Turning Points:“The Rock’s Realization”

 Turning Points

Introduction:

Good morning friends and family. Welcome to Eastern Shore Baptist Church. My name is Stuart Davidson and I am the pastor here at ESBC. If you are a guest, welcome. If you are watching this morning online, we are thankful that you are here. This morning we are in the seventh week of a series called “Turning Points”. “Turning Points” is a characters study. We have been examining characters in the Bible at some of their most challenging moments. Some of these characters have been presented with dark scenarios, dangerous situations, and potentially discouraging outcomes. They have a choice to make. Will they follow their instincts? Will they listen to the crowd? Will they go the way of the mob? We have learned from characters like Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Rahab, King David, and Elijah. This morning, we are going to be heading, for the first time mind you, into the New Testament. We will be looking at Peter. 

Do me a favor this morning, open your Bibles to Matthew 16:13-20. At this point in the Gospel narrative, Jesus is about two and a half years into His ministry. We are a mere 6 months before Jesus dies on the cross. Just think of all that Peter has heard. Think of all that he has witnessed. He saw Jesus feed thousands with a meager lunch from a small child. Peter climbed out of the boat into open water, walking on the waves to Christ. Peter witnessed Jesus bring sound to the deaf, speech to the mute, sight to the blind, life to the dead, and movement to the paralyzed. These are rather unforgettable moments for Peter. 

Finally we arrive at Matthew 16:13-20. Jesus has taken His disciples to Caesarea Philippi. He turns to them and asks a very simple yet life defining question. “Who do you say that I am?” Peter, ever brash and always bold, steps calmly to the microphone and proclaims “YOU ARE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD”. This a turning point in Peter’s life. He leaves behind the thought that Jesus is a common man doing extraordinary things. Peter exclaims that Jesus is more than a winsome Rabbi carved from the mold of ancient prophets. Peter’s confession is the first of the disciples that Jesus is the “Son of God”. Blasphemy in the eyes of the religious Pharisees but spoken truth in the eyes of history. 

This is quite a declaration from Peter. This moment signals a shift in Jesus’ teaching. It is at this point, this confusion, this realization from Peter, that Jesus begins to openly speak about His upcoming suffering, His death, and His resurrection. 

Church, today message is entitled “The Rock’s Realization”.    

Today’s Message:

“The Rock’s Realization”

“Who do you say that I am” Jesus asks of His disciples. This may be the most important question that could be asked of anyone. This question was a turning point in Peter’s life. If you are a Christian, a true follower of Jesus, this very question was posed to you by someone? I remember when I asked Christ to step into my life, to save my soul, to be the Lord of my life. Pastor Joe Godfrey came to my house. He sat down with a 10 year old kid. He led me through the Roman road. He said, “Stuart, do you believe what Scripture testifies concerning Jesus”? 

“Yes”! 

“Would you like to admit to God today that you are a sinner, share your belief in Jesus Christ as the one and only way to salvation, and confess your need for grace and forgiveness?”

“Yes!”

In my parent’s living room, on Heathrow Drive, in Montgomery, AL. I became a follower of Jesus Christ. That was my realization and that was my confession. 

Maybe your story is different. Maybe it was a friend that led you to the Lord. Maybe you were reading the Gospel of John and came to the conclusion that Jesus is the true, living, Son of the Living God. Maybe it was surviving a catastrophe or crisis that led you to pray, “God, save me, I believe”. Whatever your story, let me tell you something friends your confession concerning Christ counts! 

That is our thought for the day. The thesis statement if you will for today’s message. The roadmap of where this sermon is heading. Fill in those blanks for me this morning. Your confession concerning Christ counts! 

Today’s Thought:

Your Confession Concerning Christ Counts!

Years ago I read a book entitled “Basic Christianity” by John Stott. It was an assigned reading of mine in seminary. Listen to what brother Stott has to say about Peter’s confession of faith. 

