August
17, 2008 – 14th
Sunday after
Pentecost –
Pastor Free
“You
are the Christ,
the Son of the
Living God”
1.
The
meaning of the
phrase
2.
The
revelation of
the meaning of
that phrase
3.
The
responsibility
associated with
knowing that
phrase
Matthew
16:13-20
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."
"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.
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."
Then
he warned his
disciples not to
tell anyone that
he was the
Christ.
Talk
about pressure.
We’ve
been there;
sitting in the
classroom –
day-dreaming.
We hear
our name. The
teacher repeats
the question.
Now we
have to come up
with an answer.
Now
imagine the
disciples.
Jesus
looks at them
and says, “Who
do you say I
am?” Who’s
going to answer?
They
breathe a sigh
of relief as
Peter speaks,
“You are the
Christ, the Son
of the living
God.” Peter
gave a flawless
answer, a
perfect 10.
But do we
understand the
answer? Let’s
look at that
phrase, “You
are the Christ,
the Son of the
living God”
and realize what
it means, how
Peter knew the
answer, and the
resulting
responsibility.
Jesus
wanted to hear
from the
disciples who
people thought
He was: “Jesus
asked His
disciples,
‘Who do people
say the Son of
Man is?”
The
disciples had
heard a variety
of answers,
“Some say John
the Baptist;
other say
Elijah; and
still others,
Jeremiah or one
of the
prophets.”
People
thought that
Jesus was just
another prophet
like Jeremiah or
that He was the
one sent to
prepare people
for the coming
of Jesus.
Then
Jesus turned His
attention to the
disciples.
”But
what about you?
Who do you
say I am?”
That’s
when Peter gave
an absolutely
marvelous
answer, “You
are the Christ,
the Son of the
living God.”
It’s an
answer I pray
we’d all give.
But
what’s that
answer me an and
why is it so
important to
know the answer?
Peter
called Jesus
“The Son of
the living
God.” He
didn’t say
you’re “a
son of God” or
“one of the
sons of God”.
Peter used
the singular -
son. He
used the article
“the”.
Peter was
saying Jesus is
the one and only
Son of God.
John made
that same point
referring to
Jesus as the,
“One and
Only”. Jesus
isn’t one of
many sons of
God, as we are
by faith. Peter
correctly says
Jesus is the One
and Only eternal
Son of God.
He
also referred to
Jesus as
“Christ”.
The word
Christ means,
“anointed
one”. From
eternity, God
anointed, or
designated, His
one and only Son
to be the Savior
of the world.
He
announced that
to Adam and Eve
in the Garden of
Eden. At
His birth, the
angels
introduced Jesus
as the
“Savior”.
Peter’s
answer
couldn’t have
been more
correct –
Jesus is the
Only Son of God
who’s the
anointed Savior
of the world.
People
are still
confused as to
who Jesus is.
Some say
Jesus was a
teacher. Other’s
say He’s a
created being,
but by virtue of
His excellent
life became a
son of God.
But today
Jesus looks at
us and says what
about you 9 3
who do you say I
am? I pray
that we answer
as Peter – you
are the one and
only eternal Son
of God,
designated form
eternity to be
my Savior, to
live a perfect
life because I
couldn’t, to
suffer God’s
anger for my
sins because it
would’ve
destroyed me, to
erase my sins
with your blood
because I was
powerless to do
so, to die on
the cross to
prepare a place
for me in
heaven. You’re
God’s Son, my
Savior.
That’s
the correct
answer.
And the reason
it’s so
important to
nail that
answer? Peter
said, “There
is no other name
under heaven
given to men by
which we must be
saved.” It
may seem trivial
to know the
correct answer.
But just
like knowing a
password allows
us access to our
electronic
checking
account, knowing
and believing
who Jesus is
allows us access
to God’s
family and
ultimately to
heaven’s
eternal glory.
But
how did Peter
know the correct
answer when so
many had no
clue? Others
saw the miracles
that Peter saw.
But their
reactions were
violently
opposed to
Jesus. Some
walked away from
Jesus. Others
tried to kill
Him. The
religious
leaders of that
day incited the
Romans to kill
Jesus. But
Peter nailed the
answer. He
scored a perfect
ten with His
answer. As
Jesus says,
“Blessed are
you, Simon.”
Can’t
you imagine
Peter’s chest
puffing out, his
head swelling.
He won the
gold medal with
that answer.
But
there was no
gold for
Peter’s
perfect answer.
Jesus
humbled Peter by
telling him,
“For this was
not revealed to
you by man, but
by my Father in
heaven.”
Do you
understand?
Jesus is
saying, Peter
you didn’t
come to the
conclusion that
I’m God’s
one and only
Son, the
anointed Savior
from sin, on
your own. My
Father revealed
that saving
truth to you.
He
convinced you of
that truth as
you heard Him
speak at my
baptism, as you
listened to my
teachings, and
heard God’s
Word every week
in the
synagogue.
That’s
the only reason
Peter knew that
saving truth.
