Who Do You Say I Am? (Matt. 16:13-20)

Who Do You Say I Am? (Matt. 16:13-20)

There was an active church goer. As God blessed him very much, his business had been prospering. As his business had been very busy, he could not spare his time to go to church even on Sundays. Thus, he started to skip Sunday worship. Then, he thought that going to church is not so important. He comforted himself that he could live his Christian life without going to church.
His pastor, knowing that he had not come to church for over six months, visited his home on a winter day. They sat together beside the fire place. Without saying anything to him, the pastor was just staring at the pile of woods burning in the fire place for over ten minutes. Then, the pastor took a piece of firewood from the pile and set it aside. Then, not after a long time, the fire died out.
The man realized what the pastor's silent pantomime message was. And, he said to the pastor: "Pastor, I will go to church from the next Sunday on."
Sometimes, you feel that your church does not help you at all in your Christianity. But, departing from it, your faith cannot be growing. To make your faith grow, you need to have clear confession of faith and good fellowship with other members.

Our Gospel lesson today takes place in the region of Caesarea Philippi. Caesarea Philippi was about 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee. The city which is at the bottom of Mt. Hermon is well known for its beautiful scene and for its various idols. It has a cave for the Greek God of forests, pastures, flocks and shepherds. And there is a temple for the Roman emperor on the mount. Staying there you may be distracted by so many idols.

There Jesus asks his disciples who people say the Son of Man is. The disciples answer: Some say that you are John the Baptist, but others say that you are Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the ancient prophets. There seem to be a false belief that a person's soul migrate to another body. Although John the Baptist was killed by King Herod, Herod and other people thought that the soul of John the Baptist migrated to the body of Jesus.

But, Jesus' main interest is who his disciples say that He is. So he asks the question: "But who do you say that I am?"
This question of Jesus is not only for his original disciples but also for us who live in the 21st century.
If Jesus asks you individually, "Who do you say that I am?," what is your answer?
Why is it so an important question?
It is an important question because it makes us think the personal relationship between Jesus and you.
So, what is your answer?

Simon Peter, without any hesitation, answers: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
To him, Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior.
Because of Jesus his sins and trespasses are forgiven and he is saved.

To him, Jesus is also the Son of the living God.
Jesus is the Son who came from heaven down to us to show the Father.
In John 14:8 Philip asks Jesus: "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied."
Then, Jesus answers: "Have I been with you at this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father."

Why is the confession of Peter so important to us?
In John 20:31 John says, "But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name."
By believing and confessing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, we may have eternal life.
                                                 
Jesus is well pleased with Peter's answer. Thus, he says to Peter: "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven."

How could Peter the fisherman confess his faith like that?
It is not from his thought and opinion, but the Father in heaven revealed this truth to him.