Proper 16 Trinity Lutheran Church
14 August 2008 Murdock, NE
+ Jesu Juva +
Matthew 16:13-20
It’s Jesus who’s asking the questions today. Not you. Not me.
“Who do Whoopi, Joy, Elisabeth, Sherri, Barbara or Oprah say that I am?” Well, Jesus, their answers vary. Anywhere from like John the Baptist to Elijahesque. A Jeremiah re-do. Or the catch-all: you remind us of an OT prophet. Courageous. Uncompromising. An inspiring man of God. A great example.
All right. But then comes the big question. The life or death question. The salvation question. And there’s no avoiding it. Jesus comes right out and asks you point blank: “But who do YOU say that I am?”
Any one care to answer? What’s that? Too shy? Not quite sure what to say? Cat got your tongue?
Simon steps up to the plate. He’ll go first. Sticks his neck out. More than willing to speak up. “Well Jesus, you’re the Christ. Son of the living God you are.” Whew! Thanks a ton Simon. Nice job. Where’d you come up with that one? Pretty clever. You’re so good someone ought to nominate you to be the first bishop of Rome.
Don’t be so impressed. Simon didn’t pull this out of his hat. Simon’s not so creative. Beware of those, even if they claim to be apostolic, who brag about their “creativity!” Instead, Jesus says: “Blessed are you Simon, son of Barjona.. Blessed are you because my heavenly Father revealed this truth to you. Remember my Baptism in the Jordan? Heaven broke wide open. My Father’s voice declared: ‘He’s my beloved Son!’ And I began my Messianic ministry that you’ve seen quite clearly. In my ministry I’m revealed to you as the Christ. God’s divine Son. Very good Peter.”
Jesus is the Christ. He is the Son of the living God.
But what about you? Is that your confession too? Then blessed are you! For Jesus, Son of the living God, Christ goes to do a Calvary job for you. Takes all your sin. Becomes the sinner. Answers for all your sin in His crucified body. Endures the Father’s wrath against all your sin in your place. Son of the living God, Jesus, the Christ, dies a damned sinner’s death. Yours.
Can you trust a Jesus like that? Or would you confess a different Jesus?
Here’s what’s at stake. No Good Friday Jesus – no salvation. No Son of the living God Christ Jesus who lies stone cold dead and buried – no reconciliation with the Father. No Son of the living God Christ Jesus who bolts from the black hole of death – no forgiveness. No nothing! No Son of the living God Christ Jesus like that for you – everything is pointless – you are still in your sins. And you’ll have to answer for them all – all by yourself. Good luck with that!
“So who do YOU say that I am Trinity congregation?”
Why you’re the Son of the living God Messiah revealed to us by the Father in that Friday we call good and in your Easter Sunday first fruits resurrection! All this for us and for our salvation!
“Blessed are you. Blessed are you,” Jesus says.
And then Jesus makes a most remarkable promise. A most counter cultural and vehemently anti human achievement vow. “Upon this rock, i.e., upon this confession that I am the Son of the living God Messiah, I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH!”
Did you hear that? It’s absolutely astounding! First, who builds the church? You? Me? Consultants? Church growth gurus? Jesus says just the opposite. Jesus promises just the reverse: “I will build.” “I will build.” He doesn’t say to Simon: “Now look here Simon! It’s all up to you now. Put on your vestments and mitre. Better start acting like a bishop of bishops and get busy building the church!” No. Jesus does the verb. “I will build.”
He builds the church because she belongs to Him. She is His beloved bride for whom He, Son of the living God Christ, gave His life into a Good Friday death. She is bought and redeemed by the sacrificial blood of Him who is the Son of the living God. Holied and cleansed by the washing of His baptismal water with His mandate and institution Word.
We are simply given to answer the question: “But what about you? Who do you say that I am?” And the only answer that holds is the one given to us by the Father through His Spirit filled Word: “You are the Christ! You are the Son of the living God!” And when you say that you say: “You are my Savior!”
On that rock, on that solid rock confession, Jesus builds His church.
And then Jesus graciously gives another most remarkable promise. “Not even the gates of hell will be able to overthrow the church I build!” Satan, his demons, and all their hellish powers cannot destroy Christ’s church. Jesus will always have His church. And His church is going on where the faithful and true confession is going on: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
In this church where Jesus is confessed, sins are forgiven for Jesus’ sake. Forgiveness is the key that unlocks Christ’s heavenly reign on the earth for sinners. “I give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever sins you forgive [loose] on the earth, shall be forgiven [loosed] in heaven.”
In the church, the pastor, by Christ’s command and promise, declares that you are forgiven because Jesus died for you. That Word of forgiveness is called Holy Absolution. It is Christ’s Word. Christ speaks to you in His Word. You hear His voice in His Word of forgiveness. And His Word does what it says. It delivers what it promises. “Whatever sins you forgive on the earth, shall be forgiven in heaven.”
Who wouldn’t want that? Who would refuse that? Then the opposite is true. Then you’re still in your sins. Bound by them. “Whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven.” Holding your sins purposely outside of Christ’s forgiveness is a game you don’t want to play with God. Don’t want a forgiveness for all your sins Jesus? Then you may just get what you want. It will be hellishly tragic. The door of heaven completely locked. Forever.
So what do you say? Who do you say Jesus is? Blessed are you who say like forgiven sinner Simon: “You are the Christ! You are the Son of the living God! Thank you Jesus for your dying, rising and Word of Absolution! Thank you that it’s all for me!”
In the Name of Jesus.
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