Episode Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.720
Human standing. As we turned to
our our text for this morning, Matthew
2
00:00:03.799 --> 00:00:14.429
Chapter Sixteen. Matthew Chapter Sixteen,
beginning in verse thirteen. Listen, for
3
00:00:14.550 --> 00:00:20.149
this is the word of the Lord. Then, when Jesus came into the
4
00:00:20.190 --> 00:00:26.379
district of Cessoria Philippi, he asked
his disciples who do people say that the
5
00:00:26.539 --> 00:00:31.780
son of man is, and they
said some say John The baptist, others
6
00:00:31.899 --> 00:00:37.969
say Elijah and others Jeremiah or one
of the prophets. He said to them,
7
00:00:38.329 --> 00:00:42.609
but who do you say that I
am? Simon? Peter replied,
8
00:00:43.409 --> 00:00:49.289
you are the Christ, the son
of the Living God, and Jesus answered
9
00:00:49.329 --> 00:00:52.960
him, blessed are you, Simon
Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has
10
00:00:53.039 --> 00:00:56.799
not revealed this to you, but
my father, who is in heaven,
11
00:00:57.799 --> 00:01:00.600
and I tell you you are Peter, and on this rock I will build
12
00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:03.349
my church, and the gates of
hell shall not prevail against it. I
13
00:01:03.430 --> 00:01:07.590
will give you the keys of the
Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind
14
00:01:07.670 --> 00:01:11.189
on Earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on Earth shall
15
00:01:11.230 --> 00:01:15.390
be loosed in heaven. Then he
strictly charged the disciples to tell no one
16
00:01:15.790 --> 00:01:19.980
that he was the Christ. That's
for the reading of God's word. May
17
00:01:21.019 --> 00:01:34.569
he bless it to us. You
may be seated there. How many of
18
00:01:34.689 --> 00:01:44.609
you are fans, or at least
very thrilled by the prospects of a pop
19
00:01:44.689 --> 00:01:53.439
quiz? Some of you, I
know, they can be exhilarating, right.
20
00:01:53.359 --> 00:01:57.280
We all know that surge of adrenaline
you get from an unexpected quiz.
21
00:02:00.790 --> 00:02:07.069
Or are you more like the majority
who find this prospect dreadful? That's probably
22
00:02:07.069 --> 00:02:12.590
the more common reaction I see in
my classrooms. And yet our reaction depends
23
00:02:12.629 --> 00:02:17.460
on the content, doesn't it?
Our reaction to a pop quiz depends on
24
00:02:17.580 --> 00:02:23.539
if we're really prepared or not.
It can be satisfying to take a pop
25
00:02:23.580 --> 00:02:29.300
quiz when we know the answers well. In our passage this morning, our
26
00:02:29.419 --> 00:02:35.530
Lord gives his disciples something kind of
like a pop quiz. He just spontaneously
27
00:02:35.770 --> 00:02:47.240
asks them a couple of really important
questions. Who is Jesus? In our
28
00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:53.199
passage this morning, our Lord asks
this all important question to his own disciples.
29
00:02:54.479 --> 00:03:00.110
And yet notice what's chapter? This
question is fent where this this question
30
00:03:00.229 --> 00:03:10.189
is found? It's Chapter Sixteen.
This critical question shows up about halfway through
31
00:03:10.870 --> 00:03:20.020
Matthew's Gospel. Think about that we're
about halfway through Jesus is public ministry,
32
00:03:20.620 --> 00:03:24.900
which means these disciples have been following, they've been questioning, they've been witnessing
33
00:03:25.099 --> 00:03:32.289
Jesus's Ministry for for quite some time
now. Shouldn't this question have already been
34
00:03:32.530 --> 00:03:40.520
on the table now? Our Lord
is a skilled teacher. He frequently uses
35
00:03:40.599 --> 00:03:47.840
questions as a way to reveal misunderstandings
or false assumptions. But now, when
36
00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:53.800
Jesus asks his disciples, who do
you say that I am, this is
37
00:03:53.919 --> 00:04:00.750
no longer simply another teaching moment.
