The David Spoon Experience 1-23-24 part 1

A) Matthew chapter 16, verse 13. We come to part one of the great declarations that Peter makes about Jesus Christ. In this text, Jesus asks his disciples a question. Don't be surprised if God asks you a question. The irony behind this question is that it is the same question for every person. Jesus simply asks, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"

B) Their initial replies are quite human. As a collective group, they say, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." This means either a major prophet or a minor prophet. When people are asked questions, they often defer to what the majority says or thinks. That's not abnormal. It's just simply not sufficient when it comes to the things of God.

C) Then Jesus takes that same question and poses it directly to the disciples individually. "Who do you say that I am?" What Jesus is asking his disciples is to pull away from what the general masses think and make an individual decision, evaluation, judgment, determination, assessment, declaration, and proclamation. This is the same question he asks every person. "Who do you say I am?"

D) Peter's answer is legendary, and we love it. And all of us wish, hope, and somewhat believe we would give the same answer. He says, "You are the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God." There are many answers that people give to who Jesus is. Within my own family, one of those answers is that Jesus is a great moral teacher. If people don't move from declaring Jesus as a great moral teacher to Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah, they are missing their opportunity for eternity.