Sunday Worship
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity. Our Church Services this morning are at the usual times of 9.15 at St Agnes' and 11.15 at St Thomas'.
If you are unable to be with us in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "Awake my Soul, and with the Sun"
Today's Gospel
Matthew 16:13-20 Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah
When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And 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. And 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. 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.” Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Reflection
Jesus has been teaching and healing around Galilee for quite a while, but we are about to see him turn towards Jerusalem and His journey to the Cross.
Peter and the other disciples have been with Jesus for over two years, and witnessed everything he has said and done, including performing many miracles. Over that time they have, no doubt, constantly had to evaluate and re-evaluate their opinions of who Jesus is as well as revising their opinion of themselves. There must have been many times when they wondered why Jesus had chosen them to follow Him.
And now at Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asks them, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” So they tell him that people are saying he is John the Baptist, and others think he is the prophet Elijah, or Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets.
It might seem obvious that Jesus cannot be John the Baptist, as many people saw them together at His baptism. However, the theories that he was one of the previous prophets are perhaps not so radical – it was believed by many Jews that Elijah would return before the Messiah came. The prophet Malachi [Chp 5], declared the promise of God: “I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes”.
Next, Jesus asks the crunch question - “But who do you say that I am?” The other disciples are silent, perhaps lost for words, we don’t know. Maybe they’re wondering if there is a reason behind the question – could it be that Jesus is asking why are following me? Why have you left everything to follow a humble carpenter from Nazareth when you know nothing about me?
Then, as ever, Peter jumps in - “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus is obviously pleased with Peter’s response, so much so that He blesses him! Peter has hit the nail on the head, he understands in his heart that Jesus is not just another prophet in a long line of prophets. His insightful answer points us in the direction of the fundamental truth that Jesus is the living God – God with us.
All this has been revealed to them, not by flesh and blood, or because they have been told by Jesus, it is a revelation from God. Jesus’ own Father in heaven has revealed the truth through Jesus’ words and actions and the relationship they have built with Him.
For us it might seem obvious that we know about Jesus and who he is, because we know about Jesus from the good news of the Gospels. But the essence of the message here is not just about Jesus through what we have been told or read.
Like the disciples, Jesus is looking for a relationship with each of us. It’s not about knowing about Jesus, it’s about actually knowing Jesus, and through Jesus knowing God. It about recognising what God, through Jesus, is doing right here and now in our lives and how we might see His power at work in our midst. Jesus is the key to our relationship with God and everything God has made and continues to do.
When we build a relationship with Jesus Christ and have faith in His love for us, we can be formed into His likeness and follow His example and live His values. Through getting to truly know Jesus, we can experience the joy of a loving relationship with Him, and open the gates of heaven.
Jesus’ church is built on the rock of the knowledge of the revelation that Jesus is the living God, the Messiah. The early Church that we read about in the Acts of the Apostles was built on faith and the formation of the people in the community, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
A Church built on faith in Jesus, and also people working together to bring what they had and building a community built on fairness and justice. It wasn’t just listening to what the apostles told them about Jesus, it was the desire to know Jesus and live as He did. It was about understanding how each individual should respond to His call.
In Paul’s letter to the Romans, we are reminded that, as Christians, we are all joined in the body of Christ and that not everyone has the same function. We each have gifts to offer according to the grace of God. Rev. Kirsten and I were talking earlier in the week about the encouraging signs of people coming forward and offering their help, even if they aren’t always sure what that help looks like yet.
As Paul says, it’s not always about ministry or leadership – it can be about showing compassion, listening, maybe practical skills or many other traits we have.
It may even be you have a gift that hasn’t been revealed to you yet – something for example that you’ve always fancied having a go at, but never got around to doing. A gift from God that you will find really fulfilling.
Paul also reminds us that we all have strengths and weaknesses, but thanks to God, they are balanced out in the Christian community. We are called to work together and help each other, but we are not expected to have all the virtues or skills as individuals, or to excel at everything.
So, as Rev. Kirsten mentioned a few weeks ago, if there’s something niggling you and you think that God might be nudging to do something – then please think and pray about it or come and have a word with us.
Peter was probably not the most obvious candidate to be the leader of the early church. He could be quite outspoken and, as we will hear next week, he was quite capable of getting things wrong and putting his foot in his mouth. Peter’s main qualification was that he could recognise the activity of God when he saw it and could understand that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. That was all that was needed to start to build Jesus’ church. Rev. Paul
