Who is Jesus to YOU?

Matthew 16:13-20 says "When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

If you have ever been a teacher or at least tried to teach someone anything, you will understand what Jesus is feeling right now.   You teach, you work, you show, and you lead, and over and over again it seems like they just don’t get it! Then all of a sudden Bam! They get it; they understand! How many times have you seen Jesus with His disciples, and they just don’t seem to get it. 

17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church."

Jesus is saying my ekklesia, not my building but my gathering, my movement and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.  No matter what, this church, this ekklesia, this body of believers, will continue on forever!  On that confession that Jesus is Lord offering forgiveness for our sins, people are saved.

Then Jesus goes on to tell about His impending death in Matthew 16:21-23.  "21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

But look at what Peter did in verse 22.  22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Isn’t this just like we are.  I guess that is why I can relate to Peter.  He had just gotten a gold star from Jesus and was feeling pretty full of himself and then BOOM! He pulls a dufus stunt again.  He proceeds to correct the Lord! How many times do we turn the scriptures around for our own selfish needs?

Fast forward to Acts 1 when Jesus tells his disciples not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the gift God the Father had promised.  And while they waited, what did they do?  They prayed. 

The Fulton Street prayer meeting that sparked a revival in America in 1858 began with six people. Within six months there were ten thousand businessmen gathering daily for prayer in New York City, and within two years one million converts were added to the American church. A. T. Pierson said, "There has never been a revival in any country that has not begun in united prayer, and no revival has ever continued beyond the duration of those prayer meetings". We must prepare for any fresh outpouring of the Spirit by united, persistent prayer.

With the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was available to everyone who would embrace the message of Jesus!  You are the temple of God and that God dwells in you!  And when we gather in Jesus name, we are a part of this thing we call the church!  That confession still has the momentum that was fueled on the Day of Pentecost over 2000 years ago and is still as powerful today as it was then! 

In Him,

Pastor Boyd