“Peter’s confession is the bedrock of the Christian faith because it acknowledges Jesus not merely as a great teacher or miracle worker, but as the divine Son of God. This truth is not the product of human speculation or reasoning; it is revealed by the Father. Upon this confession, Christ builds His church—not on Peter as an individual, but on the unshakable truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

People for ages have misunderstood the words of Christ after Peter’s confession. 

Matthew 16:18 ESV

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

People have misunderstood to hear Jesus say that His church would be built on Peter. They think that God’s church, the body of Christ where He is the head, is built upon the confessor. This is not true. God’s church is not built on the confessor, rather it is constructed on the confession. It was upon Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Son of the Living God that the church, the very Body of Christ, will be constructed. Jesus is the cornerstone that the builders rejected. Jesus, the author and the perfecter of our faith. The Alpha and the Omega. The Church would not be built on a man, a created being, NO! The Church would be built squarely on the strong shoulders of Christ Jesus. 

Today’s Quote:

“Peter’s confession is the bedrock of the Christian faith because it acknowledges Jesus not merely as a great teacher or miracle worker, but as the divine Son of God. This truth is not the product of human speculation or reasoning; it is revealed by the Father. Upon this confession, Christ builds His church—not on Peter as an individual, but on the unshakable truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

John Stott’s “Basic Christianity”

Statement of Faith:

Friends, I want to take a moment to remind you that…

We believe the Bible is inspired, infallible, and authoritative. It is vital for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. God’s Word brings life, peace, and protection, and it profoundly touches the human soul. As a unique and powerful book, let us stand in reverence and respect for it.

Today’s Scripture:

Matthew 16:13-20 ESV

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" [14] And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." [15] He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" [16] Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." [17] And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. [18] And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. [19] I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." [20] Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

Pastor: “This is the Word of the Lord.”

Congregation: “Praise His name, praise His holy name.”

3 Lessons To Learn From Peter’s Christlike Confession…

I. The Perception of Christ’s Identity vs. 13-16

After reading Matthew 16:13-20, I feel like Scripture revealed to me 3 lessons that we can all learn from Peter’s Christ-like confession. The first lesson that we learn this morning is the perception of Christ’s identity. We see this revealed to us in verses 13-16. 

"Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" [14] And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." [15] He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" [16] Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 

This event is captured in a few places in Scripture. We of course see it in Matthew 16. We also see it in Mark 8:27-30 and again in Luke 9:18-21. Luke’s account is interesting because it offers a bit more perspective. From Matthew’s account, you might think that Jesus and the disciples were just walking along, making their way to Jerusalem. That is not completely accurate. Luke actually tells us what Jesus and the disciples were doing. Listen here. 

Luke 9:18 ESV

Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"

They were praying together. They were communing with God. Jesus was talking to His Father and the disciples were there taking notes. They had shown interest in learning to pray. Perhaps Jesus was again showing them, teaching them, how to pray. 

When Jesus had concluded His prayer, He looks up and asks the question, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"

Peter then makes His bold assessment and assertion. “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

What does that mean exactly. “Christ” is the Greek word Χριστός (Christos), which means “Anointed One.” Peter is saying a lot in that statement by the way. He is saying that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah, the one prophesied in the Old Testament who would bring deliverance to Israel. 

Peter is saying that Jesus is the divinely anointed King. 

Peter is saying that Jesus is the fulfillment of all of God’s promises. Peter acknowledges that Jesus is not just a teacher or prophet, but the one sent by God to establish His kingdom.

By the way friends, this is not the only time that Peter makes this claim. In John 6:68-69, Peter is quoted saying, “You have the words that give eternal life. And now we believe and know that you are the Holy One who has come from God.’”

Oh friends, for centuries people have been confused as to who Jesus is. Just the other day, Jesus was yet again in the news. There was a press release that another version of “Jesus Christ Superstar” was under production. The lead role, playing the part of our Lord, an African American woman named Cynthia Erivo. I was listening to a debate on whether or not a woman could play the part of Jesus Christ. This was the statement that was made, 

“Listen, you can poll 20 people different people about who Jesus was and you will get 20 different answers. I can say that Jesus is more an energy, Jesus is more of a spiritual being. Jesus could be black. Jesus could be a woman. Jesus could be whoever you want Him to be.”

