Pentecost XIV, Cycle A
The Rev. Dr. David M. Wendel
Saint Luke’s Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Lessons: Isaiah 51:1-6; Romans 12:1-8; St. Matthew 16:13-20
One of the first things our kids said, after looking at our pictures of Germany was, “Wow, they have a lot of statues in Germany.” The actual first thing Christopher said was, “Did you spend all your time in churches?” But, the two questions go together, because all over Germany, when you go into churches and cathedrals and chapels, you can’t help but be impressed with the statues. And you know, of course, who you see represented in most statues, in most churches in Germany? No, not Doctor Luther, but St. Peter! Yes, all over Germany, and I think, all over Europe, when you enter a church or a cathedral, even if it’s dedicated to some other saint, usually, somewhere is a statue of St. Peter. And why is that? Largely, it’s because of our gospel lesson for today. Largely, it’s because Peter is the first to confess his own belief, that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Largely, it’s because Jesus says to Peter, “I tell you, you are Peter, Petros, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.”
The unfortunate fact is that after the reformation, Lutherans and other reformers—not Luther, but those who came after him, rejected any special place for Peter, because they rejected the papacy and it’s worldliness and corruption. But now that we Lutherans are not looking at everything through anti-Roman lenses, we can look at Peter more honestly, and see his role in the Church for what Jesus intended it to be, and for what it has been throughout the ages. And what we see, honestly, is that Peter was clearly the first among the apostles. Peter was always first to speak up, first to step forward, and so, sometimes first to doubt and deny and fail. But in this passage, Peter is also, first to step out, in faith, to make this confession of Jesus as the Christ, Son of the living God. And this is no small accomplishment. We see throughout the gospels that again and again, the disciples seem to have no clue who Jesus is, or what He’s about. Jesus even goes the extra mile, at times, to explain it to them, but they're still, confused and unsure. Which makes it all the more significant that Peter is able to make his confession!
Given the shaky track record of the disciples thus far, what is it that finally convinces Peter? What is it that finally helps Peter to see the truth about Jesus? Jesus answers these questions when he says to Peter, “Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.” The fact is Peter didn’t discover who Jesus was, by his own study, or examination; Peter didn’t scour the Jewish scriptures to unearth the truth about Jesus, born as Son of man, and Son of the Living God. No, this was revealed to Peter, by the Father, in heaven. It was divine revelation that convinced Peter, and divine revelation that Peter was affirming, when he confessed Jesus to be the Messiah, the Christ. It was divine revelation that showed this truth to Peter. But this truth was confirmed, by Peter’s own experience. There’s a great discussion in the church these days about the role of experience, and whether subjective experience has anything to say to us about the objective truth of revelation. And though we firmly believe that revealed truth is revealed truth, whether or not we experience it as truth, still, experience can affirm for us, the truth that has been revealed. The resurrection of Jesus, for example, is an actual, factual event that happened in history. But that event is made real for me, when I experience the risen, living Jesus, present in my life, taking my hand, leading me on, lifting me up. And this, surely, is what happened to Peter. The Father revealed the truth to Peter, that Jesus was the only begotten Son, come down from heaven. And Peter’s confession is based on that revealed truth—made real for Peter, in the experience Peter had just had, with Jesus, walking on the water. Just two weeks ago, we heard the account of Jesus, coming to the disciples in the boat on the raging seas. It happened just days before the encounter we hear about in today’s gospel. And you remember that Peter wants to walk on water, and starts to, at Jesus’ command—but then is distracted, and doubts, and begins to sink, and Peter cries out, “Lord, save me!” And Jesus reaches out and does save Peter. And it is then, for the first time, that Peter, and those in the boat with him worship Jesus, saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God.” And in that, we see that Jesus is revealing, to Peter, who He is, as well, by saving Peter, from doubt and drowning. And it is both of these, that convince Peter, and affirm for Him, who Jesus is. It is revealed to Peter, by the Father in heaven, and it is revealed to Peter, by Jesus, who reaches out to sinking Peter, and saves Him. And in the fullness of this revelation, Peter is convinced. In the fullness of this revelation, Peter confesses Jesus to be the Messiah, the anointed one. And Jesus sees this as the very rock upon which He would build His Church. The rock is both Peter, convinced and confessing Jesus—and the rock is the confession of the whole Church, “You are the Christ, Son of the Living God!”
And what does all this say to us? It says, first, that Jesus wants to be known…that God is at work, always, trying to reveal to us, and to the world, the truth about His Son. There are many different opinions today, as in Peter’s time, about who Jesus is, ranging from people who think he’s only a great teacher to those who see him as the champion of oppressed peoples everywhere! But today, as in biblical times, as throughout the ages, God the Father, and Jesus himself, are at work revealing the truth-the truth that God wants all to see and know, that Jesus is the Messiah, the One Anointed to bring salvation to the world, through His death and resurrection, as the Son of the Living God. That’s the first thing this encounter says to us. And second, it says that WE are to be firm, in this confession, of the revealed truth of Jesus. That we can not waver, or get caught up in other ideas about whom the world might like Jesus to be, but proclaim loudly and clearly that this Jesus, is, the one, true Messiah, the Christ, sent by God, anointed by God, conceived by God, to be His only Son, and the one means of salvation for the world. And the reason that this confession, of Peter, and of us, is so important, to us and to the world, is that this is the rock, upon which Jesus is building His Church. There is no other Gospel which can hold, through the storms and attacks and tribulation that assail the Church. It is this confession, alone, that can stand against the gates and powers of death. And just as St. Peter was the first to make this confession, you and I are to confess Jesus today—you and I are to proclaim the truth about Jesus, the truth revealed by God the Father; the truth revealed through our own experience of being saved by Jesus present in our lives; the truth that He is the one sent by God, to save the world! May we be prepared every day, to stand and answer firm in our faith. When someone asks, “Who do you say that Jesus is?” Let us without hesitation, confess, “Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. Amen!”