While there's much instruction and and insights in
38
00:04:00.870 --> 00:04:08.430
the verses that follow, our Lord
asks this crucial question so that the disciples
39
00:04:08.469 --> 00:04:15.060
would demonstrate that they have ears to
hear the truth of Christ's ministry. He
40
00:04:15.219 --> 00:04:19.939
asks them here to give a response, to demonstrate that their eyes have been
41
00:04:19.980 --> 00:04:28.689
open to see the message in Jesus's
miracles. Although it is asking this question,
42
00:04:28.970 --> 00:04:31.329
who do you say that I am, so that the faith in their
43
00:04:31.449 --> 00:04:38.569
hearts would be the faith on their
lips. This is why our passage is
44
00:04:38.639 --> 00:04:44.279
so important in many ways, it's
the culmination, it's the it's the conclusion
45
00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:49.639
to the first half of Jesus's Public
Ministry. All that he's been doing up
46
00:04:49.720 --> 00:04:56.670
to this point has been leading his
disciples to give an answer to this question.
47
00:04:58.310 --> 00:05:02.029
He's been driving his ministry to the
points where he can ask a foundational
48
00:05:02.149 --> 00:05:10.300
question because he has been revealing much
through his miracles. He's been declaring much
49
00:05:10.420 --> 00:05:15.300
throughout his ministry, and now he
asks a couple of questions to his disciples
50
00:05:15.379 --> 00:05:19.620
who have been there, who have
seen and heard so much up to this
51
00:05:19.779 --> 00:05:27.209
point. We read that when Jesus
came into the district of Cessaria Philippi,
52
00:05:27.930 --> 00:05:32.730
he asks his disciples who do people
say the son of man is, and
53
00:05:32.889 --> 00:05:38.360
they tell him. Some say John
The baptist, others say Elijah, others
54
00:05:38.399 --> 00:05:42.279
Jeremiah or one of the prophets.
But he says to them who do you
55
00:05:42.560 --> 00:05:46.720
say that I am now in asking
these questions? Do you see how how
56
00:05:46.759 --> 00:05:58.069
Jesus already starts to answer this question? He applies a title in these questions
57
00:05:58.509 --> 00:06:03.740
to himself. He calls himself here
in this first question, the son of
58
00:06:03.819 --> 00:06:10.180
man. Now, son of man
could be used in a generic sense to
59
00:06:10.259 --> 00:06:15.660
refer to any member of humanity,
but Jesus is specific with this title.
60
00:06:16.060 --> 00:06:20.649
He uses it not as a general
term but in reference to him self.
61
00:06:23.529 --> 00:06:27.529
And it's not just a generic name. When Jesus refers to himself as the
62
00:06:27.689 --> 00:06:32.519
son of man, it's it's an
official title. He's not just a son
63
00:06:32.600 --> 00:06:38.560
of man, he's the son of
man. And yet what does this term
64
00:06:39.040 --> 00:06:43.920
mean? Well, with this title
we see our Lord's love for the language
65
00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:48.110
of scripture. He's not simply inventing
new terms and new ideas. He's speaking
66
00:06:48.149 --> 00:06:54.589
these words in the context of the
Scriptures and he's speaking these words to people
67
00:06:54.589 --> 00:07:00.189
who knew the scriptures. For it's
in Daniel Chapter Seven that that Daniel Has
68
00:07:00.269 --> 00:07:02.939
a vision of a man, and
not just a generic human figure, but
69
00:07:03.060 --> 00:07:09.420
a specific person. There in Daniel
Chapter Seven, verse thirteen, he says
70
00:07:09.459 --> 00:07:14.779
I saw in the night visions and
behold with the clouds of heaven, there
71
00:07:14.860 --> 00:07:17.730
came one like a son of man, and he came to the ancient of
72
00:07:17.769 --> 00:07:24.329
days and was presented before him,
and to him was given Dominion and glory
73
00:07:24.490 --> 00:07:31.120
and a kingdom that all people's nations
and languages should serve him. His Dominion
74
00:07:31.240 --> 00:07:35.600
is an Everlasting Dominion which shall not
pass away, and his kingdom one that
75
00:07:35.680 --> 00:07:45.110
shall not be destroyed. This person
coming before the ancient of days, is
76
00:07:45.149 --> 00:07:50.069
a heavenly figure, so that when
Jesus calls himself son of Man, I
77
00:07:50.110 --> 00:07:55.230
mean it's easy for us to think
in sort of theological categories, right.
