moral", etc... but not all of us want to embrace Him as The Christ. The truth is, that when we try to encase Jesus in any "box" that makes sense to us, we miss out on the rich fullness of Who He really is.
Peter was basically the "team captain" of the group. Unofficially, of course, but he seemed to be the one always speaking out and taking action. But here, he was the one bold enough to speak the Truth as revealed by the Father. "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God."
In the Hebrew, the word is "Messiah", "Christ" is the Greek; but they both mean "the Anointed One." Jesus was/is the fulfillment of God's promise to come near, "settle in", and renew/restore all things to Himself.
Looking back at Old Testament roles of those who were anointed gives us a fuller picture of Jesus' authority. Positions of those were as follows --
Prophet - These were men God sent to reveal the heart of God and return people to Himself.
Priest - From the first assigned man, Moses' brother, Aaron; these men stood in the gap. They were the intercessors between God and Man.
King - These men ruled on God's behalf. God originally intended to reign on His own, but Israel wasn't having any. Jesus established the rule and reign of God in our midst.
Our acknowledgement of Jesus' authority brings us into His kingdom, it doesn't bring Him into ours. He doesn't need our permission to rule, only our acceptance that He already does. God's work in our lives is proven by our question of it. Who do WE say He is??
The implications of Peter's revelation are huge because Jesus confirms it.*
It brings Heaven to Earth. Jesus was the Word made flesh. (Jn.1:1)
It brings victory over sin and death -- "the Gates of Hades will not overcome it" vs. 18 This is especially good to hold on to in troubled times.
Jesus leads a resurrection people -- The Church*
It gives us the Keys to the Kingdom -- Admission = Jesus is Christ. Exclusion = rejection of Christ. Bound/Loosed -- We have authority in our own lives. We can exercise this through prayer or just by thoughts and actions. Jews were traditionally bound by the Law, but Jesus provided fulfillment and a new, improved, freeing Covenant.
In conclusion, turn with me to 1 John 5:10-12. This passage gives us the truth concerning our decision to acknowledge Jesus or not -- "Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him our to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."
Who do you look to, Jesus or "Caesar" (the World)?? Who do YOU say He is?? -- God Bless!!
Footnotes --
1. I recently purchased the book, "Evolution of the Word", by Marcus J. Borg. It is a chronological presentation of the New Testament. I haven't read much of it yet, but the cover has a historical timeline showing when each book is believed to have been written. Very interesting to note that none of the Gospels were written until at least 70 A.D. or later. This means they were looking back on everything, including the Destruction of the Temple, at which time some thought Jesus would return. (some still believe this, btw)
2. + 3. Because they're connected -- a. Some people, (mostly Catholics), believe that Jesus response to Peter meant that the Church would be built from him. Granted, "Peter" means "rock" in the Greek, but my feeling, and my Pastor's, is that the "rock" Jesus was actually speaking of was the revelation of Himself as Christ, and not on Peter directly. And if you think about it, that makes more sense anyway, because God would never base His Kingdom on an imperfect man. The passage clearly says, "The Father revealed..." It is definitely the revelation that is the foundation of our faith, not Peter.
b. The Church itself will be further explored later, but the basic idea of what the Church is, is this -- it is formed/shaped by God with the intent to share His love to the World.
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