Sermon: Breaking Down the Gates (8-27-23)

Sunday, August 27th, 2023 (The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost)
Isaiah 51:1-6; Psalm 138; Romans 11:25-36; Matthew 16:13-20

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour
The most expensive, expansive, extravagant musical tour ever.

SO FAR: 52 dates

Between ticket sales, merchandise, album purchases - the Taylor Swift franchise has grossed over $5 billion.

According to Dan Fleetwood, President of QuestionPro Research and Insights. “If Taylor Swift were an economy, she’d be bigger than 50 countries; if she was a corporation, her Net Promoter Score would make her the fourth most admired brand, and her loyalty numbers mimic those of subjects to a royal crown.”

I want to ask you a basic question: Who is Taylor Swift?

I. Who am I?
This is THE question!
When Jesus walked onto the scene there were a lot of people who had already come to conclusions about who Jesus was. Many of the religious types rejected Jesus. Nathanial in the book of John goes so far as to say, “can anything good come out of Nazareth? And by the time of Jesus’ third year of ministry - people had all sorts of questions about Jesus. But more importantly, their questions were drawn from their preconceptions.

II. Who do you say I am?
Caesarea Philippi
Jesus places this question of who he is against the backdrop of Caesarea Philippi.
Greco-Roman: Temples, Courts, and Grottos to the recently divinized Caesar Augustus, the god Pan, and the nymphs.
Canaanites: Bashan (the mountain) the Rephaim and the Anakim (the giants) dwelled in this land. And in the mythology of the 1st century Jew - this was the location where the Nephelim in Genesis chapter 6 descended down to earth to have inappropriate relationships with the daughters of men.

Jesus wants us to go past knowing him. We are commanded to tell others … the work is in the SAYING.
In every way this points to the reality of Jesus’ calling. The work of Jesus has so far only led the disciples to the corners of Galilee, the northern portion of Israel.
But the ministry of the Church is going to expand past the borders of Israel. They are going to travel across many of the countries that would later make up Europe, western Asia, northern Africa - and into the ends of the earth.
Every location is a place that Jesus seeks to redeem.
But Jesus takes the claim even further. His ministry will reach past all the places where the living travel - and even break down the gates between the living and the dead. Jesus himself will break the bonds of death forever.

Why does this matter?
the claim: You are the Rock, and against this rock …
The who of Jesus changes the who of us.
Somewhere built into the claim of Jesus’ assembly is one that confronts the fame of the competing cults of Caesar, Pan, and the Nymphs.

You are the Christ …
You are the son of the LIVING GOD.

III. You are …!
Simon, Peter: the Rock.
The word rock - as Mountain - the new location of Jesus transfiguration. 
The foundation of the Church. 

When you answer the question, who is Jesus, the question, who am I suddenly shifts. Jesus as the King - has the authority to alter every aspect of your role in his Kingdom - but as the Son of God - he has the power to change your very being itself. 

Notice that Jesus never asks Peter who Peter thinks Peter is - Jesus is in the business of giving Peter his own identity. 

Thank you for listening!
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Transcript

0:06

MATTHEW 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 AND JESUS 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 JODA 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 THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD LET US PRAY COME HOLY SPIRIT COME NOW AS WE CONSIDER YOUR WORD FOR OUR LIVES AMEN PLEASE BE SEATED WHO IS TAYLOR SWIFT WHO DO YOU SAY THAT TAYLOR SWIFT IS YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD AT THE VERY END OF THE FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST TAYLOR SWIFT FINISHED HER ERAS TOUR WHICH SHE HELD FOR FIVE MONTHS FROM MARCH UNTIL AUGUST AND DURING THOSE FIVE MONTHS SHE TRAVELED TO 20 DIFFERENT CITIES HAD 52 DIFFERENT CONCERT DATES AND OVER THE COURSE OF THOSE FIVE MONTHS PERFORMED CONCERTS IN THE BIGGEST VENUES GARNERING THE BIGGEST AUDIENCE IN THE HISTORY OF CONCERT GOING EVER WE THINK THAT OVER THE COURSE OF THOSE FIVE MONTHS OUR BEST ESTIMATES ARE THAT SHE EARNED SOMETHING IN THE REALM OF $2.2 BILLION IN TICKET SALES ALONE THIS DOESN'T MENTION OR INCLUDE SALES OF ALBUMS AND MERCHANDISE THE AVERAGE CONCERT GOER SPENT 15 DOLLARS TO GO TO THE CONCERT THIS INCLUDES TICKETS AND PURCHASES FOR FOR A TRAVEL SOMETIMES HOTEL STAYS THE SECOND MOST UH EXPENSIVE CONCERT TOUR OR THE WINNINGEST CONCERT TOUR WAS ELTON JOHN'S TOOK PLACE OVER THE COURSE OF FIVE YEARS AND OF THOSE FIVE YEARS FROM 2018 TO 2023 IN HIS FAREWELL OR GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD HIS FAREWELL TOUR HE EARNED $883 MILLION WHO IS TAYLOR SWIFT WHEN I ENCOUNTER THE STORY IN THE SCRIPTURES THE THING THAT I'M CONSTANTLY SHOCKED BY IS THE CONFLUENCE OF EVENTS THAT LED JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES HERE TO THIS MOMENT AND THIS PLACE AND THIS QUESTION AND IF YOU REALLY SORT OF BOIL IT DOWN AT THE HEART OF IT THE HEART OF THE QUESTION OF THE GOSPELS IS THAT VERY QUESTION THAT JESUS ASKS PETER WHO AM I AND PETER'S RESPONSE TO HIM SHOWS US NOT ONLY SOMETHING ABOUT WHO JESUS IS BUT FURTHERMORE IT SHOWS US SOMETHING ABOUT WHO PETER IS WHO THE CHURCH IS AND I'VE HAD THIS OBSERVATION AS I'VE BEEN REFLECTING ON THESE WORDS THIS WEEK THAT'S PROBABLY THE SAME THING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO GO TO TAYLOR SWIFT'S CONCERT THAT THEY HAVE AN IDEA OF WHO THEY'RE BUYING A TICKET TO GO SEE BUT FURTHERMORE THEY ALSO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES IN A CERTAIN WAY IN A CERTAIN FORM IN ORDER THAT THEY MIGHT ARRIVE AND GO TO THESE CONCERTS AND I THINK WHAT I WANT TO DO TODAY IS TAKE THESE STORIES SIDE BY SIDE THE STORY OF JESUS ASKING PETER THIS QUESTION IN CESAREA PHILIPPI AND TAYLOR SWIFT AT THE END OF HER CONCERT SERIES AND EVERYTHING THAT SHE HAS TO ASK US OURSELVES THE QUESTION WHO IS JESUS CHRIST WHO IS TAYLOR SWIFT AND HERE'S WHAT I THINK THAT WILL COME OUT AT THE END OF THAT CONVERSATION REALIZING THAT THE QUESTIONS AREN'T ULTIMATELY ABOUT JESUS AND ABOUT TAYLOR BUT ULTIMATELY IT'S ABOUT WHO WE SEE OURSELVES AS WHO WE TELL US GETS TO CLAIM OUR OWN IDENTITY NOW YOU GUYS MIGHT KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BIBLICAL WORLD DURING THE WRITING OF THE GOSPELS WE THINK THAT BY THE TIME THAT JESUS ENTERED ONTO THIS LOCATION CALLED CESAREA PHILIPPI THAT IT WAS ALREADY A VERY DEEPLY RELIGIOUS LOCATION THIS VERY PLACE WAS A PLACE OF RELIGIOUS DEVOTION TO OVER FOUR DIFFERENT DEITIES THAT WE HAVE AT THIS VERY LOCATION ABOUT 35 MILES NORTH AS THE CROW FLIES OF THE SEA OF GALILEE A LOCATION AT THE FOOTHILLS OF MOUNT HERMON WHERE THERE WAS ALREADY A TEMPLE TO CAESAR AUGUSTUS WHO WAS RECENTLY PROCLAIMED TO BE NOT ONLY THE RULER OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE BUT BY HIS ADOPTED NEPHEW JULIUS WAS ACTUALLY CLAIMED TO BE THE DESCENDANT OF VENUS GODDESS AND THEREBY A GOD HIMSELF BUT THE VERY GATES THAT JESUS REFERENCES HERE REFERENCES HERE ARE A PHYSICAL LOCATION THAT THEY'RE ALL STARING AT AT THIS MOMENT CALLED THE GATES OF HADES THIS IS A PLACE WHERE WORSHIP TO THE GREEK GOD PAN WOULD TAKE PLACE AND LOTS OF VERY INTRICATE AND UM SLIGHTLY NOT CHURCH WORTHY UH CELEBRATIONS WOULD TAKE PLACE THAT I WOULDN'T WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IN THIS COMPANY AND THEN FURTHERMORE AS THE YEARS WOULD GO ON THEY BUILT TEMPLES TO THE NYMPHS THESE ARE THE GODS THAT FOLLOW AROUND THE GODS OF OF OF ALCOHOL AND OF FERTILITY