Oh friends, there have been lots of thoughts about Jesus. 

Bill Maher, a comedian and TV host said that, “If you believe that Jesus ever had anything to do with you, you are crazy. He’s been dead for over 2,000 years.”

Ricky Gervais, the co-producer of The Office confessed that “Jesus was a kind of do-gooder hippie who got invented as the son of God after his death. If he existed at all, he was just a bloke.”

Remember Ted Turner, the media mogul, he boldly claimed that “Christianity is for losers.”

 

Oh, friends, the world has many opinions about Jesus, but we don’t have to wonder who He is. Scripture clearly and consistently declares His identity! Peter’s confession was not based on speculation, nor was it shaped by culture’s ever-changing opinions. It was a declaration of truth, divinely revealed by God Himself.

Jesus is not whoever we want Him to be. He is not a mere spiritual energy, a good moral teacher, or a myth invented by man. He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God!

A Jesus of our own making is no Jesus at all. This is precisely what our culture does today—it shapes Jesus into an image that aligns with personal desires, cultural trends, and worldly values. But God has already revealed who He is. We don’t define Jesus—He defines us.

This is why we must always turn to God’s Word when answering life’s most important question: Who do you say that I am?

•John 14:6 – “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

•Colossians 1:15-17 – “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible… and in him all things hold together.”

•Hebrews 13:8 – “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

II. Proclamation of Christ’s Authority vs. 17-18

Friends, Peter’s confession was not just an opinion—it was a proclamation of eternal truth! And that brings us to our second lesson:

The proclamation of Christ’s authority. We see this in verses 17 and 18. 

And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. [18] And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 

Look at how Jesus responds to Peter’s confession. He tells him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.”

This was not human reasoning—this was divine revelation! And upon this rock, Jesus declares He will build His Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

Let’s take a closer look at what that means. 

Peter’s declaration that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the Living God” was not a conclusion he arrived at by human reasoning. It was a confession built upon two foundational principles—divine revelation and personal experience.

Let’s talk first about divine revelation. 

Jesus makes it clear in verse 17:

“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.”

This means that Peter’s confession was not a product of intellectual deduction, cultural assumptions, or personal opinion. It was something God Himself revealed to Peter through the Holy Spirit.

This is an essential truth for us today—spiritual understanding does not come from human intellect alone, but through divine revelation.

Consider Luke’s account (Luke 9:18), where we see that Jesus and His disciples had been in prayer before this conversation took place. Prayer was the setting for this divine revelation.

Friends, when we pray, we are not just speaking to God—God is also speaking to us.

•Jeremiah 33:3 – “Call to Me and I will answer you, and tell you [and even show you] great and mighty things, [things which have been confined and hidden], which you do not know and understand and cannot distinguish.” (AMP)

•John 16:13 – “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth.”

Peter had a realization from revelation that led to his proclamation. That is how God works—when we seek Him, He reveals truth to us, and that truth transforms us.

Now, let’s look at Peter’s confession that was based on personal experience. 

While Peter’s confession was revealed by the Holy Spirit, it was also affirmed by what he had experienced firsthand. Peter had spent time with Jesus. He had seen, heard, and felt things that no one else could explain. His belief was not blind faith, but a faith built upon evidence of who Jesus was.

Think about the incredible things Peter had personally witnessed:

•The Miraculous Catch of Fish (Luke 5:1-11)

•Jesus Walking on Water (Matthew 14:22-33) 

•The Feeding of the 5,000 (Matthew 14:13-21) 

•The Raising of Jairus’ Daughter (Mark 5:35-43)

Beyond the miracles, Peter heard the astounding teachings of Jesus:

•The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7)

•The Parables of the Kingdom (Matthew 13)

•His teachings on forgiveness, love, and servanthood 

And let’s not forget how Jesus saw Peter—when others overlooked him, Jesus called him. Peter had likely been passed over by other rabbis in his youth. He was a simple fisherman, not a scholar or religious elite. But Jesus saw potential in Peter when no one else did. Jesus was aware of Peter, and now Peter was fully aware of Jesus. Peter wasn’t just making an empty claim—he had experienced Jesus firsthand.

