Today's Meditation - Thursday, June 11, 2020

Today's Meditation

Read Matthew 16:13-20

¹³Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” ¹⁴And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” ¹⁵He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” ¹⁶Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” ¹⁷And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. ¹⁸And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. ¹⁹I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” ²⁰Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

After a long search for grounding, answers, purpose, and meaning Peter found it in Christ; a simple carpenter, who plucked him from his daily life and made of it something more.  Jesus posed the question to his disciples; "Who do others say that I am?"  Many of them had various responses, but Peter knew in his heart, in his spirit, and in his soul who Jesus was.  "You are the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God!"

Jesus' answer to him was unexpected.  "You are no longer called Cephas, but Peter (which means rock) and upon this rock, I will build my church."  We are all Peter.  We've questioned, we've doubted, we've acted impulsively, and we've confessed that Christ is Lord.  It is upon that legacy of commitment that Christ builds his church - not a structure of stone, but a structure of commitment and spirit.  A church led by the fruits of the Spirit and the gospel of Good News.  It has been over 2000 that the church was built Upon that Rock and the very gates of hell shall NOT prevail against it.  What will be your role in the building up of the church?

Upon This Rock - Sandi Patty