78
00:07:55.310 --> 00:07:59.019
We know that Jesus is fully God, we know that Jesus is fully man.
79
00:08:00.339 --> 00:08:03.500
So Jesus here must be talking about
his humanity, be calling himself son
80
00:08:03.540 --> 00:08:09.899
of man. Right. And yet
in Daniels Vision, this one, like
81
00:08:11.019 --> 00:08:16.290
a son of man, is coming
with the very power of Heaven, writing
82
00:08:16.449 --> 00:08:20.209
on the clouds of heaven. This
is the kind of language used elsewhere to
83
00:08:20.250 --> 00:08:24.170
describe God in his power and in
his dominion over creation. For instance,
84
00:08:24.250 --> 00:08:28.000
in psalmn one, O four,
verse three, he lays the beams of
85
00:08:28.079 --> 00:08:33.840
his chambers on the waters, he
makes the clouds his chariot, he rides
86
00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:39.799
on the wings of the wind.
This is why Christ is frequently calling himself
87
00:08:41.399 --> 00:08:46.350
son of man throughout the Gospels.
And this title, which sounds so earthly
88
00:08:48.470 --> 00:08:54.509
in light of Daniel's vision, and
is a heavenly title. And yet when
89
00:08:54.549 --> 00:08:58.019
we see Jesus's interactions with the crowds, even his interactions with his own disciples,
90
00:09:00.220 --> 00:09:03.779
there's a certain vagueness to this term. I mean we see this from
91
00:09:03.779 --> 00:09:09.049
Jesus own questions. Here. The
title son of Man Does Not fully answer
92
00:09:09.250 --> 00:09:13.450
the question that he asks, does
it? Otherwise he'd be giving the answer
93
00:09:13.490 --> 00:09:18.210
away in the in the question itself. Rather, with this title we get
94
00:09:18.250 --> 00:09:24.039
the first of three titles given to
Jesus. In this brief exchange. Jesus
95
00:09:24.120 --> 00:09:31.600
calls himself the son of man and
then Peter Calls Jesus the Christ and the
96
00:09:31.720 --> 00:09:35.679
son of the Living God. But
before we get to Peter's answer, notice
97
00:09:37.159 --> 00:09:41.950
the answer concerning the crowds. Jesus
first asks about the people. Who Do
98
00:09:43.029 --> 00:09:48.070
the people say the son of Man
is? The disciples give a variety of
99
00:09:48.149 --> 00:09:50.990
options. That the an opinions that
the people have. John the Baptist,
100
00:09:52.070 --> 00:09:58.299
Elijah, Jeremiah or what? Just
one of the prophets. Now I want
101
00:09:58.340 --> 00:10:03.980
to highlight two things with this general
reception to Jesus Ministry. On the one
102
00:10:03.019 --> 00:10:11.289
hand, look at how close they
are. They realize that with Jesus they
103
00:10:11.289 --> 00:10:18.889
are dealing with somebody very important.
They are hearing from somebody who is speaking
104
00:10:18.370 --> 00:10:24.639
God's word for him to be numbered
among the prophets. They assume Jesus is
105
00:10:24.720 --> 00:10:28.919
a prophet, but that's no small
thing. If he's John The baptist,
106
00:10:28.960 --> 00:10:33.840
for instance, if he's Jeremiah,
if he's Elijah, that also means that
107
00:10:33.919 --> 00:10:37.990
he's been raised from the dead.
