Peter Gets It!

15^th Sunday After Pentecost

Rev. Steven D. Spencer – Pastor Messiah Lutheran Church, Salem, OR

Matthew 16:13-20

¹³When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” ¹⁴And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” ¹⁵He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” ¹⁶Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” ¹⁷And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. ¹⁸And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. ¹⁹I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” ²⁰Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

I. Introduction

Dear Christian friend rejoice because Peter gets it, he gets it right!  “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  Peter's words are so well known that maybe you have even memorized them. They are plain straightforward words with no more than one or two syllables. And they're so important that these words have a Christian day of recognition. January 18 is the Day of the Confession of St. Peter. "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." So what’s the big deal? Let's take a look at the words.

You, says Peter as he looks at Jesus.  He's not saying, "Some where out there is a Christ." No, he's looking directly at Jesus. He's found the One.

Peter has found the One whom God has appointed to redeem the world. Others have claimed the title of Messiah for themselves, but they’ve failed. This One will not fail, because He is the Christ, the real thing.

"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." There are a multitude of gods out there, but only one of them is living. People worship money, but money has no breath. They worship power, but that power lasts only as long as they can keep it alive. They worship themselves, but they are already dead in their trespasses and sins. There is only one true God, only one living God, and that God sent His Son to be the Christ, His anointed Savior to die for the sins of the world.

II. Creed

Peter’s proclamation is his creed. A creed is a statement of personal belief. It’s a confession. This is Peter's confession. It is miraculous. Sinful minds would never declare this of Jesus, because sin works to prevent us from saying this very thing. No, this confession is not manmade, created by flesh and blood; Peter knows it because God has revealed it to Him. The only living God has sent His Son to reveal to Peter that He is the Christ.

These simple, miraculous words lead to so much more. Of this solid-as-a-rock true statement of faith, Jesus says, "On this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."

This is what the Church is built on. Not built on Peter, who had the privilege of speaking these words. It's built on what the words said: The Church is built on Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. All who believe in the Son of God, who died for the sins of the world, will be saved.

How does this building take place? Jesus describes the construction: "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." This is how the building happens: It will begin as Peter and the other apostles go and tell people about the Christ, the Son of the living God. In speaking of the Savior, they will also speak of the fallen state of man and sin, after all who will need of a Savior if they don't realize what that they need to be saved? So the apostles will speak of sin and the Savior. They will say things like this: “Jesus died on the cross in your place, to forgive you all of your sins.  But if you don’t believe in Him, if you don’t want His forgiveness, you don't have to keep it. You can remain unforgiven and then all of your sins will still be credited to you. But if you believe in Him, if you do not throw away the forgiveness He has given you, then you are forgiven. You're set free-you're loosed-from your sins. And if your sins are taken away here on earth, then you will be free to go to heaven, too.”

That's how the Church is built. It's called the Office of the Keys. It means that believers are added to the Church because their sins are forgiven.

"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." By God's grace, Peter gets it, he gets it right, and we repeat his words today.

The words are simple. They are miraculous, given by God. They are the basis of the Christian Church, for the Church is built on Christ, the Son of the living God. Peter and the rest of the apostles, as well as pastors and others who follow will have the privilege of telling all nations that there is a living God who loved the world so much that He gave His only Son to die for them on the cross. It is our privilege to announce to all that they can be set free from sin and to exhort all to leave their hopeless religions behind, and turn to the one true and only Christ. To tell all who hear that there is a way to eternal life with God in heaven.

But this confession is unpopular with man. We know this not just from the howls of the world, but because of the Words of the Lord: Jesus declares, "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matt. 5:11-12)

We can expect to be reviled and persecuted along the way: It’s still worth it. The same happened to Jesus, but He has already taken away the greater burden-our sin and death. He’s risen from the dead, and He will raise His forgiven people, too.

We live in dark times, and the hour may be very late; but what joy we have as Christians. In a world that gropes for solutions and seeks life, we have the joy of proclaiming Jesus the Christ, the Son of the living God-the Savior who forgives sins and gives eternal life. The world howls and criticizes this proclamation, but the world is wrong. Jesus the Christ, the Son of the living God, is the Rock of ages on which the Church is built, by whom all people are saved. In Him-and in Him alone, you are forgiven all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus name, Amen and Amen!

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.