Theme: Confession of Peter
Text: Matthew 16:13-28
Greetings:
The Lord is good; His love endures forever. We are meditating under the theme: “Perfect the good work” throughout this Lent season. From this week onwards we are journeying with Christ from Galilee to Jerusalem. Our ultimate station is Golgotha. Let us start with the “Confession of Peter” from Matthew 16:13-28.
Introduction:
The Gospel writer Matthew was a well-educated tax collector, was fluent in Hebrew and Greek. The gospel of Matthew has excellent Greek carefully organized, powerfully presented with all the pieces of evidence to prove that Jesus is the Messiah of God. He wrote to the Hebrews as a Hebrew (ref: fbcthomson.org). Matthew 16:1 starts with the Pharisees and Sadducees coming together to test Jesus sometimes like the Political alliances during Elections. William Barclay comments that “Hostility, like a necessity, makes strange bedfellows. It is an extraordinary phenomenon to find a combination of the Pharisees and Sadducees. They stood for both beliefs and policies which were opposing each other.
Let me think with you three subtitles based on the confession of Peter.
• Evaluation of Jesus through his Disciples (Matthew 16:13-15)
• Evolution of Revelation on Jesus (Matthew 16:16-20)
• Valuation of Life taught by Jesus (Matthew 16:21-28)
1. Evaluation of us through our known persons (Matthew 16:13-15)
Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? Jesus wanted to know what the people talk about him. How they looked at him, whether they called him as man or man of God prophet or the son of the Prophet? The modern world is very familiar with the performance evaluation system. Evaluating energy, time, and talents based on a particular task and work for a specific period.
Jesus asked his disciples what they think of him. The Popularity of Jesus has brought increased opposition to his mission. Jesus asked his disciples to take an inventory of what people think about him. The spiritual lesson we can learn from this passage is, do we care about what other people think of our church or about Christianity? Am I concerned about how my colloquies think of me in my working spot, corporate and company? Am I give value for the valuation of my fellow worshipers. As a Pastor, do I take the time to know what my congregation thinks of my preaching, administration, relationship, and integrity?
People understood Jesus as Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the Prophets. Some men thought he was another forerunner of Messiah-like Elijah (Malachi 4:5). Because Jesus called for national repentance like John the Baptist, Jesus has warned people and gave a clarion call for repentance, and he performed miracles like the prophets. So, they understood from their beneficial ground. All titles and characteristics have given him a measure of respect and honor but have fallen short of honor due to him (ref:blueletterbible.org/David Guzik).
We must be ready for self-evaluation and evaluation by others. Real and faithful evaluation builds our character and helps to look for better coordination and achievement in life. Accepting the valuations and making others understand our color destroys many rumors and problems.
2. Evolution of Revelation (Matthew 16:16-20)
Apostle Peter often presented in the four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles as the spokesperson. “Peter is quintessentially human, full of contradictions, hot-headed, humble, pious, wilful, swearing to stand by his Lord, and in the end, denying his connection to Jesus. Fear overcomes him when accused of being a follower of Jesus; and it is not until the descent of the Holy Spirit, at Pentecost, when Peter and all the disciples are emboldened” (ref:episcopalcafe.com/Teresa Donati).
The revelation of God has come to us through natural means, and the life struggles and our closer walk with God with better understanding. Revelation affirmed with our devotion and determination in the conviction.
Peter confesses that Christ was more than a national reformer, more than a miracle worker, more than a prophet, and he was the Messiah. The progressive revelation of Christ as Messiah and the Son of God has come as a culmination to Peter. Peter confessed with an exclamatory and explosive statement. However, suddenly he has revealed his incongruent fixing of the theme (ref:episcopalcafe.com/Teresa Donati).
Confession is the declaration of Faith. Peter confessed Christ as Son of God, which brought him praise from the Lord. Jesus told Peter that he was a blessed than all other disciples. The ultimatum of our focused and convinced confession of Christ, clearly identifying Christ as the Son of God is the blessedness of life on earth (ref: torahportions.ffoz.org).
The real understanding of Christ shifts our approach to Jesus, and the words of our prayers used weighed. More fear grips and we tremble before him. Behavior and attitude everything matter a lot. Baptist Preacher Thomson: “Once we realize that Jesus is more than just a man, it forces us to change how we approach Him. He’s not someone we can choose when to follow and when to disagree and go our own way. He’s not someone we can vote for or vote against. He’s not someone we follow for a while and then graduate” (ref: fbcthomson.org).
The confession of Peter about Jesus as Christ, as Messiah, as the “Anointed One,” is the fundamental Christian confession. Prophets, priests, and kings were anointed persons for specific calling (Exodus 40:12–15; 1 Samuel 16; and 1 Kings 19:16). So, the confession of Peter on Jesus as Messiah recognizes that Jesus as Prophet revealed God’s will, as Priest sacrificed Himself to atone for our sin, and as King Lords over creation (ref: ligonier.org).
