Matthew 16 13-20 (2)
14th Sunday a. Pentecost
Matthew 16: 13-20
August 25th, 2002
Jesus Who?
Introduction: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. In 1967 a movie starring Spencer Traci, Katherine Hepburn and Sidney Poitier was released. Two liberal parents are shocked when their daughter, whom they raised to think for herself, brings home her new fiancé – a black man. You can imagine their shock and there distress. Their shock was the result of their own prejudice. The social norms of their day and their own expectations couldn’t prepare them to “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” While Spencer Traci and Katherine Hepburn couldn’t guess who the fiancé was we are not left guessing who are Savior is. Yet we are surrounded by a world that does not know Him. In their ignorance, when they hear about Jesus Christ, they are likely to ask the question Jesus Who? Our Lord Jesus asked his disciples who men thought He was. Then Jesus asked them who they thought He was. Now He asks each and every one of us – Who do you say that I am? It’s a question that every man and woman will be asked. The answer will determine eternal destiny.
I. Jesus Who? Confession
A. The Worlds Confession revealed by flesh. Then. Throughout history, since our Lord’s appearing, people have had opinion about Jesus. Most of these opinions have been based on natural knowledge and superstitious thinking. This was true in Jesus day and it is true in ours. Jesus asked His disciples who the people thought that he was. Some thought that he was John the Baptist resurrected from the dead. This was the opinion held by King Herod who had killed John the Baptist. Perhaps he superstitiously feared that the Baptist had returned to life to haunt him. Other people thought that Jesus might be the prophet Elijah, returning to earth from Heaven to herald the Messiahs coming as prophesied by the prophet Malachi. Jesus, like Elijah did many miracles. Some people thought that Jesus might be Jeremiah. In many ways Jesus was a suffering prophet. Jesus too, was met with contempt by the religious elite. Like Jeremiah, Jesus was rejected. Obviously they respected Jesus and gave Him a lot of distinction as a man of God. But they did not see Him as Jesus, the Son of God.
Now In our day too, there are many opinions, many confessions about Jesus. Some people say that He was a great teacher. If we do what He said and live the way He lived, our world would be a better place. Some people see Him as a spiritual man – one of many in the history of the world. These people compare Him to the Buddha, the Dalai Lama, or Mohammed all of which they say are great spiritual leaders. And all these leaders, they say, lead to Heaven. Some people believe that Jesus merely showed us the way to Heaven. He was just a trailblazer. In the end it is still up to us to get there on our own. To some, He was just a great man who influenced the world. These are the confessions of the world about who Jesus is. People that hold these opinions are like Spencer Traci and Katherine Hepburn. They were willing to accept an ordinary white man, but a black man, that was another thing. The people of the world are willing to accept Jesus as a man; but as the God man Jesus Christ, that’s another thing. It is one thing to see Jesus as a holy man. But it is another thing to believe in Him as the Holy God who willingly takes the ungodliness of the world upon himself. The world’s confessions about Jesus are based on natural knowledge and superstition. It is all that flesh and blood can reveal. These confessions about Jesus are false. They leave man in sin and despair. On the one hand they give the false hope that God is pleased with a certain way of life, religion of any kind, or holy living. On the other hand failure to live in these ways brings despair and lose of hope.
B. Our Confession revealed by the Father, grace. Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter responds, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered, blessed are you Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in Heaven.” Jesus, by telling Peter that he has an earthly father, Jonah, is telling Peter that on his own he cannot know who Jesus truly is. Peter is a man of the earth with only natural knowledge and superstition. He can’t get the answer right. But by God’s rich grace, through the revelation of scripture and Christ’s own word Peter believes and rightly confesses Jesus as the Christ. From this confession springs life itself. Jesus is the Savior who died for the sins of the world. Believe in Him and live. We have heard Peter’s confession. By God’s grace and His Holy Spirit in us we have believed. The Father leads us to the Son and the Son reveals the Father and the Holy Spirit enables us to believe. Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except by me.” Trust in God’s Word to you, hold Him to his word and promise and lean not to your own understanding for it is by the Spirit that you believe and not your flesh. Here is the difference between the religions of men and Christianity. The religions of men have their origins on earth and in the philosophies of men. The revelation of Jesus Christ and the faith that is stirred comes from heaven. It is from above, given by the inspiration of God through the apostles and prophets.
II. Jesus Who? Our Key to Heaven. Jesus is the door to heaven. In the Gospel of John, the tenth chapter Jesus says, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door for the sheep. "All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, and the sheep did not hear them. "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved. Faith in Him as Savior is our key of entry. Our Faith has been given to us for a purpose. It has been given that we may obtain the blessing of God and that we might share that blessing with the world. The confession of Peter that Jesus is the Savior of the world is the key that opens and closes the door to heaven. We are to clearly proclaim the good news of Jesus to the world. In so doing we announce God’s judgment on sin and the earthly philosophies of men. We announce the grace of God and forgiveness in Jesus Christ. Through whom the treasures of heaven are obtained. The holder of the keys must make them available to all people. The church does not judge the world. Instead it announces the gospel, and grace falls on those who believe and judgment falls on those who do not. This is not from mans own opinion, rather from God’s own word and Christ’s own lips – He will come to judge us all.
III. Jesus Who? Our Testimony to the World. Our Heavenly Father has revealed His Son to be the only Savior of the world. We have a confession of faith in Jesus to make before the world. Certainly we are making that confession as we worship here today. We make confession to the world as we come to the table of the Lord and receive the gospel of forgiveness in Christ’s body and blood. We are publicly proclaiming to the world that there is forgiveness in Christ. While we make the good confession of faith here in this church our Missouri Synod stands at a crossroad. Following the tragedy of September 11th we, as a member of the Missouri synod, participated in a prayer service in Yankee stadium. Our synod is embroiled in a bitter battle about the appropriateness of our participation. Some people say that it was a witness to the world for Jesus. Other people believe that Jesus has been sold out. The question boils down to this. It’s a year ago since September 11th. People all over the country are gathering together for prayer. What would you think if after our service here today we met in front of the parsonage? What would you think about a Jewish Rabbi and a Muslim Imam joining us? What would you think if we joined hands in a symbol of unity and joined in prayer? Can we pray together with religious leaders that clearly reject Jesus Christ as God and Savior? Is praying with such people a clear confession of faith from the church that holds the keys of heaven and hell? What we do and say, as a church does matter. And so does what we say as individuals.
Conclusion: Imagine Peter, face to face with our Lord. Then comes the question, “Who do you say that I am?” Soon – it will be your turn. You too will stand face to face with Jesus. He will look you in the eye and ask you that same question. “Who do you say that I am?” By the grace of God and by His power may we speak boldly and with certainty – You are the Christ the Son of God. On You the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.
Amen.