It means he's been sent by God for
108
00:10:37.190 --> 00:10:46.070
an incredibly important mission. And yet, on the other hand, look at
109
00:10:46.070 --> 00:10:56.139
where this response falls short. They
are identifying Jesus alongside other forerunners to the
110
00:10:56.220 --> 00:11:03.889
Messiah. These prophets are those who
prepared the way for the Christ, and
111
00:11:05.009 --> 00:11:09.649
so, even though they're identifying Jesus
with these larger than life figures, there's
112
00:11:09.690 --> 00:11:16.129
still failing to see the truth of
who he actually is by putting him in
113
00:11:16.210 --> 00:11:20.000
the class of a prophet. Do
you see how they're denying them that he
114
00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:26.159
is the Christ, the son of
the Living God, and that, in
115
00:11:26.279 --> 00:11:33.909
this all important question, being close
isn't good enough, for they see in
116
00:11:33.950 --> 00:11:39.230
Jesus just another in a long line
of prophets awaiting the promised son of David,
117
00:11:39.269 --> 00:11:43.870
and as miraculous and as significant as
Christ's ministry is, he must just
118
00:11:43.990 --> 00:11:50.980
not be meeting their expect patients,
which is why Jesus makes this important distinction
119
00:11:50.100 --> 00:12:00.299
between the people, the crowds,
and you, the disciples. These two
120
00:12:00.299 --> 00:12:03.250
questions highlight the the difference between the
answers as well. Who Do the people
121
00:12:03.409 --> 00:12:09.610
say the son of Man is?
And who do you say that I am?
122
00:12:11.210 --> 00:12:13.370
Do you see how much more personal
his second question is to the disciples?
123
00:12:15.250 --> 00:12:18.960
I mean at first he's asking about
the crowds and the son of man.
124
00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:22.159
Now, in speaking to his disciples, he asks the same question,
125
00:12:24.600 --> 00:12:28.000
but in the context of this relationship, it's not them in him, it's
126
00:12:28.039 --> 00:12:33.870
you and I. Who Do you
say that I am? And so we've
127
00:12:33.870 --> 00:12:37.990
already seen one title being used of
Jesus, that of son of man.
128
00:12:37.389 --> 00:12:41.909
Now Peter gives us two more answering
on behalf of the disciples. Peter says
129
00:12:43.389 --> 00:12:48.980
you are the Christ, the son
of the Living God. This word Christ
130
00:12:50.059 --> 00:12:54.179
is very familiar to us right.
We refer to this title nearly every time
131
00:12:54.259 --> 00:12:58.929
we say Jesus name. We refer
to ourselves as Christians because of this title
132
00:12:58.250 --> 00:13:05.970
of Christ. And he don't forget
that it is a title. Do you
133
00:13:07.049 --> 00:13:11.929
know what this title means? We
use the title Christ, but it's not
134
00:13:11.090 --> 00:13:16.519
really a translation. That's just the
Greek word applied to English. Likewise,
135
00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:22.120
the Hebrew word for the same title
is Messiah, but that's not a translation
136
00:13:22.200 --> 00:13:26.509
either, that's just the Hebrew word. If you were to translate these words
137
00:13:26.629 --> 00:13:31.190
into English, we see that Jesus
is be called, is being called here
138
00:13:33.190 --> 00:13:41.500
anointed or the anointed one, and
this anointing then refers to a practice in
139
00:13:41.539 --> 00:13:48.299
the scriptures where we are kings and
priests are being called and set aside by
140
00:13:48.379 --> 00:13:52.340
taking up their office. In the
Old Testament, these officers would their heads
141
00:13:52.379 --> 00:13:58.889
would be anointed with oil and in
this act there being set apart. This
142
00:13:58.009 --> 00:14:05.330
anointing was God's declaration upon the person
that this is my chosen one. The
143
00:14:05.490 --> 00:14:09.480
oil that was used was was but
a demonstration of the Holy Spirit being placed
144
00:14:09.559 --> 00:14:16.000
upon this person so that they were
set apart, specifically designated by God to
145
00:14:16.120 --> 00:14:20.159
do the work of the Lord.