God
revealed it to
Him. That’s
the only reaso n
we’re able to
say of Jesus,
“You are the
Christ, the Son
of the living
God.” On
our own we
don’t have a
clue as to who
Jesus is. By
nature we’re
dead in our
transgressions
and sins. We’re
spiritually
blind to who
Jesus is, as
Paul wrote,
“No eye has
seen what God
has prepared for
those who love
Him.” Just
as Peter needed
to have that
truth revealed
to Him, so do
we. Paul
clues us in as
to how that
saving truth is
revealed to us,
“No man can
say Jesus is
Lord except by
the Holy
Spirit.”
The
Holy Spirit
reveals Jesus to
us. But
the Holy Spirit
isn’t a
magician
magically
leading us to
that confession.
He’s a
mechanic. Just
like mechanics
use tools to fix
cars, the Holy
Spirit uses a
tool to lead us
to know who Jes
us is. The
tool is God’s
Word. The
Spirit uses the
Word to draw our
eyes to Jesus
and then
convinces us who
Jesus is – the
Son of God, the
anointed Savior
from sin. As
Olympic athletes
give credit to
coaches,
teammates, and
family for their
gold medal
performances, we
give glory to
God for leading
us to the gold
medal confession
of Jesus, “You
are the Christ,
the Son of the
living God.”
Do
you realize then
how important it
is to hear
God’s Word?
God’s
Word is to our
faith what food
is to our body
or what water is
to a plant.
Take food
away from the
body or water
from a plant and
they get weaker
and die. It’s
vital for us to
continue to hear
God’s Word
because it not
only leads us to
confess,
“Jesus is the
Christ the Son
of the living
God,” but it
keeps us
confessing that
saving truth.
That’s
why the psalmist
said, “I
rejoiced with
those who said
to me,
‘Let’s go to
the house of the
Lord.”
And
I know how busy
we are, how
tired, how
little time we
have to play,
and how we want
to be good hosts
to our Sunday
company.
Surely we’re
not expected to
be that faithful
to hearing the
Word. Well
remember what
God’s Word
does. It
causes us,” to
grow up in our
salvation” –
to stay strong
in our saving
confession of
Jesus. Plus
failing to hear
God’s Word is
a sin. God
said, “Let’s
not give up
meeting
together.” and
“Remember the
Sabbath Day by
keeping it
holy”.
Refusing to hear
God’s Word
causes a double
whammy, it
threatens our
faith and it’s
a sin that’s
punishable with
death and
eternal hell.
That’s
why it’s such
a blessing to
hear God’s
Word. It
directs our eyes
to Jesus. We
see Him as the
one God anointed
to be our Savior
from sin. We
see Him carrying
out His mission
so willingly,
“Who for the
joy set before
Him endured the
cross.” We
look at Jesus on
the cross and
say, What love!
Jesus is
there for me.
He’s
suffering the
curse for my
sin; paying the
debt for my sin;
earning a place
in heaven for
me. Hearing
God’s Word
leads us to
continue to make
that gold medal
confession,
“Jesus is the
Christ the Son
of the living
God”. Jesus is
God’s one and
only Son, my
only Savior from
sin.
As
God reveals the
saving truth
about Jesus to
us, He gives us
responsibility.
Jesus
said, “I will
give you the
keys to 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.”
The keys
is a special
power and right
that God gives
to His people to
not forgive
people who
aren’t sorry
for their sins
but to forgive
those who are
sorry for their
sins.
Talk
about a huge
responsibility.
If people
refuse to repent
of their sin God
says don’t
assure them of
forgiveness.
That
sounds horrible.
But
offering
forgiveness to
someone who’s
not sorry is
like giving a
drink to an
alcoholic.
It’ll=2
0harm them.
If we
forgive someone
who’s not
sorry they’ll
just figure all
is well,
continue in that
sin and drift
farther from
God. By
refusing to
assure them of
forgiveness
we’re showing
them the
seriousness of
their sin and
encouraging them
to repent.
And if
someone is sorry
for their sins?
We simply
assure them that
Jesus, with His
death on the
cross has
totally erased
their sin.
Our
responsibility
when people
repent is not to
judge the
genuineness of
their
repentance.
It isn’t
to override God,
who said, “If
we confess our
sins He is
faithful and
just and will
forgive us our
sins.” Our
God-given
responsibility
is to assure
that person that
Jesus, the very
Son of God,
anointed by God
to be their
Savior is just
that, their
Savior. Our
responsibility
is to simply
assure that
person that
their sins,
thanks t o Jesus
suffering, blood
and death, have
been tossed away
as far as the
east is from the
west.
But
aren’t there
times when we
refuse to
forgive? That’s
sin. That
means we’re
drifting from
God. Our
place in His
family in
threatened.
When we
refuse to obey
this command of
God then this is
where we need to
be, hearing
God’s Word.
What’ll
happen then?
The Holy
Spirit will work
through that
Word to open our
eyes to our sin
and lead us to
repent. He’ll
direct our eyes
to Jesus’
cross where we
see Him suffer
for our sins,
erase them with
His blood and
earn a place for
us in heaven
with His death.
