Well, as you can tell it’s beginning to look like VBS around here! We love this time of year, because it brings us the opportunity to teach more children about Jesus. This year VBS is called “Illumination Station”. With Jesus as the Light of the World as our focus. This year’s emphasis is on the basics of who Jesus is. There’s so much confusion in today’s culture about who Jesus is. Some people say Jesus was just a man who lived a long time ago. Some might acknowledge Him as a good teacher or even a miracle worker. But He’s so much more. He’s the perfect, proven and powerful Son of God—the only One who can rescue us from sin and bring hope and light to a dark world. So, we will be shining a light on Jesus at VBS and on Sunday mornings during the sermons over coming weeks. Let’s begin today with Matthew 16: 13 - 16.

VBS introduces Jesus’s question to Peter to the children—
“Who do you say I am?”

It’s actually an important question for all of us. In the middle of a town devoted to a pagan god, in the middle of the religious leaders rejecting Jesus, in the middle of the people having a substandard view of His true identity, Peter answers,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Peter didn’t always get it right, but he got it right this time! Jesus is both the Messiah and He is the Son of God! He’s not just a good teacher, He’s not just a miracle worker, He’s not just another way to God. He is the Christ and the Son of God. Peter understood this and we must as well! Let’s read Jesus’ response to Peter’s answer in verse 17.

Peter was only able to understand the role of Jesus and believe in Jesus because God revealed it to him. Only God can reveal this kind of divine truth. Sometimes we wonder why people don’t believe despite all the evidence.
It’s because God must open our eyes to His heavenly truth! We need God to help us receive God!

Jesus revealed this concept to us in His last teaching discourse to the disciples in John 16: 7 – 11.

God sent the world His Holy Spirit to reveal truth and convict people of their sin.

When you share the gospel message of salvation with people you meet, many times, they don’t even think they need Jesus because they think they haven’t done anything wrong. That’s where the Holy Spirit comes in. He uses God’s Word or us, His people, to reveal truth into their hearts. He touches down deep into their heart, to help the truth take root, to convict of sin.

What does Revelation 3:20 tell us?

Jesus stands knocking on the doors of people’s hearts, longing to come in and be with them.

Once a person realizes their sin, repents of it, and opens the door of their heart to Jesus,

Then the Holy Spirit moves in and continues to teach us, guide us, help us, convict us, encourage us.

That’s what happened to Peter, the Holy Spirit was continuing to reveal truth to Him, that’s how he knew Jesus was Christ, the Messiah. Peter and the disciples had been traveling with Jesus and were witnessing many great things He had done and were inspired by many of Jesus’ teachings. All that was rolling around in Peter’s head, and the Holy Spirit was using that to further teach Peter about who Jesus really was. And no doubt Peter was familiar with God’s Word about the Messiah in passages like Isaiah 61: 1 – 2.

The Holy Spirit used God’s Word and Jesus’ miracles to confirm in Peter’s heart that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah.

God the Father, Himself, made it plain who Jesus really was on the night of His birth.

God, right from the beginning of His earthly life made it plain and clear who Jesus was. And then backed the announcement and all the ancient prophecies up with many great signs and miracles by Jesus. And yet, many in Jesus’ time doubted and had no clue, even after the miracles. Even many of His own people the Jews, who had the scriptures and prophecies did not recognize who Jesus really was. This leads me to my question for you…
Who do you say Jesus is?

If you still don’t know or are unsure…come forward and let me know. I can pray with you and/or talk with you about it some more.