People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Fear of not “knowing enough.” Or having the right answers… not so important. We are organized around a truth-claim: Jesus is Lord! But that truth claim is one that must take on flesh and blood in our lives. Peter’s confession brought out a whole new identity. His loyalty to Jesus opened the door to the indwelling Holy Spirit, which made Peter a vessel God could use. The disciples had grown up in a culture that emphasized following the law. Jesus introduced them to a life of following him. 

BECAUSE THE CHURCH IS A PEOPLE-MOVEMENT, TRUTH CLAIMS AND CREEDS ARE NOT ENOUGH AND NOT THE ULTIMATE POINT, TRANSFORMED LIVES IN RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS ARE THE POINT

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter