In the name of Christ Jesus, dear fellow redeemed people of God,

It happens every year. At Christmas time or around Easter, the national news magazines put a picture of Jesus on the cover and ask that question again, "Who was Jesus?" Every single time they interview the most liberal scholars who will say nice things about Jesus, but say that he was just a man. They will say very complimentary things about his teaching and his life, but they will not say what really needs to be said.

Today, God's Word reveals who Jesus really is. Our Lord began by asking his disciples a discussion question, just as we ask discussion questions in Bible Class today. The question was this: {13b} "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" Apparently, people were saying nice things about Jesus. Some thought he was John the Baptist, back from the dead. Some thought he was Elijah. Some said Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Jesus didn't even bother correcting those answers. Instead, he directed a new question right at his disciples. {15} "What about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered correctly. But today, that question is directed to each of you. Later, it will be directed to those who are joining our congregation. What about you? Who do you say Jesus is? Ignore what people say. Follow God's Word. God's Word gives us the answer.

1. THE CHRIST

That's what Simon Peter did. He said, {16} "You are the Christ." And that was the right answer. There are many people today who might think that "Christ" was Jesus' last name, but that's not really accurate. "Christ" is the Greek word for Anointed One. It is the same as the Hebrew term, "Messiah." It means that Jesus is the one foretold by the Old Testament. He is the long promised Savior. He is the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises. Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit for his work of redeeming us. He was set apart to be our Prophet, High Priest, and King! As Prophet, he taught God's Word, for everything he said was God's Word. As Priest, Jesus had come to make the atoning sacrifice for sin. As King, Jesus rules in our hearts and rules the whole universe.

But Jesus did not come to be some political ruler. He did not come to fulfill the Jewish dreams of political power. Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world." Jesus came to be a spiritual ruler, and an eternal ruler. He came to be our Redeemer, our Savior from sin. And that's where the Jews missed the boat. Jesus often called himself "Son of Man" because if he had gone around saying, "I am the Christ," the people would have tried to make him a political ruler. That is not why Jesus came. He was not here to promote petty political interests. He came to save us from sin. But that was no small task. And in order to do that, Jesus would have to be true God and true man in one person. And that's where so many popular opinions about Jesus fall so far short. They say all kinds of nice things, but if they amount to leaving Jesus as just a man, and nothing more, then he could never be our Savior. If Jesus was just a man, and not true God, he could not have saved anyone. The Bible says that (Ps 49:7) "No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him - the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough." If all people can say about Jesus is that he was a nice man and a fine moral teacher, then they are not saying that he is true God and the only Savior from sin. And, that is a big deal! After all, if Jesus was nothing more than just a nice teacher and a fine example to teach us how to be good people, then what is the way to get to heaven - good works?

That is most certainly not the way to heaven! Nobody, but nobody is going to get to heaven by following the way of works. You can never be good enough to earn heaven by works. You'd have to be perfect, and you can't. Neither can I. We can't do it. We can't earn heaven by our own works. We are all sinners. We were conceived and born in sin. We have broken God's commandments. We need to confess our sins and repent, just as the people of the Old Testament did. Old Testament believers were watching and waiting for the arrival of the Messiah, the long-promised Savior. And then, Jesus came. Jesus came to fulfill those promises. Confess Jesus as the Christ,...

2. THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD

That's what Peter did! He said, {16} "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And, our Lord indicated that Peter was right about this. Jesus is the Son of God! And that's important! Because Jesus had to be more than just a man to save us! And he was, and is! There are many passages in the Bible that stress that Jesus was and is true God in the flesh. Colossians 2:9 says, that in Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And Romans 9:5 calls Jesus "God over all, forever praised." And John 3:16 describes Jesus as the Son of God. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." And that is the Gospel, that the Son of God saved us. Jesus is that Son of God who redeemed us from sin. He lived the perfect life for us. He died on the cross and took away all of our sins. His resurrection guarantees our forgiveness. Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved! That's what Christianity is really all about. Believe in Jesus, our Savior! Worship Jesus, our Savior. Confess Jesus, our Savior, before all the world!

Peter called him "the Christ, the Son of the living God." Take another look at that phrase "the living God." This phrase occurs 28 times in the Bible. 28 times, God is called "the living God." This stresses that God is alive, while all idols are dead and lifeless. Quite a few years ago, it was common to see bumper stickers that said, "God is dead." And those used to make me very angry. Perhaps, it is best to just feel sorry for such people. God is not dead, but such people apparently think so. And that is really sad. How can they face daily life without God, without anyone to pray to? Where do they turn when problems come? What is their comfort in death? May they repent before it's too late.

But let me direct this toward each of you. By the way that you live, and the way that you act, do you show people that you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, your Savior? Sure, we confess our faith in Jesus every time we say the Creeds in church, but do you take that confession outside the church doors too? Do you confess Jesus in your every-day life? Is your life markedly different from the guy who thinks God is dead, so different that people would notice? We all know that we should pray to him, but do we pray nearly enough? We all know that we should trust God, but do we trust him nearly enough? We all know that we should love God more than anyone or anything, but do we really do that each and every day? We all know that we should hear and learn God's Word, but do we always do it as gladly and attentively as we should? Don't just confess Jesus with your mouth, but also with your actions, because actions speak louder than words! Confess Jesus as your Savior - by the way that you live, by the way that you spend your time, and by the attitude that you reveal every day of the week.

"Who is Jesus" to you? Answer that question with your words and with your actions in life. Make it plain to all that Jesus is your Savior, and that you live to know him and to serve him! After all, he lived for us, and died for us, and rose from death with our forgiveness! He took our sins away and opened the door to heaven. We have every reason to confess Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God! Amen.