The confession of Peter on Jesus as Son of God took place at Caesarea Philippi in the third year of ministry close to the death of Jesus Christ. According to the NT scholar William Barclay, “Caesarea Philippi lies about twenty-five miles north-east of the Sea of Galilee. It was outside the domain of Herod Antipas, who was the ruler of Galilee, and within the area of Philip the Tetrarch. The population was mainly non-Jewish, and there Jesus would have peace to teach the Twelve”.
Gospel writer Matthew writes to project the importance of Peter in church history. He narrates that Christ has come into this world to die for all. He has given the authority to Peter as the Chief of the Church. Church will be built on the identity, sacrifice, and humility of Jesus Christ and through committed disciples who will follow the same principles.
Jesus had the clarity of call and commitment and purpose. He knew that he had come to this world to seek and save the lost. He had to fulfill that mission only through suffering, crucifixion, and death. There is no short cut as Satan suggested after 40 days fast. He already condemned Satan not to cheat him and deviate him from the call. Now, Satan used Peter as his instrument to go against the Will of God. Often people go out of the mission work to deviate from the call due to the pressures mounted from friends, spouses, or blood relatives. Jesus could identify the voice of Satan discerned the motive of the person who was talking to him.
“Whoever takes us from that which is good, and would make us fear to do too much for God, speaks Satan's language. Whatever appears to be a temptation to sin, must be resisted with abhorrence, and not be parleyed with” (Matthew Henry). Early Church Father Origen comments that Jesus made Peter understand that his place is behind Jesus, not in front of him. Peter has to follow Jesus in the way Jesus chooses him to follow. Peter should not try to lead Jesus in the way Peter would like him to go. (ref:blueletterbible.org/David Guzik)
3. Value of Life (Matthew 16:21-28)
Our life is short, precious, quickly moves on the earth. The stopwatch used to calculate the time for athletes has come in very handy to understand the speed. The fraction of seconds turns into seconds, seconds turn into minutes, minutes turn into an hour, hours turn into a day, days turn into a week, weeks turn into months, months turn into a year, years turn into a decade, and decades turn into decay. Then we turn into dust and destroyed.
Life is not how many years we lived on the earth but how usefully and meaningfully we relate to one another. The benignity and integrity are valued higher than anything else. “There is all the difference in the world between existing and living. To exist is simply to have the lungs breathing and the heart beating; to live is to be alive in a world where everything is worthwhile, where there is peace in the soul, joy in the heart, and a thrill in every moment. Jesus here gives us the recipe for life as distinct from existence” (William Barclay). Jesus predicted his death on the cross, not as a champion of death for heroic recognition and popularity. But because of the brutality of human sin and the supreme expression of unmeasurable love of God.
One of the dominant and ever-recurring themes of Jesus expressed to men through teaching again and again, again and again, he confronted with the challenge of the Christian life found in Matthew 10:37-39, Mark 8:34-37, Luke 9:23-27, Luke 14:25-2, Luke 17:33, and John 12:25 are denied oneself, take up the cross and follow Jesus Christ on daily basis. Every follower must be prepared to do if he is to live a Christian life. In our day and generation, there is no place for Martyrdom even to full-time ministry. However, the truth remains the same. But if one constantly searches for safety, security, ease, and comfort, if every decision is taken from worldly-wise and prudential motives, then they are losing all that makes life worthwhile (William Barclay).
We are doing self-denial but God wants us to deny ourselves. The cross refers to every trouble that befalls us. We are apt to think we could bear another's cross better than our own. We ought to make the best of it. We must not by our rashness and folly pull crosses down upon our heads, but must take them up when they are in our way. If any man will have the name and credit of a disciple, let him follow Christ in the work and duty of a disciple. If all worldly things are worthless compared to the body, soul. Thousands lose their souls for the most trifling gain, or the most worthless indulgence, often from mere sloth and negligence. Whatever is the object for which men forsake Christ, that is the price at which Satan buys their souls. Yet one soul is worth more than all the world (ref:christianity.com/Matthew Henry).
Conclusion:
According to the Dictionary of the Bible, Themes' self-denial is “the willingness to deny oneself possessions or status, to grow in holiness and commitment to God.” Denying self means denouncing to be the center of existence(ref:gotquestions.org). Denying self is equivalent to Paul’s understanding of himself, on his achievements, his positions, and possessions in Philippians 3:7-8. Everything is equivalent to dust except the soul he possessed. Denying is overcoming the persistent fleshy demands of the Body. It is a daily exercise (1 Peter 4:1-2). Dietrich Bonhoeffer describes self-denial: “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” A follower of Jesus must be prepared to die if death is where the path of discipleship leads. (Galatians 2:20).
