Who Do You Say I Am? Series

Introduction – The Noise Around Us

Good morning, church.

We live in a world that never stops talking.

Every day, we’re surrounded by more words, opinions, and messages than our hearts can process.

Social media feeds us one perspective. News outlets feed us another. Podcasts, YouTube, and talk shows tell us what’s right, what’s wrong, and who’s to blame.

It’s a constant flood of noise.

And if we’re honest, it’s exhausting trying to make sense of what’s true anymore.

Every scroll of the phone, every click of a headline, every opinion shouted across the digital street says: “Listen to me. Believe me. I’ve got the truth.”

But in the middle of that chaos, there’s still one voice that matters above all the rest — the voice of Jesus.

And He’s still asking the same question He asked 2,000 years ago:

“Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15)

That question is not just a Bible moment — it’s the question that defines your life.

It’s the question that decides your peace, your identity, your eternity.

Because how you answer it determines how you live every single day.

Let’s Read Matthew 16:13-15

1) Many Voices, One Truth

Matthew 16 tells us that Jesus takes His disciples on a journey — about 25 miles north of Galilee — to a place called Caesarea Philippi.

Now, to the disciples, that was strange. Because Caesarea Philippi was the most pagan, idolatrous city in that entire region.

The cliffs there were filled with carved-out shrines and temples — dedicated to false gods.

There was even a cave at the base of the cliff that locals called “The Gates of Hades.” It was believed to be the entrance to the underworld — where sacrifices were made to pagan gods.

So Jesus — intentionally — brings His disciples right into that place of spiritual darkness.

He wanted them to see the contrast between all the false gods people were chasing and the truth that stood right in front of them.

He looks around and asks,

“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

They answer honestly — “Well, some say you’re John the Baptist. Others say Elijah. Still others think Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

In other words, everyone has an opinion.

The crowds loved speculating about Jesus. They admired Him, but they didn’t know Him.

Sound familiar?

People today are still doing the same thing.

If you walk into a coffee shop, open your social media app, or even scroll through YouTube theology debates — everyone’s got a take on Jesus.

“Good teacher.”

“Moral example.”

“Revolutionary.”

“Outdated idea.”

The problem isn’t that people have questions — it’s that they stop at speculation instead of revelation.

We live in an age where people Google truth instead of seeking God for it.

Where feelings become facts.

Where truth has become a buffet line — take what you like, skip what you don’t.

But Jesus doesn’t ask, “What do they say?”

He looks straight at His disciples — straight at you and me — and says,

“But who do you say that I am?”

That’s the question that cuts through every other voice.

Because it’s not just about what you believe — it’s about what you build your life on.

Modern Illustration – The Noise Filter

Have you ever used noise-canceling headphones?

You put them on, and suddenly, the airplane engine, the chatter, the chaos around you — all fades into silence.

You can finally hear the music clearly.

The technology works because it detects unwanted noise and plays a counter-sound that cancels it out.

Church — that’s what the Holy Spirit does for us in a noisy world.

John 16:13 says “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.”

When you’re surrounded by confusion, when the world is shouting one thing and God is whispering another, the Spirit helps filter the noise so you can hear His truth clearly.

But we have to put the headphones on.

We have to choose His voice over the crowd.

Let’s Continue to Read vs 16-20

2) The Power of Revelation

Simon Peter, in that moment, steps forward — you can almost see him puff up a little — and he says,

“You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”

And Jesus smiles and says,

“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for flesh and blood didn’t reveal this to you, but My Father in Heaven.”

Peter didn’t figure this out by logic. He didn’t take a poll or read it on a scroll.

The Father revealed it to him through the Spirit.

That’s what revelation is.

It’s not head knowledge — it’s heart awakening.