Introduction

We are all now fully aware of face coverings after several months of hearing about them, wearing them and sometimes desperately trying to remember if this or that circumstance means you are required to wear one or not and also we are very used to realising that you've forgotten to bring a mask with you and so must either return home, or, what has become the normal course of action now, is buy yet another mask.

One of the circumstances where we were aware of masks, or face coverings, apart from our experience of hospitals maybe, was with superheroes, as we hear about earlier, and of course if you are robbing something or somebody. The reason for them is to hide the identity of the wearer from others. And yes masks hide something of who we are, our features, whether you think those features are good or bad, or whether they should be hidden from view or not. I’ve heard the phrase that you can smile with your eyes but face coverings really do prevent people from seeing your smile, frown or grimace, whichever one is appropriate for the circumstances. Luckily the Paddington Bear stare still works.

Knowing or seeing who someone really is, means we need to see them completely and that most definitely means seeing their face. At the moment, and I bet no one envisaged 6 months ago that we would still be a little obsessed with masks and how much it disguises something about us.

Our full identity is hidden by face coverings, who we are can be obscured and in the reading to day Jesus is keen to move the disciples on and reveal who He really is. To remove the mask that they may see, instead of the real Jesus.

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Caesarea Philippi

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves because, where, Jesus reveals the truth to the disciples is also very important as well. Caesarea Philippi

Caesarea Philippi is mentioned in this reading and also in Mark 8:27, which is essentially the same event. It is the northern limit of the Lord’s public ministry. There is some debate but it is also thought to be the same place mentioned in Joshua 11:17 as Baal-Gad or Baal-Hermon (Judges 3:3; 1 Chronicles 5:23), the place of a Canaanite sanctuary to Baal. The river Banias begins as a spring that wells up on the site hence the importance of water to life and growth and also to the worship of Baal, a fertility deity and one of the most important gods in the pantheon of the Canaanites.

It also became an important centre of the worship of the pagan God Pan, who is very similar in his appearance to ball, and became an important administrative centre for the region and also importantly the place Herod erected a temple in honour of Caesar. Jesus reveals who He is in a place of worship and homage of false gods.

The disciples would have known these things and would have heard the stories, so in the midst of all of this worship of other gods, it was vital that they knew Jesus was not just another of these desperate and false deities but that He was the living God made manifest in flesh. The one called to save the world. God with us, not merely an image created and carved by man.

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Who do men say I am?

Jesus chooses this Gentile place, not Jerusalem or the temple, to reveal himself more completely to his disciples, perhaps giving us a hint of God’s concern for the whole world that Jesus goes on to make explicit in the Great Commission (28:19-20). The Gentiles were part of God’s plan of redemption.

But rather than just telling the disciples his identity, Jesus asks his disciples who others believe the Son of Man to be. Son of Man is the title Jesus most often uses to identify himself, especially in Matthew anyway, (Matthew 8:20; 9:6; 10:23; 11:19; 12:8, 32; 13:37,41; 16:13, 27; 17:9, 12, 22; 19:28; 20:18, 28; 24:27, 30, 37, 39; 25:31; 26:2, 24, 45, 64).

The title, Son of Man, comes from Daniel 7:13-14, where God gave to the one “like a Son of Man” “dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that shall never be destroyed.”

Once more, what Jesus actually says, is vital in dispelling misconceptions and especially the connections with the man made gods of this world. The title, Son of Man, has the advantage of having none of the military connotations associated with the title, Messiah. People expected the Messiah to raise an army, to drive out the Romans, and to re-establish the great Davidic kingdom. Expectations we, if we are honest, can also have from time to time. It normally happens when we find ourselves in difficult situations. The pagan gods were often called upon to fight and rout the enemies of the people but “the son of man” is a title reserved for the one who will save “the whole world” even His and our enemies, so the disciples have no expectations of the Son of Man fighting against flesh and blood and this would go to distancing Himself from the gods or the ideas of this world.“the living God” contrasts with the lifeless idols that would be so prevalent in the streets of Caesarea Philippi.

