Empowered to Draw Near

“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.” Mat 16:15-18, ESV

I can’t help but notice an inspiring order of operations in this part of Matthew’s gospel. The disciples’ understanding of Jesus has been developing up until this point and now they are finally beginning to see that Jesus is the Christ. They are “getting it.” Just a bit earlier Jesus told them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The disciples understood that Jesus was talking about their teaching (Mat 16:12) and so marked the turning tide.

This is a big step for these guys. This would be a big step in our own lives as well. This is the point at which we finally start to see what God has been revealing to us. The very first step in this ordeal was that God called the disciples through Christ Jesus. It was God who took the initiative to seek them out as he did we are who are lost to draw us to Christ.

Now at this point in their walk they are starting to see the truth about who Christ is. Jesus told them that they are blessed because the revelation is not coming from their own understanding but rather a power that the prophets of old had longed to see and a matter also that angels desired to look into (1Pe 1:12). This is cause for Jesus to call them blessed!

I’ve heard some pastors belittle the word being used here like it simply means “happy.” True: that is one of the things being “blessed” denotes. However, the Greek word for “blessed”, makarios, also means divine favor. Oh happy are you Simon because you’ve been shown something happy…no…Simon you have been revealed a divine message that many do not see and have not ever seen! That God has called you to see this is a major, earth shattering, bomb-dropping deal! You are experiencing divine favor. This is not a light thing, brother!

And so you too! Me too! That you have been called of God to be revealed Christ is the Lord is not something you should simply view as happy. You are divinely favored. So now we have God’s call on Christ’s disciples and God having divine favor on his disciples by showing them the truth of who Christ is. Next, is something many people have paid a lot of money to try to understand. You ready?

Christ tells Simon who he is: Peter! The Greek word means “rock.” This was prophesied to Simon when Jesus first called him (Joh 1:40-42). This also echoes the change in name Abram experienced to Abraham when God called him. Jesus testifies later that He is the chief rock: the cornerstone (Mat 21:42). This process of God calling, revealing, believers coming to understand, and learning who we are in Christ Jesus is what the church will be built upon. He was talking to Peter here for sure, but Jesus also meant to show the model that is used for maturity and growth in God for all those who believe.

With this empowerment authority is given. Jesus pronounces blessings saying the gates of hell will not prevail against his Church. They will have the keys of the kingdom of heaven to bind and loose. Nothing will separate you from who you are in Christ! You are divinely favored. It’s a big deal and a real deal. When God draws us close, let us not recoil. Let us draw near to him and learn who we are as his sons and daughters, and the mission he has for our lives.