Mark 8:27-30
Peter’s Confession of Christ
27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”
29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”
30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
Acts 4:12
Salvation is Found in No One Else
12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.
Jesus ask His disciples who they thought He was...Peter answers Him, You are the Christ...In the Acts of the Apostles, Peter tells us that salvation is found in no One else...There is no other Name under heaven to men by we can be saved...Most of the people awaiting the Messiah thought He might be a military leader, a great new king of Israel, or a great and different type of High Priest...During the time of Jesus, the Messiah might be thought of as the One who would take down the Romans and their empire...Many thought it would be a king who would rule over everyone until the end of time...Christians believe like Peter that Jesus was the One to come...He is the long awaited Messiah...He is the Anointed One...
Jesus came and taught as a teacher, and rabbi...He was a poor carpenter...Jesus was much more than a carpenter...He was wise, a Great Teacher, a Great Healer, and a Great Worker of Miracles...He taught about His Father and the Kingdom of God...
What makes the Messiah story very interesting is that God, the Father of the Messiah gives us a choice...We can believe that Jesus is the Messiah or we do not have to believe...The Pharisees did not believe He was the Anointed One...They just saw Him as another Teacher, another Rabbi, as far as they were concerned...And God allows this...It was His plan...Love is kind to others...Love does not force one on another...Love is not controlling...And Love does not boast...Love is not proud...Jesus did not come in with a lot of fanfare...John the Baptist introduced Him to others, for the most part...Jesus came and taught, healed, did miracles, and had quite a following...But there was not great pomp and circumstance surrounding Him...God leaves just enough wiggle room in His plan for us not to believe that Jesus is not the One...God leaves enough wiggle room in for the Pharisees of today, to say that Jesus was just a nice guy, a good teacher, and a great healer...We have the choice to believe in Him or not to believe in Him...
Peter believed...And now He is a Saint...He is one of our Great Saints...Peter saw in Jesus what others could not and did not see in the Messiah...The Messiah came to save us and to teach us, not necessarily to lead us...But when I think about Jesus, I see Him as a Great Leader...