"THE QUESTION"-REACH NIGHT

Matthew 16:13-18 “Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

IT IS A UNIVERSAL QUESTION.

>>>(v.13-14) This was a question posed to everyone around Jesus that they would answer.

>>>Even if people were not directly asked this question, they answered in some way with how they responded to Jesus.

*John the Baptist (resurrected; preaching and baptizing)

*Elijah (forerunner of the messiah-not the Messiah Himself) (Messiah was promised to free Israel)

*Prophets (one of the OT prophets back from the dead)

*Outside of this, some even said possessed.

IT IS A PERSONAL QUESTION.

>>>(v.15) The disciples answered for everyone else, but then Jesus turned the question on them.

*“You” is plural-still a bit universal but intro to personal.

>>>(v.16) Contrasting first time Jesus asks, only Peter answers.

*He confessed that Jesus was the Promised Messiah but also the Son of God (purpose/deity).

IT IS A PURPOSEFUL QUESTION.

>>>(v.17) It took the Father to show Peter Who Jesus truly was.

>>>(v.18) Only after Peter’s confession of Jesus was he able to truly have a purpose in his life, though there were still times of him messing up.

>>>Christ would changed Peter’s life and use him to establish the church.