Now 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. (Matthew 16:13-20, NRSV)
Here is where the Keys to the Kingdom are given to Peter. And upon Peter the church is built…
Or did Jesus mean something different…
Not to downplay Peter and his role in the early church, but was he the center or did Jesus mean something different by “upon this rock I will build my church.”
You see Caearea Philippi was the home of a temple or worship space for Baal, and a worship center for Pan the Greek god and for Ceasar…
It was a pagan worship haven. It was the center of the world and as far from God as one could get where Jesus was.
So maybe Jesus was saying, “Peter right here upon this rock where the pagan god’s seem to control the world, we are going to build the church. Upon your confession of who I am and helping people see who they realy should be worshiping…”
So on this rock, on the place where you think God is farthest from, that is the place He wants you to place Him and to allow Him to be the center of all!
Worship Him and Him alone and allow His life to be yours!
aSacredRebel 