Some peoples’ surnames come from a vocation once held by their family – names like Smith, Porter, Baker, Carpenter. You can figure those out. There are some even more interesting names of real people where their name really fit their vocation…only maybe not on purpose.
I want your help this morning. I’ll give you the name of an actual person, and you guess what that person’s profession is, OK? For instance, here’s a guy named…
Mr. Downs – works for UPS, Chillicothe, OH
Sgt. Ketchum – MP officer, Ft. Knox, KY
Rex R. Case – attorney, New Jersey
William Wayne Justice – federal judge, TX
Amy Nail – manicurist, Red Oak, TX (her father is Danny Nail, contractor specializing in roofing)
I.M. Filer – IRS supervisor, OK City, OK
Joe Yawn – manager of sleep disorder clinic, Jonesboro, AR
Suzanne B. Tripp – travel agency owner, Ft. Smith, AR
Joe Boozer – liquor store owner, Hereford, TX
Murray Stasick – physician, Duluth, MN
Sir Henry Head, Sir Russell Brain – Neurologists, Great Britain
Dr. Mallet – Anesthesiologist, Palo Alto, CA
Dr. Phil Wright – Dentist, Anchorage, AK
Dr. Les Plack – Dentist, San Francisco
Miss Hunger – Dietician, Palm Springs, CA
Enter one fisherman named Simon, son of Jonah or John – Simon John-son. He was going to have a vocation change, and he was going to receive a new name to match his new profession.
We’ve already taken a look at several scenes from his story this morning. Stop early enough in his life, and you might have a few names of your own for Simon. You might call him Simon the 1st to speak and last to listen, or Simon the sure to speak whether or not he really has anything to say, or Simon the sure of himself, or Simon who really meant well.
As early as Simon’s introduction to us, Jesus interjects Himself into Simon’s life and changes his name.
John 1:41-42
The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter).
That didn’t take long. From the first moment he saw Jesus, Simon became Peter. Little did he know how significant that would be. Peter is from the Greek word for “rock.” Rocky – not a bad nickname. It seems to have worked for Sylvester Stallone. But it was more than just a catchy nickname. It was about the great plans that Jesus had for Peter – and for the world. His encounter with Jesus didn’t mean a change just in Peter’s life. It really meant a change for the world.
The text we’re focusing on takes us into a time in Jesus’ ministry when the resistance against His claims was building. He was working miracles, and most people liked that. At the same time, He was saying some things difficult to listen to. The Pharisees and teachers of the Law were challenging His claims and His actions, and they were hoping to disgrace and quiet Him. A lot of different ideas about Jesus were going around.
Was He just insecure? No, Jesus knew Who He was. He didn’t need to be reminded of it. He was going to continue His ministry whether or not people accepted His claims. There had to be some other reason that Jesus asked the disciples that day, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
Matthew 16:13-14
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
Crazy ideas? Not entirely. The last words of the OT were God’s promise that He was going to send the prophet Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers. All the other guesses people had were all dead people too. The only way those answers could be right is if God brought back someone from the dead. But they at least recognized that Jesus was no ordinary man. He spoke with an authority that none of their teachers had. He was performing miracles, loving the unlovely, and proclaiming the intended spirit of God’s Law.
But everyone’s attempt to explain Jesus was just speculation. None of their guesses were right.
The disciples needed to think this through. Sometimes, we need to realize how significant it is that people aren’t getting it right. Is it a widespread mistake? Does it matter?
Imagine answering the same question today. Who do people say Jesus is? How would you respond?
Some say He was a legend – a mysterious non-reality like Paul Bunyon or Hercules. Others would say he was just some elaborate joke, meant to mislead people. Still others would say he was a great thinker and Jewish teacher – another someone like Plato or Aristotle or Einstein. Still others would say He was a prophet, along with Moses and Mohammed. Today, there’s an even larger spread of answers when you ask Who Jesus is.
I believe Jesus would have us consider those answers today – why they’re inadequate, how many people are accepting them, and just how damaging they can be. Listen to your co-workers. Listen to your classmates. Ask around. Who do people say Jesus is?
After that, it was time for the disciples to answer the question for themselves. Any one of us can listen to what someone else says and just repeat it. Big deal. There’s a parrot in the gift store at Cracker Barrel that does that all day long. Go up to it and say something, and, if the batteries aren’t dead, it will flap its wings and say it back to you in a high-pitched birdie-sounding voice. Anyone can repeat what someone else believes. There’s no commitment involved in that. But when you start claiming to believe something, you’re obligating yourself. When you go from just saying what someone else says to saying what you yourself believe, it gets personal. Time to get personal:
Matthew 16:15-19
"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
Say what you want to about Peter’s brashness and being the first to speak – this is a time when it’s commendable. You are the Christ – that is, the Messiah. Jesus was the Promised One from God. Every 1st Century Jew was longing for the Messiah to arrive. Even the Samaritans, who loved to hate the Jews, and who the Jews loved to hate, were watching for the Messiah to come and make everything right in their world. Only One Person could fulfill that role, even though there have been many who claimed it. Being the Messiah also meant Jesus was the Son of God. In other words, Peter was acknowledging Jesus to be more than human. He was God in flesh – Immanuel – God with us.
