Readings: Acts 4:8-13 | 2 Peter 1:1-15 | Mark 8:27-9:1
Text: Mark 8:27-35
When Jesus questions the disciples, in the Gospel today, it’s a scene like a confirmation class. They give a bunch of different answers. Peter gives the only right answer: “You are the Christ.” In Matthew’s account, there’s a lot more dwelling on why Peter’s answer is right. Yet, here, Jesus tells them to keep this under wraps. Strange, Jesus, but if you say so.
Yet if we look at who the Christ is, we learn why the Lord Jesus commanded silence at that time. Hear how the Christ is described in Isaiah:
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and…to comfort all who mourn.”[1]
But there’s also:
“Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted…Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”[2]
Did Peter understand all this when he gave the right answer? Or was he like Nathaniel who gave the right, inspired answer, but barely knew what that meant?[3]
Jesus goes on to explain what being the Christ means: “He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise. And he said this plainly.” (v. 31-2)
If Peter has just made the “good confession,”[4] a few minutes later those same lips strongly deny Christ: “And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.” But for Peter, we know he sinks lower:
“Even though they all fall away, I will not…If I must die with you, I will not deny you.”[5]
“Seeing Peter warming himself, [one of the servant girls] looked at Peter and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.”…”[Again she said,] “This man is one of them.” But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.”[6]
Though we may make the “good confession” on Confirmation Day, we still have trouble with what He teaches about Himself:
- That the life of a Christian in the world is different, including suffering: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” The life of a Christian has a different end-goal than those without Him—not the pursuit of happy moments and comfort, to “Live, laugh, love” as the slogan says. It is to follow our Christ in a life of service to others, sacrificing for their good, enduring suffering, and in the end follow Him to eternal glory.
- That all of our life must be ruled by Him: “Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” This is a difficult one because it means daily fighting against our selfish desires, which are exacerbated by calls to “do something for yourself” and “you shouldn’t rely on others.” Rather, we must abdicate the throne of our life and entrust it to our God. Not just, Jesus is Lord abstractly for other people, but “I believe that Jesus Christ…is my Lord.” (2nd Article) And with Him as my Lord, even beyond all temporal suffering and death, we entrust all things to His direction. We’re reminded of this by the hymn, when we sing, “And take they our life, Goods, fame, child, and wife, Though these all be gone, Our vict’ry has been won; The Kingdom ours remaineth.” (LSB 656, st. 4)
- That it matters how you live and speak before others with Christ as your Lord: “Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” We might imagine this to happen in some obvious way where we are dragged before a council to bear witness to Christ, but that is exceedingly rare. How do we confess Christ when we are planning our calendar, choosing how to spend the money we’ve been given, the conversations we have with our children or friends or colleagues? Are we ashamed to honor Christ the Lord as holy in those and other areas of daily life? This “adulterous and sinful generation,” of which we are a part, will always welcome choices that deny God’s creation and seek redemption far from the cross.
And over and over, in the aftermath of our failures—just like Peter—the Lord brings us back to what being the Christ means for us.
Jesus isn’t a Messiah invented by the “things of man.” He is God’s Messiah, of whom the Scripture says, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”[7] We make that our confession too. He is the Christ who saves by His cross—His suffering, death, and resurrection. It’s a salvation full and complete, gifted to you.
This is what reorients the life of a Christian. Living right alongside others who may or may not believe, a Christian’s life is focused on Jesus Christ by faith in Him: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”[8]
We do grow in Him. His Word and Spirit strengthen our faith. He gives us boldness to make a good confession in our walk before Him and before others. Our Christ continues to call us back to His cross where we find forgiveness and peace through dying and rising with Him.[9]
Don’t let the Confession of St. Peter intimidate you, as if it were something only people more holy than yourself could make. Rather, believe that God the Holy Spirit is able to put this confession upon your lips, and to give you the boldness to bear all that such a confession entails. This is the confidence which is yours in Christ Jesus your Lord.
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
[1] Isaiah 61:1-2
[2] Isaiah 52:13, 53:4-6
[3] John 1:49
[4] 1 Timothy 6:12-14
[5] Mark 14:28, 31
[6] Mark 14:66-72
[7] 1 Timothy 1:15
[8] Galatians 2:20
[9] Romans 6:1-11
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