September 3, 2023

Today's Reading: Matthew 16:13-20

Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 6:1-19, 1 Corinthians 9:1-23

“But who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. “Who do you say that I am?” That’s the question, isn’t it? When Jesus asks the disciples about who people say that He is, the disciples respond with the various answers they have heard: John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or another one of the prophets (16:14). 

People today have other answers: a good teacher; or the founder of a religion; or a revolutionary, standing bravely against oppression and injustice. Perhaps none of those answers are entirely wrong. But the real question is, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter, as always, is ready to answer on behalf of the other apostles: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (16:16).  And Jesus responds: “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah [“son of Jonah”]! For flesh and blood have not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven” (16:17). 

Peter makes this good confession, but it did not originate in Peter’s mind or heart or mouth. He didn’t figure it out by himself based on the evidence.  God put those words there. “Confession” means to say the same thing. And so Peter says the same thing that God has revealed to him: that Jesus is the Christ (Anointed One) whom God has sent to bring life to the world. Only God the Father draws people to the Son by His Spirit. And this is the blessing of God: to believe in one’s heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and to confess with one’s mouth that Jesus is Lord (Romans 10:9). 

The first question is not what we say about Jesus, but what God says about Jesus. The answer is the comforting truth that the Son of the living God entered our flesh in order to reveal Himself to us. In His healing of the sick, feeding of the hungry, raising the dead, and casting out demons; in His suffering and death; and in His resurrection, He reveals to you that He is the one whom God has sent to undo sin, death, and the evil that is so prevalent in our world. That we believe and confess this is a great, undeserved blessing. Jesus builds His Church on the truth of this confession, so that no matter what people may say about Jesus, He remains the Lord who destroys the power of death and hell for you. You belong to Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and not to your sin, or to death, or to the devil. Blessed are you! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Almighty God, Your Son willingly endured the agony and shame of the cross for our redemption. Grant us courage to take up our cross daily and follow Him wherever He leads; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

- Pastor Timothy Winterstein is pastor at Faith Lutheran Church, East Wenatchee, Washington.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.

Study Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.