We could study the “I am” statements of Jesus – John records them – I am the bread of life; the light of the world; the gate for the sheep; the good shepherd; the resurrection and the life; the way and the truth and the life; the true vine – all statements by Jesus that tell us about Jesus, but no single one of them covers it all. He is the Christ, the Son of the living God.
I want to get one main point across this morning – that is, this fact about Jesus is the foundation of the Church and the basis for any real relationship with God.
Jesus went on to tell Peter:
Matthew 16:18-19
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven
Now the reason for Peter’s early name change is coming to light. It’s a play on words when Jesus says your name is Rock, and I’m going to build My Church on this rock – not on the person Peter, but on the rock-solid foundation that Peter had just laid out: Jesus is the Christ, the son of the Living God.
Say what you want about the brashness and impulsiveness of Peter, Jesus had plans for that man. In fact, He was handing over the keys to him. Now, hand over the keys to any licensed teenager, and they’ll tell you what a neat thing that is! Peter still goofed up now and then, but sure enough, on the Church’s very first day of existence, the person who gets up and speaks…is Peter. The meat of his message is that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Peter is the first person to preach the gospel of Jesus. In Galatians 2, he’s called a “pillar” in the Church. In Acts 1 and 15, he’s obviously a respected leader. As a chosen Apostle, he’s a part of the foundation on which the Church is built. Before Peter’s work is done, the Lord also uses him to write 1 & 2 Peter. Peter, the rock – the one who answered the crucial question the day that Jesus asked it, also lived it until the day he died for his belief.
When you accept these facts about Jesus and are willing to acknowledge them as what you believe, you’re making what’s called in Scriptures the “Good confession.” A young man named Timothy had made it.
1 Timothy 6:12-13
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you…
The good confession? Jesus didn’t say much to Pontius Pilate. But when asked about Who He was, the answer was pretty simple:
Luke 23:3
Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.
John 18:37b "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth."…
Have you made the good confession? Have you expressed your belief that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, the King? That fact is the foundation of the Church – the real rock on which He’s building it – and it’s the beginning of every real relationship with God. Lots of shortcuts and substitutes have been attempted, but none have worked.
Your name says a lot. When your accept Jesus’ lordship in your life, you take on the name Christian. The Bible says,
Acts 11:26b …The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
Whether that was a name they chose or a way that others tried to insult them doesn’t matter. The name stuck, and it’s a right name for us to use as well. We’re serving the same Christ.
Your name says a lot. We don’t call ourselves, “the social reformers,” “philosophers,” “humanitarians,” “philanthropists,” “ethicists.” Neither do we call ourselves “churchians” or “fellowshipians” or “huggians.” We call ourselves Christians, because the very foundation of the Church and of every Christian’s relationship with God goes back to this same fact: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
Please, let’s just cut right to what that means we should do:
It means, in some way, always, the Church must be built on the person and the work of Jesus!
Do you want to…
• Understand the Church? – You have to look at the Church in light of Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Try to explain the Church, or outline it or somehow relate to the Church without this foundation, and it quickly sinks. There is no other explanation of what this is all about!
• Belong to the Church? – You have to accept Jesus, and His claims about Himself. Why would you try to become part of the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ, the work of Christ, if all along you’re not accepting the Christ Who is the beginning and end of it all?
• Work in the Church? – You have to do it for Him. Jesus said to Peter that day, “I will build My Church.” When the work’s done, whatever it is that you’ve done in the Church, it’s of no value if it’s about you, or just about being nice in society. It’s about serving Jesus and carrying out His desires.
• Lead in the Church? – You have to follow Him. No leader in His Church is fit to lead if that person isn’t following the Head. It can’t be for self-gain. It has to be for Jesus, because it’s His Church.
• Be fed in the Church? – You have to go to Him for that. There’s no substitute. If you spend time with a Church, expect to be fed only if you’re spending time with Jesus, accepting Who He is. Don’t walk away saying, “I wasn’t being fed” if you approached the whole thing for you instead of for Him.
• Enjoy heaven? – You have to center your life around Jesus. If Jesus isn’t the center of your life now, what makes you think you’ll enjoy heaven? From what I read, Jesus is pretty much the center attraction of heaven. Well, if He’s not the center attraction of your life now, heaven’s just not going to have much appeal for you, is it? It’s like getting married. If your fiancés habits bother you now, wait until they’re yours 24-7!
Conclusion:
Through the centuries, the Church has faced some pretty tough blows. Persecution, false teachers, corrupt leadership, materialism, Communism, Rationalism, you name it. But, somehow, through all of that, the Church is still around. Why is that? It’s about the foundation.
Ill - Greg Elder grew up on the east coast. He would spend hours building intricate sand castles. Who cities would appear beneath his hands. One year, for several days in a row, there was a bunch of bullies who smashed his work. So, he tried something: he put cinder blocks and rocks and concrete chunks at the base of the castles. The local bullies appeared, Greg hid, and you can imagine the sounds those guys made as their bare feet met their match!
A lot of people worry over the church. But you have to remember, that the church is founded on the Rock, and the gates of hell can’t overcome that.
This morning, we’re inviting people to build their life on Jesus Christ – the foundation. We’re asking you to make that good confession – that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God….