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Some say

The answers given were “Some say John the Baptiser, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets” (v. 14). The disciples tell Jesus that people think of him as: It is interesting that these are not explicitly the thoughts of the disciples but I do wonder if they were thinking along similar lines? These observations do have echoes in Jesus’ life and purpose.

John the Baptist, who was unfairly murdered. Because we, and rightly so, focus on Jesus we don’t truly appreciate the impact John had and that he was such a powerful presence that the people would have remembered him and not been surprised to see him again. Indeed, and as we read in John 14:2 even Herod thinks that Jesus might be the resurrected John.

Some thought he was the prophet Elijah, the worker of miracles, who was expected to reappear “before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes” (Malachi 4:5). So the fact that miracles followed many of Jesus’ teaching it’s not that unusual to think they may think that Elijah had returned.

And also with the prophet Jeremiah, who had opposed the religious leaders in Jerusalem and had predicted the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. All echoes of Jesus’ ministry.

It is clear that people think well of Jesus and have pegged him as a prophet. However, when they try to identify him, they do so in terms of past experience or past ideas and how others may have described Him. Many of those ideas are often far from correct because of misunderstandings or even prejudice.

It is interesting and vital, to know people’s opinions of Jesus. Many have said He is a variant of any other holy person, a rebel or rabble rouser or simply a jolly good bloke who said some nice things. I won’t go through the whole of C S Lewis’ formulation, sometimes called his trilemma, of who Jesus was, except to quote this A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. I encourage you to look up the rest of it.

Knowing how people perceive Jesus helps us to begin to relate to them who He really is. Not being afraid or upset by their opinion of Him goes some way to help us “ to give an answer for the hope that is within us” All we need to do is not to be afraid to ask the question “who do you say He is?”

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But who do you think I am?

Jesus’ first question does not simply prepare the disciples for his second, but is also important for us, His current disciples and for those outside of the church.

We all need to be prepared for what it means to us that Jesus is who He said He is, because it will affect the way we interact with God, each other and the rest of the world. How can we answer others if we do not know ourselves, or we do not appreciate what it means to us first, so how then can we then explain to those who are not sure.

The all-important question is ultimately this v. 5 Who do you say I am. The verse actually starts with a BUT… The beginning and also our continuing, in our discipleship hangs on our answer to this question. The BUT means “For us, for me, Jesus and also for you, and in this case the disciples, the answer really does matter. BUT is an encouragement to work out who Jesus is in our lives and not being distracted by what others think. If you decide that Jesus is John or whatever prophet then there is no point in our discipleship. Because as C S Lewis puts it, then we are following a mad man who thinks he’s a poached egg. And although I love poached eggs I’m not going to waste my time following one.

So you see how we answer this question is critical. Uncertainty equates to unbelief at this point. To be Christian means believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Anything else is less than Christian.

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“But who do you say that I am?” cont...

When Jesus says, “But who do you say that I am?” the you, is both firm and directed to all. He addresses this question to the disciples at large rather than to just Peter only. One thing we need to remember and must not worry about too much, is that people are free to believe whatever they want about Jesus. Honestly they are. There is no collusion or threat to believe this or that. The matter of faith is free if we so choose. And firstly it is not our job to police people's beliefs. Paul in 1 Corinthians writing to a less than moral church says this...

“I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral … In that case you would have to leave this world … what business is it of mine to judge those outside the Church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. (1 Corinthians 5:9. 12-13).

… Secondly the job of revealing who Jesus truly is and changing others' answers to the question “who do you think I am?” is not us, it is the Holy Spirit working in them, our job is to show Jesus is who He said He was. That is shown in how we follow Him.

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“You are the Christ”

“Simon Peter answered” “You are the Christ (Messiah)” (v. 16b). Christos means “anointed” or “the anointed one.” Israel anointed people with oil to set them apart for a special role, such as prophet, priest, or king. Anointing indicated not only that God had chosen this or that person, but also that God would give the person the ability to fulfill the role.

