When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus answered and said to 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 also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I 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." (Matt 16:13-19, NKJV)
A couple of weeks ago I was visiting a church in Sunday morning service, in Clearwater area Florida. When the time came to bring the message the senior pastor gave an introduction to his message and began preaching on the person and deity of Christ. The purpose of the pastor’s message was to refute the Da Vinci code movie.
As I sat there and listening to the presentation from God’s word on the person and deity of Christ Jesus. I saw what the enemy meant for evil turned out to be good for God’s glory.
Most churches do not teach on the knowledge of Christ, about His person and deity so often as they should. Expect to decorate their internal church doctrines and put them on their shelves. Now because of the movie the Da Vinci code they were forced to preach Christ. If the church sleeps until awakened by little false spiritual turbulences of like Da Vinci code in order to preach Christ, it is not good, it is not supposed to be that way. The early church was able to turn the world upside down because they preached Christ, as the Son of God, as Christ the redeemer and as God. (see Acts 9 :20, Acts 2:36, Acts 17:3, Acts 5:31-32, Acts 20:28)
As the pastor was preaching I saw the congregation was so attentive to know about their crucified and resurrected savior, the Lord Jesus Christ than anything else.
Beginning early on, in the Lord Jesus’ earthly life people had many opinions about Him, who He was, today is no different. Yet in spit all the opinions of the people throughout the ages, the knowledge and the glory of the Living Lord, Jesus Christ is covering the earth as the water covers the sea. “But truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD—” (Num 14:21, cf. Isa. 45:23; Phil 2:10-11).
Therefore when the Lord Jesus asked His disciples saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" he was not looking or expecting an opinion polls from the people about Himself who He was, or about His ministry, As though He needed approval about who He was or in what He was doing in His life and ministry. When you know who you are the opinions of people about you matters little. Instead, the questions were asked by the Lord that to point out spiritually where the people were in the knowledge of Him as their Messiah.
Therefore without delay commenting about what people were saying about Him. The Lord Jesus proceeded asking another question directing at the disciples themselves. "But who do you say that I am?" NIV translation says, "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
The effectiveness of men and women of God in the kingdom of God is not a matter of persona talent or charisma but the very revelations of Christ Jesus, the Son of God in their life. The Lord Jesus said those Galileans, “upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” The Wycliffe Bible Commentary says, “the church, spiritual body of Christ is built upon the divinely revealed fact about Christ confessed by Peter” The disciples knew that He is the Christ, and He is the Son of the living God." Based on those revelations they turned the world upside down for Christ (Acts 17:6). People who accomplish much in God's kingdom here on earth are not people who knew about Him, but who knew Him and have a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus, Himself. The scripture says, “But the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. (Daniel 11:32, cf. ps.46:10). Blessed Lord Jesus Himself said, “Learn of Me” Matt.11:29. Simply what He is saying is know Me. How much do you know Christ?
When we know who Christ Jesus really is, A) we will be greatly blessed. The Lord Jesus said to Peter, “Blessed are you”. The word blessed means happy, fortune. There is no true happiness outside Jesus Christ. He is the source of our joy and happiness. B) The destiny of our lives will be changed forever for good; C) we will build the church of God upon revelation of Christ Himself; D) we will receive access to the wisdom and power of God in order to succeed in the kingdom of God in whatever we do; E) and we will receive divine spiritual authority to execute God’s divine plan here on earth as it is in heaven.
“Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him, and he will respond to us as surely as the coming of dawn or the rain of early spring.'" (Hos 6:2-3, TLB). The same verse on Revised Standard Revision says, “Let us know, let us press on to know the LORD; his going forth is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”(Hos. 6:3, RSV)