As
the thrill and
peace of being
forgiven sets
in, we better
realize who
Jesus is – the
Christ, the Son
of the living
God - and what
He’s done –
earned a secured
a place for us
in heaven.
And guess
what we’ll be
willing to take
– take the
responsibility
that God’s
given to us and
willingly
forgive all
those who repent
of their sins.
You
know there’s
no pressure when
we hear Jesus
ask, “But what
about you, who
do you say I
am?”
By
God’s grace we
know the answer
as we’ve
learned it from
God’s Word.
We’re
thrilled by that
answer as
God’s revealed
it to us. Jesus
is the Son of
God. He is
our Savior from
sin. That’s
a perfect
answer, a gold
medal answer
that leads us to
stand, not on
the gold medal
podium, but on
the golden
streets of the
heavenly
Jerusalem.
***********************************************************
Pentecost
13 – 8/10/08
– Rev. Peter
Sulzle
1.
That
persistently
pleads for
mercy.
2.
That
collects crumbs
of mercy.
Matt.
15:21-28
21
Leaving
that place,
Jesus withdrew
to the region of
Tyre and Sidon. 22
A
Canaanite woman
from that
vicinity came to
him, crying out,
“Lord, Son of
David, have
mercy on me! My
daughter is
suffering
terribly from
demon-possession.”
23 Jesus
did not answer a
word. So his
disciples came
to him and urged
him, “Send her
away, for she
keeps crying out
after us.”
24
He
answered, “I
was sent only to
the lost sheep
of Israel.” 25
The
woman came and
knelt before
him. “Lord,
help me!” she
said. 26
He
replied, “It
is not right to
take the
children’s
bread and toss
it to their
dogs.” 27
“Yes,
Lord,” she
said, “but
even the dogs
eat the crumbs
that fall from
their masters’
table.” 28
Then
Jesus answered,
“Woman, you
have great
faith! Your
request is
granted.” And
her daughter was
healed from that
very hour.
You have
great faith!
That’s
quite a
compliment,
especially when
Jesus is giving
it. What
does a great
faith look like
to you?
Surely
we’d think the
person with
great faith has
to be very
trustworthy,
service
oriented,
ministry minded,
adversity
tested, and
spiritually
gifted.
Maybe
some of the
apostles come to
mind like Peter,
James, and John.
But do
you recall what
Jesus told Peter
last week,
“You of little
faith.”
Peter
lost focu s on
Jesus when he
was walking on
the water.
Then
compare Peter to
this woman we
hear about
today.
At first
glance, you
wouldn’t think
Jesus would
commend a
desperate
Canaanite
foreigner for
her great faith.
But he
did.
Today
we’ll learn
from Jesus what
makes a great
faith.
You’ll
see how God can
say to you,
“You have
great faith.”
A faith
that
persistently
pleads for
mercy.
A faith
that collects
crumbs of mercy.
We
find Jesus
traveling
northwest by the
Mediterranean
Sea to the
region of Tyre
and Sidon.
Most of
the people in
this Canaanite
region were
dubbed as
heathen
foreigners.
Nevertheless
a Canaanite
woman from that
vicinity came to
him, crying out,
“Lord, Son of
David, have
mercy on me!
My
daughter is
suffering
terribly from
demon-possession.”
This is a
desperate parent
who has made her
child’s misery
her own.
She
realizes the
situation is out
of her control.
Her child
is
demon-possessed.
She could
not communicate
rationally.
She was
in pain and
danger.
She was
violent with
others.
The
future looked
bleak.
But this
wo man knew
where to go.
She
sought out and
cried out to
Jesus, “Lord,
Son of David.”
She
confessed him as
the promised
Messiah who
could work a
miracle for her.
She
pleaded for
mercy realizing
she deserved to
have Jesus turn
his back on her.
But Jesus
did not answer a
word.
We’re
not even told
why.
It could
have been a way
to test her
faith or help
her lean on the
promises she
knew.
After the
episode of
Peter’s
floundering
faith, it could
have been meant
to show the
disciples a
great,
persistent
faith.
Either
way, Jesus
didn’t answer
and it led to
further
conversation.
After
much pleading,
his disciples
came to him and
urged him,
“Send her
away, for she
keeps crying out
after us.”
It seems
that the
disciples wanted
Jesus to grant
her request, not
so much because
they had
compassion on
her, but because
they were
annoyed.
Jesus
responded, “I
was sent only to
the lost sheep
of Israel.”
His
earthly ministry
was largely
spent
ministering to
God’s chosen
Jewish nation.
Jesus
wasn’t saying
that he was sent
only to save
Israel.
The woman
knew this.
She knew
he was the
Savior of all.
So even
when Jesus kept
silent and even
when the
disciples wanted
her to go away
and even when
Jesus says his
ministry is
largely to
another group of
people, she kept
pleading.
She fell
to her knees and
cried, “Lord,
help me!”
Talk
about
persistence!