But when Peter said, “You are the Christ,” he was going one step further—a giant leap forward for mankind. Israel had, for many years, been looking for God to send a saviour—someone like King David of old, who had led Israel to greatness. Israel was looking for God to send a Messiah to do that again—to, and I do not like to use this term but it is fitting, make Israel great again—to save Israel from oppressors such as Rome, who ruled Israel during Jesus’ lifetime. When Peter said, “You are the Christ,” he was saying, “You are the saviour for whom we have waited for centuries. You are the one sent from God to save us.”

We are not surprised to hear that Jesus is the Christ. Matthew began with the words, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ” (1:1), and Matthew has used the word Christ several times by now (1:16-18; 2:4; 11:2). We have responded to the fact we believe He is the Christ. We are followers are we not? However, we cannot know what the disciples thought when they first left everything to follow Jesus. Presumably they have grown in their understanding as they followed him day by day. This, however, is the first time that a disciple has acknowledged that Jesus is the Christ.

And isn’t that exactly what happens to us? I know for me that although I was very much anti religion (and in a way I still am) I had still heard of Jesus. I thought I knew who He was and attributed all kinds of things to Him, mainly shaped by my own prejudice and pretty much all of them very wrong. However when I actually met Him that all changed, I changed, how I saw the world changed. But that was not static. I have grown to know Jesus more in the 30 years of faith. In 30 years of relationship I have grown and not always in the right direction ;-) and I have learnt more and more about Jesus in those years. Jesus has not changed, I have changed and my view of Him has changed. He is more than He was when I first believed. He will continue to be more as I, hopefully, change in our relationship.

And that is the nub of a statement like Peter’s, it demands commitment. If he truly believes that Jesus is the Messiah, he will have to give his all in Jesus’ service. That is also true for us. That lifelong commitment, discipleship and relationship with Him must be all and everything. To say Jesus is “Christ” and truly believe it, is not a throwaway reflection but a revelation of what our lives are meant to be and a realisation of God’s love for us. A love that gives itself completely, unto death, for us.

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“Blessed are you"

“Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah (Greek: Bariona), for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.”

“for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven” (v. 17). Peter did not arrive at his insight by his own spiritual astuteness. God has given him this understanding of Jesus. Peter’s insight comes by revelation, not deduction. His understanding is a gift from God. Our coming to faith comes because of God’s Spirit revealing who Jesus truly is to us. The discourse with Nicodemus in John 3 removes some of the misconceptions Nicodemus has, about God and faith and changes Nicodemus. By God’s Spirit will are born again.

In this statement to Peter, Jesus reveals the third person of the trinity at work and in union with the Father and the Son. Peter recognises Jesus as the Christ because the Father reveals that truth to him through the Holy Spirit.

The three in unity in the great work of salvation. Peter can’t really, truly understand what has been revealed to him, but that understanding will become more and more clear as he continues to follow Jesus.

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“I will build my Church”

Now, there may be some expectation of what we might talk about here. However, I’m not going there. I’m not entering into the whole what did this mean or that mean. Does it mean this or the other about church. I only want to say that I believe it is impossible to imagine building a gathered people on a fundamentally flawed human being. It does not take long for that to manifest itself in Peter going from having the truth of Jesus revealed to him, being a ROCK, to forgetting that and becoming a STUMBLING BLOCK in 16:22-23… But I would say one thing, what I have just said is true of any church. No church is built on a flawed person and that includes EVERY GATHERED PEOPLE…. You have been warned.

...No the church is built on the cornerstone, the first born among the dead, the alpha and omega and most importantly each one of us stands on the truth of the Christ, the the son of God, giving Himself completely for us, dying in our place, forgiving us our sins, building up His people in relationship and sending the Holy Spirit to continue His work in us and the world.

