Sermon Index
August 23, 2020
Let’s have a vocabulary lesson. When Matthew wrote this Gospel Book, the Holy Spirit guided him (inspired him) to chose words that would communicate the Gospel to us. For example, “Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi.” Why is it important for us that Jesus did not ask the question of his identity in Jerusalem or somewhere in Galilee, why did he choose a place outside of Israel, in a foreign country? My answer as a preacher is that it is because we live in a foreign county outside of Israel and Jesus asks us the same question he asked the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Where we live might be similar to Caesarea Philippi. This was an old town with ancient religious myths and shires to Baal worship. Philip, who was the brother of Herod, built a beautiful temple there for emperor worship, to worship Caesar as if he were a god. We too are surrounded by myths and false religions and heresies and feelings that idolize political leaders. In Japan, the emperor used to be worshiped as a god. In such a place as we live, what is our confession of faith? Who do we say that Jesus is?
When asked, Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Here we have the word “Christ.” “Christ” is the Greek word that means exactly as the Hebrew word “Messiah.” The English translation is “The Anointed One.” In the Old Testament, when a person became a prophet, a priest or a king, perfumed oil was poured on his head. Maybe it smelled like a nice aftershave lotion. Sometimes we use medicine that is mixed with oil and then is rubbed into the skin. It helps relief muscle pain or cures itches and scratches. The medicine soaks into the skin. So it would be with the anointing oil. It would soak into the persons’ skin, and into his heart and soul. The office given him would be part of his life. In the Old Testament the priest or prophet or king would be doing the work of God. So if Jesus is the Christ, then he would be doing the work of God. At the time of Jesus, people were looking for a special Messiah/Christ that would bring salvation to Israel. And so in English, perhaps a good translation for “Christ,” rather than “The Anointed One,” would be “Savior,” because that is the work of Jesus.
Furthermore, Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” In the town of Caesarea Philippi there were shires and temples to many “gods.” But these gods were made of wood or metal or stone: they were not alive, there was never any life in them, and so they could do no work. But the Lord God of Israel is the all-powerful living God who could indeed bring salvation. This is common Old Testament language in the Psalms and prophets. What is surprising in today’s Gospel reading is that Peter says Jesus is the “Son” of the living God. No one in the Old Testament would ever have thought that God had a son. Here is something new. This is why Jesus Christ has the ability to be our Savior: it is because he is the Son of God.
No one had ever thought that God had a son. Where did Peter get that idea? It was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit. Jesus put it this way. “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” I think we can understand this. Our faith is enlightened by facts and reason and logic—flesh and blood stuff, but believing faith is given by the Holy Spirit.
[Cf. Catechism, Apostles Creed, Third Article, Meaning. I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true.]
And when we believe, we become a brick in the church of God. Our faith like Peter’s is built upon the Foundation which is Jesus Christ. That foundation is that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Rather than a “brick” perhaps we should say we become a “stone.” Jesus said, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.” The Greek New Testament word for “rock” is “petra,” so Simon Bar-Jonah’s nick name means “Rock.” In our confession of faith, we become like Peter, we too become rocks. We, too, are called “Peter.”
Our rock-like-faith has so solid a foundation that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” The Greek word here for “hell” is “Hades,” the place of the dead. In the Old Testament, the city “gates” also designated that open, public place within the actual gates. It was used as a meeting place and also as a place for public courts and judgments. And so when we are brought to judgment, Hades has no case against us, it cannot prevail against us because Jesus Christ had forgiven our sin, we are free to leave through the gates of Hades, and the gates will be opened for us to enter the kingdom of heaven. We are freed to leave the place of death in order to enter the place of eternal life.
The “keys of the kingdom of heaven” open and close the gates of both Hades and Heaven. The Key is the forgiveness of sin. The Key is the cross of Jesus. When Peter and modern day Peters like us proclaim the Gospel, sin is forgiven. When people believe in Christ as their Savior their sin is forgiven. If the Gospel is not proclaimed or not believed, there is no forgiveness and so sin is not loosed. And so it is the mission of the church today to proclaim the Gospel and to declare the forgiveness of sin. And when we hear those words of absolution, in our hearts we feel that we have been freed from Hell. Like Peter, we may be rocks, but often our hearts and heads are like stone and we need to have the Gospel preached and taught and proclaimed over and over again.
Where you live might be similar to Caesarea Philippi, filled with myths and superstition and dead idols. But just as Jesus went to Caesarea Philippi, he also comes to your place. When he asks you, “Who do you say that I am?” Answer in the power of the Holy Spirit. “You are the Christ, the Son of God and my Savior!”
Amen.
Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church