We see this in for Samuel sixteen with
146
00:14:20.240 --> 00:14:24.149
the anointing of David, when Samuel
took the Horn of oil and anointed him
147
00:14:24.149 --> 00:14:28.429
in the midst of his brothers,
and the spirit of the Lord rushed upon
148
00:14:28.470 --> 00:14:33.590
David from that day forward. Likewise, in Isaiah Sixty one, average Jesus
149
00:14:33.629 --> 00:14:39.379
ascribes to himself earlier in Matthew's Gospel, the spirit of the Lord God is
150
00:14:39.460 --> 00:14:43.980
upon me because the Lord has anointed
me to bring good news to the poor,
151
00:14:46.019 --> 00:14:48.980
to bind up the broken hearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
152
00:14:48.299 --> 00:14:56.090
the opening of prison to those who
were bound. And so Peter is confessing
153
00:14:56.570 --> 00:15:03.090
that Jesus is not just another king, he's not just another priest. This
154
00:15:03.210 --> 00:15:11.159
is the Christ, this is the
Messiah, this is the anointed one about
155
00:15:11.159 --> 00:15:16.399
whom even David looked forward in submission
and in anticipation. The Messiah is the
156
00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:22.470
promised King, he is the promised
priest who rules the nations and who also
157
00:15:22.710 --> 00:15:31.350
makes a sacrifice for sin. And
Peter's awareness further clarifies the identity of Jesus
158
00:15:31.389 --> 00:15:39.059
with this third title, son of
the Living God. The title son of
159
00:15:39.100 --> 00:15:43.259
God is the title we also find, first of all, in the pages
160
00:15:43.299 --> 00:15:48.700
of scripture itself. During the exodus, God refers to the nation of Israel
161
00:15:48.779 --> 00:15:52.289
as his son. He tells Moses
and Exodus. For then you shall say
162
00:15:52.330 --> 00:15:58.330
to Pharaoh, thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, and
163
00:15:58.450 --> 00:16:00.049
I say to you, let my
son go that he may serve me.
164
00:16:03.169 --> 00:16:07.120
Likewise, the Prophet Hoseiah recounts this
event by saying, when Israel was a
165
00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:11.440
child, I loved him, and
out of Egypt I called my son.
166
00:16:12.759 --> 00:16:19.429
And yet this idea of sonship in
the Old Testament is already consolidated in one
167
00:16:19.590 --> 00:16:26.549
person, as the king stands as
a representative for the people. Second Samuel
168
00:16:26.590 --> 00:16:33.220
Seven makes this promise to David of
a son who will sit on David's throne
169
00:16:33.299 --> 00:16:37.740
forever. That's how the Lord Promises
David, when your days are fulfilled,
170
00:16:37.820 --> 00:16:41.340
when you lie down with your father's
I will raise up from your offspring after
171
00:16:41.460 --> 00:16:45.259
you, who shall come from your
body. I will establish his kingdom.
172
00:16:45.980 --> 00:16:48.049
He shall build a house for my
name and I will establish the throne of
173
00:16:48.169 --> 00:16:53.649
his kingdom forever. I will be
to him a father and he shall be
174
00:16:53.809 --> 00:17:03.319
to me a son. I love
the beauty of God's words here. Recall
175
00:17:03.400 --> 00:17:15.079
how earlier the title son of man
evoked and communicated this very heavenly seen of
176
00:17:15.279 --> 00:17:18.230
one standing before the ancient of days, riding on the clouds of heaven.
177
00:17:19.990 --> 00:17:27.269
And now look refine the title son
of God in these very earthly places in
178
00:17:27.549 --> 00:17:33.980
Israel, in the Line of David, in God's promises of a human child.
179
00:17:36.019 --> 00:17:40.779
God's Word is so rich. And
now he blends these categories in Christ
180
00:17:41.700 --> 00:17:49.769
to show us one who is fully
human and fully divine. Will God calls
181
00:17:49.890 --> 00:17:55.690
Israel my son. As the scriptures
unfold, we see that that Israel is
182
00:17:55.730 --> 00:18:00.079
not the final son of God.
Likewise, the priests and the King's,
183
00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:04.000
even David's own sons on the throne, frequently lead the people astray and into
184
00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:10.039
sin rather than leading the people in
righteousness and in worship, which is why
185
00:18:10.079 --> 00:18:14.549
we don't require just another prophet,
like the People Thought, nor do we
186
00:18:14.789 --> 00:18:21.309
require just another nation of Israel.
