The Minor Festival of St. Peter and St. Paul – Pr. Anderson sermon
St. Matthew 16:13-19 “Our Great Confession: Jesus is the Christ”
June 29, 2025 | Christ Lutheran Church
In Nomine Iesu
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O God, You gave Your Apostles Peter and Paul grace to lay down their lives for the sake of Your dear Son: Endow us, we beseech You, with like constancy, that we may at all times be ready to lay down our lives for Him who laid down His life for us; through the same, Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever. Amen (Evangelical Lutheran Breviary, p. 327).
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. (Rom. 1:7, etc.)
The sermon text for today is taken from the 16th chapter of the Gospel according to St. Matthew. We read selected verses in Jesus’ name:
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
These are Your words, heavenly Father. Sanctify us by Your truth, Your Word is truth. Amen. (Joh. 17:17)
In Christ Jesus, who is confessed by all the Saints in glory, dear fellow redeemed:
On this special Sunday, we are taking a look at two men that we hold in high regard for us being here today. When we hear the names of St. Peter and St. Paul, we know one as the spokesperson of the twelve and who was even one of the three Jesus would take to witness important events. The other would be the most famous missionary, who no matter what he faced, he would face it head on to deliver the message of the Gospel. These two men were bold for the sake of Christ. While it may look like they are in a league of their own because of who they were and the period they lived in, they also provide us with important information about their lives. These men were not perfect. In fact, they had messed up severely with denial, and Paul went as far as to hunt down people who dared confess Jesus’ name. So, before we judge ourselves and think that we could never be like Peter and Paul, they both tell us that they were able to do what they did for one reason and one reason only. They were not doing this on their own accord, but they were able to spread the Gospel because of the work of their Savior. Their great confession is our great confession, “Jesus is the Christ.”
To make this confession ourselves, we must see why Peter and Paul were able to make it with such defining clarity. Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” Jesus had been on the scene for some time now. The crowds were getting bigger, and He was making some big enemies with the religious leaders. Prior to this event, His cousin, John the Baptist had been executed by Herod. So, with Jesus’ ministry well underway, Jesus asks His disciples what the people are thinking. While Jesus began His ministry by keeping His name quiet, at this point, He had been doing great miracles of feeding large crowds of people and even Gentiles are having great faith in Him. Yet, as we hear from the disciples, because of the active attacks of the religious leaders, the people don’t quite know how special Jesus is.
And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” The first name that Jesus is given is because of the recent death of John. This name comes from Herod who believes Jesus is John back from the dead. All these names come from Scripture. The oldest of them goes all the way back from God’s great leader, Moses. Moses told the people, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen” (Deuteronomy 18:15). Now the people are on the right track. They are very close to the same confession of Peter and Paul. The problem lies with what they believe this special person will do. They believe the promised Messiah is supposed to come and liberate them to be their King. Peter and the disciples at times even thought this. To look for this kind of leader, meant you were not paying close attention to Jesus’ Word.
While these names are of importance, the people were looking at these names because of what the previous people had done. They knew Moses was the great leader who had conversations with God. He had led the people, doing miracles to save them from the elements in the wilderness. Elijah was able to bring someone back from the dead. All of them spoke with great authority. How were they able to do so? They spoke with authority because God was giving them authority and the message they were preaching was a confession about the One who would come and save them. Jesus then points out what happened to all these prophets. Besides Elijah, they were all killed. They were killed by their own people because they wouldn’t heed their Words. They wouldn’t heed Jesus’ Word. Now here is Jesus, and while they are close to knowing His name and purpose, they will have the same reaction as their ancestors. The truth is actually not what they want to hear.
Jesus now turns to His disciples for an answer. He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” This is an important question for us today. Who is Jesus? It should be an easy question for us all to answer. Yet, we can look out into the world and look at our lives and see where there have been struggles with answering it. The greatest of the devil’s attacks over the centuries focuses on this question. Who is Jesus? The devil doesn’t want us to believe in Peter’s confession. We see TV ads that believe Jesus was only a good person. When things go wrong, the world is quick to point out that Jesus clearly doesn’t exist or have any power to save us from natural disasters, or physical disasters like illness. When we are trapped in sin, it would be nice if the Son of God wasn’t the answer Peter gives because He has said not so great things about our transgressions. But then we could also ignore those parts entirely like so many do to hide their sins. The confession of Peter is far from our lips at times, just like it was for Peter and Paul. So, how can we confess this?
This confession that Peter and Paul held dear did not come to them on a whim. We also know that while Peter makes this great confession, moments later he will forget what he has said as Jesus gives the mission for this confession. Peter, the disciples, and Paul have their many transgressions against this confession because of their lack of faith, but it is because of this great confession that their transgressions are forgiven. To say these very Words is to acknowledge with certainty what they are witnessing with their own eyes. Peter in this statement is saying that his complete trust is in who Jesus says He is. It isn’t falling after what the world believes. It sees how the Word has pointed to this very moment in history, the revealing of the Son.
After listing all those men of history, Peter goes to the heart of their message. Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Here is the child-like faith Jesus is searching for. Here are His followers now making a stand. This confession proclaims that Jesus is more than just an important man. It means that He is more than a good person. Peter is proclaiming that their complete trust is in Christ. Now the only thing needed for this confession is for Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus must be different from the prophets who had gone before Him. The disciples who make and believe in this confession will see the difference. They will watch as the Christ, the Son of God carry’s out the Father’s will of going to the cross for the forgiveness of their sins and then three days later, rising from the dead in a glorious resurrection.
With the cross and resurrection soon to come, you know that the sin is stumbling over this work. How can Peter make this great confession but then give into temptation later and lose it? Jesus teaches you that the great confession of Peter, Paul, and you, is a great confession given by God to believe. And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” Flesh and blood actively try to hide from this confession, not wanting to be condemned by the One who will judge the living and the dead. So, while our sinful flesh works to push against this great confession, God in His mercy draws you to the confession and changes your heart to see the comfort of this truth. Jesus is the Son of God who put on your flesh and sin. While man tends to shy away from the Man willing to die for the people, Peter hears the excitement in His Saviors voice. He hears the excitement of the One who wants your complete trust, because in this confession you hear what He came to do for you.
The power of this confession and work of the Christ is then established for generations to come. Jesus continues telling Peter, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Your hope in the struggles of life is found in the confession of Peter that can’t be shaken. The natural power on earth or the spiritual power of the devil will never overcome your firm foundation. A firm foundation as St. Paul writes, For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11) Here you are two thousand years later, and this great confession continues to provide this church with a firm foundation. This confession holds even when you have sinned against it. The devil will try to point out your many transgressions. In this great confession, you see your faults, and then you see those faults taken away. Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God was raised on the cross and with His death, your accuser is locked away. Jesus would tell John, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades (Revelation 1:17b-18).
Those keys that lock your worst enemy away forever are visible. You see it in the firm foundation you are standing on. The gates of hell fail against His church where the keys reside. With the fledgling church, the disciples are told how the keys are to be used. “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” The great confession of Peter and Paul continues to be given to Christ’s people in love. How special it is when you have sinned against a neighbor and in repentance you hear the Words of your Savior, “I forgive you.” In a world that searches for a firm foundation, there is nothing firmer than what is found in the Means of Grace. When temptations against this confession sap your strength, in the Word and Sacraments you will find sweet relief as the kingdom of God is opened to you. This is the great love of Christ, the Son of God who gives this freely to you. And with this faith given to you in this great confession, it gives you life in His name. You are in the league of Peter and Paul. This is your great confession. Amen.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forevermore. Amen.
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