Readings for the Day:
Sermon:
Original Manuscript:
This is an interactive manuscript. To follow links, click the highlighted words below.
There is a great deal of humility required in celebrating our feast today. This is the Confession Peter gives publicly that Jesus is Lord.
Though if we think back to our reading this Sunday from 1 Corinthians, we’ll recall that Paul says that no one, except by the Spirit, can declare that “Jesus is Lord.” We hear the same from Jesus in today’s Gospel.
Add to that what comes immediately after the Gospel this morning. Peter makes this great declaration, and in Matthew Jesus honors him for it. Then as Jesus says what His Lordship means, mainly His death and resurrection, Peter rebukes Him for these words. Jesus responds by saying, “Get behind me Satan.”
Peter goes from receiving great praise for his confession, which he could not give on his own, to being rebuked for misunderstanding Jesus’ role in the strictest way possible.
On his own, Peter did pretty poorly. Only with God’s help was he able to say anything of worth.
This would have been a very humbling realization for Peter to make. It is good for us to realize too. One of the greatest leaders of the church could not do it on his own. That means we don’t have to do anything on our own either.
It takes God’s presence to make a confession like Peter’s. This is a call for us to remain open to God coming into our lives so that when the Holy Spirit comes our way, we will be open to let that Spirit in.