What we truly need is for God to
187
00:18:21.869 --> 00:18:25.869
save us, which is why,
Paul says in Galatians, for when the
188
00:18:25.950 --> 00:18:30.180
fullness of time had come, God
sent forth his son, born of woman,
189
00:18:30.579 --> 00:18:34.180
born under the law, to redeem
those who were under the law,
190
00:18:34.299 --> 00:18:41.849
so that we might receive adoption as
sons. The Lord sending his son,
191
00:18:41.329 --> 00:18:47.609
the Lord sending his anointed, was
not simply an answer to a failed Israel
192
00:18:47.809 --> 00:18:52.009
and to have failed kingship. Rather, this has been the portrait all along,
193
00:18:52.170 --> 00:18:56.039
this has been the plan all along, which is why Christ comes to
194
00:18:56.160 --> 00:19:02.119
fulfill these expectations, not to wipe
them away. He's connecting these images,
195
00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:07.599
he's he's revealing the truth of himself
and he's using images that we would understand
196
00:19:07.880 --> 00:19:14.430
from the pages of scripture itself,
so that when Peter makes this astonishing confession,
197
00:19:15.789 --> 00:19:18.509
we reach the conclusion of what so
much of Jesus's ministry has been driving
198
00:19:18.950 --> 00:19:25.740
towards. But Matthew's Gospel already kind
of spoiled the surprise back in Chapter One.
199
00:19:26.140 --> 00:19:30.420
The book itself begins, the word, the words, the book of
200
00:19:30.420 --> 00:19:36.940
the Genealogy of Jesus Christ. Matthews
already told us where we're going to end
201
00:19:36.980 --> 00:19:41.650
up. We see this at his
baptism as well. When Jesus Baptized in
202
00:19:41.650 --> 00:19:45.170
Matthew three, immediately he went up
from the water. Behold, the heavens
203
00:19:45.210 --> 00:19:48.369
were open to him. He saw
the spirit of God descending like a dove
204
00:19:48.609 --> 00:19:52.769
and coming to rest on him.
And behold, a voice from heaven said,
205
00:19:52.440 --> 00:20:00.880
this is my beloved son, with
whom I am well pleased. Throughout
206
00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:06.640
Christ's life, throughout his ministry,
he is demonstrating himself to be the true
207
00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:12.589
and obedient son of God. And
after so many chapters. What makes Peter's
208
00:20:12.589 --> 00:20:18.910
confession here such a turning point is
that now the disciples get it. The
209
00:20:19.029 --> 00:20:26.420
disciples now see, they understand what
Jesus has been saying. They can articulated
210
00:20:26.579 --> 00:20:33.700
with words. In his brief confession, Jesus its disciples now know the identity
211
00:20:33.180 --> 00:20:38.049
of Jesus, they know the importance
of his ministry. They finally know the
212
00:20:38.250 --> 00:20:44.529
divinity of this man. It's no
wonder, then, that Jesus places such
213
00:20:44.529 --> 00:20:51.400
high praise on such a simple confession. Jesus answered, blessed are you,
214
00:20:51.759 --> 00:20:59.440
Simon Bar Jonah? He utters just
a few words and he's blessed by Jesus.
215
00:21:00.039 --> 00:21:06.470
The words themselves are brief, the
words themselves are not complex, they're
216
00:21:06.470 --> 00:21:11.390
not difficult to pronounce. On its
face, it's a confession that doesn't sound
217
00:21:11.430 --> 00:21:18.259
all that eloquent, and Jesus isn't
marveling at Peter's skill in making a good
218
00:21:18.339 --> 00:21:25.500
confession. It's not his abilities or
his talents which are being praised, as
219
00:21:25.539 --> 00:21:30.140
if Peter had just given some eloquent
speech. Notice it's not even Peter's insight
220
00:21:30.180 --> 00:21:37.170
or or intelligence that's being praised.
Peter is blessed, but then Peter doesn't
221
00:21:37.170 --> 00:21:42.289
even get the credit. Blessed are
you, Simon Bar Jonaher for flesh and
222
00:21:42.329 --> 00:21:47.599
blood has not revealed this to you, but my father, who is in
223
00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:53.920
heaven. It's not Peter who's ultimately
praised. Rather, he's blessed because of
224
00:21:55.000 --> 00:22:00.279
what God has blessed him with.
