Still Not Outnumbered 8/24/14

Still Not Outnumbered 8/24/14

Nearing the end of his gospel Matthew records Jesus asking his disciples a weighty question: “Who do people say that I am?” after a variety of responses ranging from John the Baptist to Elijah, Jesus asked another. “Who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

For Peter to declare that Jesus was the Messiah was to pronounce in faith that a thousand plus years of Jewish prophecy was being fulfilled right then and there, and further that some of the preconceived profitable beliefs held by powerful people as to who the Messiah would be and what he would do were inaccurate. It meant that Jesus was the figure that the entire plan of God pointed to. More than mere words, Peter’s confession changed his life and his confession still leads the church and the world today.

“Blessed are you Simon.” God intervening in the dilemma of man to save man’s soul. God interacting with man personally to convict then redeem from sin, God building the church (His redeemed)to be His body and complete His work. Blessed are you ______________. (insert name here)