In the light of the verses before, the important and often telling single word in this statement is “I”. It is Jesus who builds the church. The church belongs to him. The apostles and other Christians play supporting roles, and those roles are important, all of our roles are important, whatever they are. However, Jesus is the Christ, He has the lead role, He builds HIS church.

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“and the gates of Hades”

“and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it” (v. 18d) Jesus’ words assure us that, the church and we will endure repeated assaults by the powers of evil, it and we will prevail in the end.

Once again it is vitally important for our lives of faith, for our understanding of who we are and what place and purpose we play within this relationship, to be reminded that this statement is not spoken in isolation and the gates of hades (hell) will not prevail against it (the church) is not about how hard and how with it and in control we are as God’s people but that Jesus’ church and us will prevail because of Him.

“I will build my church and… the gates of hades (hell) will not prevail against it” If Christ builds something it will not fail. If God calls something into being it will not crumble and if the Holy Spirit begins a work in someone that work will prevail until it is completed.

The Greek idea of hell (or Hades) was provided with gates that were there to prevent those inside from getting out and those outside (the living) from breaking in. In Greek mythology the only one to wish to voluntarily enter Hades was Orpheus who, consumed by grief on the death of his wife, charmed even Hades (The God the place was named after) to allow him to retrieve her. However that didn’t end well. Greek myths never do.

Driven by a far greater love than Orpheus had for his wife, Christ does enter hades, and finally breaks the power of death for us all in His resurrection. The gates of Hades will not withstand Christ’s resurrection assault on them. It is the Christ that will conquer death and open the gates, not us, but us in Him, as His Church. The redeemed among the dead will rise again and stride confidently through those broken gates.

But it is hard to imagine that, when we are simply struggling with normal life. I know that for me I’m not thinking about any gates, Hades or garden wise, when I’m just going about doing the simple business of life. The thoughts of Hades never seem to impinge on my everyday life. So what can it mean?

What does impinge on my life as a christian is all the fears, worries, anxieties and thoughts of being inadequate for the task before me. They could be in many areas such as my prayer life, my witness, finding the purpose God has for me. You may insert or delete as appropriate. Why do we do that? We are told constantly “not to worry”, “do not fear”, “I am with you”, “my grace is sufficient for you” on and on and on, we hear words of comfort and commission but still we stall.

In the light of Peter's confession of Jesus being the Christ these words “and the gates of hades will not prevail” follow to remind us that although we struggle in the flesh, because of Him, we will never see death. Although we sometimes fear the world and our own inadequacies, because of Jesus, we will prevail. Because of, the Christ, the son of the living God, nothing can stop us, nothing can separate us from God’s love because we no longer need to fear death. It is hard to get to grips with but it is fundamental to how we react to the revelation that Jesus is the Christ. It is a driving force that can open up our relationship of wonder, worship and awe of all that Jesus has done and continues to do. Death does not have a hold on us anymore. Death is what temporarily separates us from our loved ones but never from the one who wholly and completely loves us more than anyone else can ever do. The one who has brought our freedom from those fears of inadequacy, freedom from the worries of life and the pressure the world tries to exert on us.

Jesus is not what the world thinks He is. He is not carved by the hands of man or imagined by their simple minds. but He is the son of the living God in who we place our trust and whatever we face, whatever we fear, in Christ, we will now and forever, prevail.

Lets pray...

Prayer

“And you,” Jesus goes on, “who do you say I am?”

Who do we say Jesus is?

His purpose
His mission
His love
His sacrifice

The Christ

What is our relationship with Jesus?

His purpose
His mission
His love
His sacrifice

The Christ

What does that relationship say to others? About

His purpose
His mission
His love
His sacrifice

Take a moment to think about, what is Christ to me?

Think about our friends, neighbours and families….

Do I give witness to who Jesus is my life not only about what I say but by how I let Jesus change and reconfigure my priorities.

...Those we work with, know and meet with...

Do I give witness to who Jesus is my life not only about what I say but by how I let Jesus change and reconfigure my priorities.

How can we be the catalyst for others to come to answer that question “who do you say I am?” with “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Lords Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.