This confession comes not from himself, but
225
00:22:00.470 --> 00:22:06.990
is itself a gift from God,
and it re choires this supernatural work of
226
00:22:07.069 --> 00:22:15.509
God. Because of our own sinful
inability for anyone to give this answer humanly
227
00:22:15.589 --> 00:22:22.500
speaking, Peter gives an impossible answer
to this question. Peter makes the connections
228
00:22:22.579 --> 00:22:27.019
he makes the this confession, which
nobody else had made. I mean,
229
00:22:27.059 --> 00:22:33.890
the crowds were impressed, but they
weren't calling Jesus the Christ. I think
230
00:22:33.930 --> 00:22:40.970
about this kids. When are your
parents most impressed by your answers? Is
231
00:22:41.089 --> 00:22:45.039
it when the answers are easy,
when the questions are easy? Where's it
232
00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:48.359
when the questions are hard? If
you were to tell your parents the sky
233
00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:52.119
is blue, the grass is green, there's a wall, there's a door
234
00:22:52.799 --> 00:22:59.069
that, after the age of three, that's no longer very impressive. No,
235
00:22:59.190 --> 00:23:02.509
it's when the answers are difficult that
are that our parents are most impressed
236
00:23:03.230 --> 00:23:07.829
with our abilities. How much more
so for a question that is impossible.
237
00:23:11.630 --> 00:23:15.420
Here it's not just difficult to figure
out the true identity of Jesus. Jesus
238
00:23:15.420 --> 00:23:22.099
says it's impossible, and not because
of a lack of evidence. It's because
239
00:23:22.140 --> 00:23:30.410
these things cannot be confessed apart from
a new heart. Through the miracles Jesus
240
00:23:30.490 --> 00:23:34.009
has been performing through the words that
he has been speaking, he has been
241
00:23:34.049 --> 00:23:38.450
directing his disciples to see and to
know and to declare this truth, that
242
00:23:38.569 --> 00:23:44.119
he is the Christ, the son
of the Living God, and it now
243
00:23:44.200 --> 00:23:45.680
that they see, now that they
can confess this truth. Were told that
244
00:23:45.720 --> 00:23:51.759
it's not their own insight at connecting
dots that's at work, it is but
245
00:23:51.880 --> 00:23:56.789
a gift from God, who reveals
this truth. Because Peter didn't simply give
246
00:23:56.829 --> 00:24:03.349
the correct answer to a theology exam. He's addressing a person with a personal
247
00:24:03.430 --> 00:24:08.109
question. Who Do you say that
I am? I mean, of course
248
00:24:08.150 --> 00:24:12.380
the theology is is vital. We
have to know what these titles mean.
249
00:24:12.539 --> 00:24:15.660
We have to know what we are
meaning when we could affess that Jesus is
250
00:24:15.740 --> 00:24:22.299
the Christ and the son of the
Living God. But this faith is more
251
00:24:22.339 --> 00:24:27.930
than just having the right answers.
True faith is that confession which extends from
252
00:24:27.970 --> 00:24:36.849
a heart that believes and trusts in
these truths. Jesus satisfied with Peter's answer
253
00:24:37.130 --> 00:24:44.000
not simply because it's the correct titles
without spelling or grammar mistakes. Rather,
254
00:24:44.039 --> 00:24:51.680
it's what such a confession says about
the sinner WHO declares it. When we
255
00:24:51.839 --> 00:24:56.589
declare Jesus to be the Christ,
it means we're confessing him to be the
256
00:24:56.750 --> 00:25:03.029
true King. What does that say
about you? It means that you're not
257
00:25:03.789 --> 00:25:10.259
the true king. He means that
Caesar is not the true King. That
258
00:25:10.420 --> 00:25:17.299
Jesus is the Christ means that he
is the perfect priest, which means that
259
00:25:17.539 --> 00:25:22.769
we need a priest whose sacrifice outweighs
our sin, which means that we need
260
00:25:23.089 --> 00:25:27.170
a mediator too, to go before
us to reconcile us to the father.
261
00:25:30.009 --> 00:25:34.130
That Jesus is the son of the
Living God means that in him the fullness
262
00:25:34.170 --> 00:25:40.559
of Deity dwells bodily. It means
that God himself is at work reconciling the
263
00:25:40.599 --> 00:25:45.400
world to himself. We confess that
Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man,
264
00:25:47.839 --> 00:25:52.269
and that theologically correct statement is necessary, not just because it's true.