Now, this passage is often misunderstood. Some believe that when Jesus said, “on this rock I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18), He meant that the church would be built on Peter himself.

But that is not what Jesus was saying.

The “rock” was not Peter the man, but rather Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

•1 Corinthians 3:11 – “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

•Ephesians 2:20 – “Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.”

A church built on a man will crumble. Why? Because men are fallible. Men fail. Men are corruptible.

When churches are built on men, here’s what happens:

1.Disappointment. People will inevitably be disappointed. – Because people place their trust in a leader instead of in Christ. When the leader fails, their faith is shaken.

2.Discouragement. People will always be discouraged. – People become disillusioned when they see hypocrisy and pride take over.

3.Destruction. Churches fall. They fail. Lives are shattered. – Scandals, abuses of power, and authoritarian leadership destroy lives, hurt families, and lead people away from faith.

History is full of examples where churches built on charismatic leaders rather than Christ have collapsed into scandal and disgrace.

Jim Bakker

Ted Haggard

Jimmy Swaggart

Jerry Falwell Jr.

Mark Driscoll

Robert Morris

The list goes on and on. I will tell you something else church. If you build Eastern Shore Baptist Church around the personality of Stuart Davidson, you will experience the same disappointment. I can say that with great certainty. Why? Because I am a sinner. A man in need of daily grace. A man desperately needing redemption. A man who wakes every morning thanking God that His mercies are made new each and every day. A man capable of great wickedness who knows that that wickedness is only held at bay by the sheer power and authority of the Holy Spirit. 

You are probably thinking, “but preacher, you are a good person”. 

No! No I am not a good person. I am dead in my transgressions. Born in iniquity. Deserving of hell. Lost. Corrupted. Dark. Evil. 

This is not the message that you bargained for this morning but it is the message you are going to hear. Your pastor needs prayer. He needs accountability. Why? Because I am human. I will tell you here and now, the only thing good in me is Jesus. The only thing good taking place in the church is because of Jesus. The one thing trying to tear it all apart is my sin, your sin, our sin. 

But friends, Jesus never said the church would be built on a man. He said it would be built on Himself.

•Matthew 28:18-20 (AMP) – “Jesus came up and said to them, ‘All authority [all power of absolute rule] in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.’”

The church should be:

•Constructed on Jesus

•Built on His strong foundation

•Led by Him

•Glued together by the Holy Spirit

A man-centered church will fail, but a Christ-centered church will stand forever.

III. The Power of Christ’s Commissioning vs. 19-20

Jesus is the foundation of His church, and when we stand on Him, we are empowered to do His work! That brings me to my last point this morning. The power of Christ’s commissioning. We see this in verses 19-20. 

[19] I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." [20] Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

14 years ago, Angela and I moved to this area with a 5 year old and a 2 year old. We were in between homes at the time. We finally sold our home in Montgomery and bought a house here in Daphne. This was the only the third house that I had ever purchased. I remember the moment well. We sat with our real estate agent. We were there with the builder, his agent and a lawyer. You know the drill. We sat opposite of each other at a large table. We exchanged niceties, signed a ton of forms that none of us read, and shook hands. There was just one thing left to do. The builder, with a smile on his face, reached out his hand and gave me the keys to our new house. 

It was a pretty awesome moment. 

It was a symbolic and literal gesture. When he handed over those keys, it mean that he was transferring ownership from me to us. No longer was it his responsibility to care for the house, it was ours. He was done with the lawn care. Done with the maintenance. Finished paying the bills. That was now our responsibility. When he gave us the keys, it not only conveyed ownership, it also conveyed responsibility. From here on out, we could let in whoever we wanted to in that house. Why? Because it was now our home, not his. Before, he had the keys. He had control of who came and went. If he didn’t want someone in the house, he simply didn’t let them in. Now, we had the keys. If we wanted to have a party at our house, we didn’t have ask him permission. Why? Because that was now our house. We could open or shut the doors to whoever we wanted to. 

