This Week’s Gospel Reflection

Scripture

Matthew 16:13-20

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. 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. 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.” Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

Reflection

I didn’t know who Jesus was. As I entered my freshman year of college, I had grown up going to church but hadn’t yet “been revealed” what to make of Jesus. I knew He was a good person, a prophet who often spoke harsh truths. But I had no idea what to make of Him.

Consequently, I didn’t know who I was. I knew my parents loved me. I knew that I possessed unique gifts and talents. But I didn’t know that I was seen, loved, and accepted. As a result, I kept throwing myself into a variety of—shall we say—non-helpful activities.

It wasn’t until my sophomore year that I encountered Jesus: Messiah, the Son of the living God. That’s when everything changed.

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Knowing who Jesus is, makes all the difference.

When Jesus asks us, “Who do you say I am?” our response shapes not only our beliefs, but our prayers, our worship, our priorities, and the direction of our lives. As Samford enters this Year of Prayer, starting with the recognition of who Jesus is, determines the foundation upon which all else rests. It is essential.

But make no mistake—Jesus doesn’t ask this merely as an intellectual (or even a mere theological) exercise. Our response shapes our understanding of who we are.

When we proclaim Christ as Messiah, He gives us an identity and a calling; something greater than our small, egocentric selves. He crowns us with His love and then, sets us off to “bind” and “loose” things on earth as they are in His kingdom.

This means we cannot sit idly on the sidelines when we see loneliness, hatred of others, systems of injustice, or evil of any sort. As the world around us groans for redemption, Jesus calls us, yes, into contexts of personal abundant life, but also to be His agents of healing, restoration, reconciliation, and literal salvation in contexts of death and darkness.

Like Peter, we recognize that Jesus isn’t Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets; we are following the One who longs to bring His lifechanging power into the world in tangible ways that push back the darkness and inaugurate His reign on earth as it is in heaven. It is through this that we demonstrate that we know who Jesus is, and as a result, who we are.

Prayer

Jesus, You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Even in our apathy and doubt, allow that to shape us, change us, and move us. Let that recognition push us beyond our limited microcosms, knowing that we have the power to bind and loose things in tangible ways. Empower us to be a light on a hill, a community of Your people, who proclaim Christ not only in word, but in simple, everyday deeds that reveal that the Messiah is among us, in us.

And as we begin a year of prayer, remind us of the power of being on our knees, choosing to believe that our words don’t merely pang off the ceiling, but cut through the heavens, sweetly rising to Your ears. At the same time, guard our mouths, choosing to lift others up instead of stripping them of dignity. Through this, may Your kingdom come, all around us, as it is in heaven. Amen.