265
00:25:53.710 --> 00:25:57.789
We confess the full deity and humanity
of Christ because by doing so we are
266
00:25:57.829 --> 00:26:06.980
confessing the truths of our deepest need. We need a son of Adam to
267
00:26:07.180 --> 00:26:11.660
obey and to fulfill the law in
our place, and we need a perfect
268
00:26:12.220 --> 00:26:19.809
sacrifice of sin, one who can
fully pay the eternal penalty our sin deserves,
269
00:26:22.369 --> 00:26:26.369
for our sin is so thick,
it is so pervasive that even when
270
00:26:26.410 --> 00:26:33.240
the answer is spelled out before us
in big bold letters, left to ourselves,
271
00:26:33.319 --> 00:26:38.799
we would rather abandon God and rely
on our own strengths. Therefore,
272
00:26:38.839 --> 00:26:45.279
we confess Christ, because the grace
of God has been at work, turning
273
00:26:45.359 --> 00:26:51.990
our hearts of stone into hearts of
flesh. And so Jesus continues to ask
274
00:26:52.109 --> 00:26:56.910
this question. Who Do you say
that I am? Because it is only
275
00:26:56.150 --> 00:27:02.420
in confessing Christ that we truly have
life. He is the son of the
276
00:27:02.539 --> 00:27:07.339
living God because he holds in his
hands the power of life itself, even
277
00:27:07.420 --> 00:27:11.779
life from the grave. He is
the son of the living God because he
278
00:27:11.900 --> 00:27:15.809
blesses his people with life, not
simply life in this world, but life
279
00:27:15.809 --> 00:27:22.529
in the world that is to come. Christ's words confront us with this all
280
00:27:22.609 --> 00:27:29.289
important question. Who is Jesus?
This question divides life from death. This
281
00:27:29.369 --> 00:27:37.839
question divide saving fraith from blasphemous rejection. But Christ's words not only confront us,
282
00:27:40.079 --> 00:27:45.309
they also comfort us, for he
tells us that flesh and blood does
283
00:27:45.430 --> 00:27:51.950
not grant these answers. It's not
through our intellect or our understanding that we
284
00:27:52.029 --> 00:27:56.829
are saved. It is but a
gift of God. So then, there
285
00:27:56.869 --> 00:28:02.819
is no room for boasting. Rather, we worship, we marvel, because
286
00:28:02.859 --> 00:28:07.339
he first loved us. Jesus asks
who do you say that I am?
287
00:28:07.660 --> 00:28:12.730
And as the body of Christ,
you get to gather week by week to
288
00:28:12.849 --> 00:28:18.210
give your answer to this question.
You're gathering to to listen to God's word,
289
00:28:19.490 --> 00:28:25.130
but you're also gathering to give a
response that, as a body,
290
00:28:25.329 --> 00:28:29.119
you respond to to God's law by
confessing your need, as a body,
291
00:28:29.319 --> 00:28:34.319
respond to God's Gospel by confessing your
faith. And these are simple, simple
292
00:28:34.400 --> 00:28:41.750
expressions of faith, and yet they
reveal the miraculous work of God in your
293
00:28:41.990 --> 00:28:47.990
lives, for these simple words,
these these simple confessions of faith, would
294
00:28:47.990 --> 00:28:52.630
not come apart from the work of
the Holy Spirit in your hearts. Therefore,
295
00:28:52.630 --> 00:28:56.900
let us find our life. Let
us find our life by confessing the
296
00:28:56.019 --> 00:29:02.819
life, death, burial and resurrection
of our Savior. May Our life be
297
00:29:02.900 --> 00:29:07.980
found in who he is and what
he has accomplished for us, because Christ's
298
00:29:07.980 --> 00:29:14.369
identity matters, because it's only in
him that you are given a new identity,
299
00:29:15.930 --> 00:29:18.009
only in him are you given a
new birth, a new inheritance,
300
00:29:18.450 --> 00:29:25.279
a new family and a new kingdom. Amen. Let's pray