Jesus makes a curious statement to Peter after Peter’s confession. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

What exactly was Jesus saying to Peter? Well in Biblical times, and even in modern times I might add, keys symbolized authority. The person who had the keys had the power to open or close access to a place. Have you ever met someone with a lot of keys? I have been doing church work for 25 years now and I have met a few key holders. It has always struck me as funny, people with a lot of keys. I have met people before that seem to think that if they have a lot of keys, they have a lot of power. Those keys didnt belong to them. Yet they still acted as they had all the power.

Well here you have someone, that being Jesus, rightly possessing all the keys to the universe. No one gave Him those keys. He actually owns the keys and the property therein. Jesus is not like a power hungry key holder. Jesus, the rightful owner of the keys, freely gives them away. Jesus here is giving Peter a leadership role in proclaiming the Gospel, which would open the doors of the Kingdom to people. 

I find it amazing actually. It’s not as if God gives up ownership of the keys to Peter. Hardly! However, Jesus loans those keys to Peter. If you read between the lines here, what Jesus is really saying is that Peter is going to be a part of the Great mission, the Great Commission, to open the doors of heaven to everyone. 

Peter would lead the way in reaching the Jews. He would lead the way in reaching the Samaritans.He would lead the way in reaching the Gentiles. 

Jesus continues, “whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” This refers to the authority to make decisions about doctrine, discipline, and inclusion in the Kingdom. The early Church, under Peter and the apostles, had the responsibility to establish the foundational teachings of Christianity. While Peter was given a unique leadership role, the authority to “bind and loose” was later extended to all the apostles (Matthew 18:18). The authority was not about personal power but about proclaiming the Gospel faithfully. Ultimately, Jesus is the One who holds the true keys to the Kingdom (Revelation 3:7), and all authority is derived from Him.

It was a symbolic gesture from Jesus but Peter would come to understand, that him holding the keys to the Kingdom, meant that he has a big job and a great joy ahead of him. It is the same job, the same mission that all of us are here to do. To live out Paul’s words capture in Romans 10. 

“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’”

Friends, you and I, like Peter and the disciples, have the same keys. We have the same authority. We can open the doors to the Kingdom with a bold witness and a Christ-like lifestyle. We can also close the doors with cowardice and through being ashamed of the Gospel. 

Peter boldly declared, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus responded with a powerful commissioning—giving him the keys of the Kingdom, entrusting him with the mission to proclaim the Gospel, and allowing him to participate in the work of bringing people into God’s family.

And today, that same mission is ours. The keys of the Kingdom are not reserved for a select few—they have been entrusted to all who follow Christ. You and I hold them in our hands. We have the privilege and responsibility to share the message of salvation, to proclaim the Good News, and to invite others into the hope of eternal life.

But here’s the question: What will you do with the keys?

Will you use them to open the doors for others to know Jesus? Will you boldly share your faith, stand firm in your convictions, and lead people toward the truth? Or will you keep the keys in your pocket, silent when you should speak, hesitant when you should go, afraid when you should be bold?

The real question today is this: Is Peter’s Confession Your Conviction?

If Jesus is truly the Christ, the Son of the living God—if He is your Lord and Savior—then live like it. Speak like it. Walk in obedience. Take the keys and open the doors of the Kingdom for a lost and dying world. Because that’s what we are called to do.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for the truth of Your Word and the calling You have placed on our lives. Just as You entrusted Peter with the keys of the Kingdom, You have entrusted us with the message of salvation. Give us boldness to share our faith, courage to stand firm in the truth, and a heart that longs to see others come to know You. May we never be ashamed of the Gospel, but instead, may we joyfully and faithfully proclaim that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. In His name we pray, Amen.