AND THEN FURTHERMORE LATER AFTER THE TIME OF JESUS MORE TEMPLES WILL BE BUILT ON THIS VERY LOCATION AT THE FOOTHILLS OF MOUNT HERMON AND I'M SAYING ALL OF THIS BACKGROUND INFORMATION TO GIVE YOU THE PICTURE THAT WHEN JESUS ASKS PETER THE QUESTION WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM HE'S TRYING TO POINT OUT TO THEM WHAT THEY'RE UP AGAINST THAT WE AS HUMAN BEINGS HAVE THE PROPENSITY THE DESIRE TO CREATE GODS ALL AROUND US ACTUALLY IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT REALLY HONESTLY THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS AN IRRELIGIOUS PERSON BUT JUST PEOPLE WHO CALL THEMSELVES NOT RELIGIOUS WE BY DEFINITION ARE CREATING GODS EVERYWHERE SOMETIMES OUT OF OURSELVES SOMETIMES OUT OF CELEBRITIES SOMETIMES OUT OF OUR SITUATIONS IN MY CASE MOSTLY OUT OF MY CHILDREN BUT WHEN JESUS ASKS SIMON PETER THAT VERY QUESTION THE QUESTION IS FILLED WITH PROBLEMS BECAUSE ALL AROUND THEM THEY SEE IF INDEED PETER'S CLAIMS ABOUT JESUS ARE TRUE IT MEANS PART OF THE ISSUE OF THEIR WORK IS TO COMBAT EVERYTHING THAT STANDS IN THE WAY OF WHO JESUS IS AND HOW PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND IT AND I THINK THAT WE 21ST CENTURY AMERICANS LIVING IN A HEAVILY CHRISTIANIZED CULTURE AT LEAST IN TERMS OF THE WAY THAT WE SPEAK TO ONE ANOTHER SOMETIMES CONFUSE THE FACT THAT WE ACTUALLY ARE CREATING GODS EVERYWHERE EVERYWHERE WE GO WE'RE CONSTANTLY IN THE HABIT IN THE PRACTICE OF WORSHIP PUTTING OUR TIME AND OUR ENERGY AND OUR EFFORT INTO THINGS THAT WE FIND VALUABLE AND BY DOING SO WE ASCRIBE VALUE AND WORTH TO THOSE VERY THINGS THEMSELVES AND WHAT I FIND SO INCREDIBLE ABOUT THIS STORY IS I THINK IT'S A STARK PICTURE OF THE REALITY THAT WE OURSELVES LIVE IN YOU AND I LIVE IN A TIME WHEN AMERICANS OVER THE COURSE OF FIVE MONTHS SPENT $2.2 BILLION ON CONCERT TICKETS TO SEE A GIRL A WOMAN NOW I'M NOT SAYING ANY INDICTMENT AGAINST TAYLOR SWIFT NO INDICTMENT AGAINST GOING TO CONCERT TICKETS BUT TO ASK OURSELVES IF WE THINK IF THIS IS THE PROPER UM ATTRIBUTION TO OUR ENERGY OUR WORSHIP OUR AUTHORITY HAVE YOU GUYS EVER BEEN TO A CONCERT BEFORE I HAD THE DISTINCT PLEASURE ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO FOUR YEARS AGO OF GOING TO A CONCERT FOR MY FAVORITE BAND IT'S A BRITISH ROCK BAND CALLED MUSE AND THEY HAVE LOTS OF REALLY CATCHY LYRICS THE GUY WHO WRITES ALL THE MUSIC HIS NAME IS MATT BELLAMY IS A TOTAL GUITAR NERD AND WRITES INCREDIBLE MUSIC FOR GUITAR AND FOR VOICE AND FOR PIANO AND WHEN I SAT IN THE CONCERT TICKET WITH MY WIFE BESIDE ME AND MY BEST FRIENDS TO THE RIGHT OF ME WE HAD THIS MOMENT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CONCERT WHERE MATT BELLAMY TAKES HIS MICROPHONE AND HE'S WAITING FOR THE CHORUS AND AS SOON AS THE CHORUS STARTS HE DOES YOU KNOW WHAT HE DOES HE GOES LIKE THIS POINTS THE MICROPHONE AT THE PEOPLE AND I HAD THIS MOMENT AS I WAS STANDING NEXT TO MY LIFE MY WIFE LIFE WIFE AS I WAS STANDING NEXT TO MY FRIENDS WHERE I REALIZED WHY THIS MOMENT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL I HEARD VOICES OF PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT CULTURES AND LANGUAGES PEOPLE ALL FROM DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE STANDING AND SINGING AT THE TOP OF THEIR VOICE WITH ONE UNITED VOICE IN AN ACT OF WORSHIP AND I REALIZED AT THAT MOMENT THIS IS WHAT MY HEART DESIRES I DESIRE TO BE UNITED WITH OTHER PEOPLE THAT WERE CREATED TO BE UNITED WITH ONE ANOTHER AS WE SING TOGETHER ONE SONG THE PROBLEM OF IT IS IT WASN'T A SONG ABOUT THE ONE FOR WHOM WE WERE CREATED TO WORSHIP IT WASN'T A SONG OF PRAISE IT WAS ACTUALLY A SONG ABOUT YOU KNOW GETTING IT GETTING THE MAN STOPPING GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY FROM USURPING ALL OF OUR PERSONAL RIGHTS I THINK WE ARE WORSHIPPERS WE ARE CONSTANTLY IN THE PRACTICE OF LOOKING FOR A GOD TO WORSHIP AND JESUS KNOWING THIS ASKS SIMON PETER THIS QUESTION WHO DO YOU THINK THAT I AM NOW SIMON PETER'S RESPONSE IS IMPORTANT AND I THINK IT TAKES A MOMENT FOR US TO TALK ABOUT IT THINK ABOUT IT SIMON PETER IDENTIFIES JESUS AS THE MESSIAH THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD NOW WITHOUT GETTING TOO DEEPLY INTO THE TECHNICAL WEEDS I WANT TO JUST DESCRIBE WHAT THESE TWO WORDS MEAN FOR US BECAUSE WE'RE SO CHURCHY WE PROBABLY HEAR THE WORDS MESSIAH OR CHRIST REGULARLY WE HEAR THE PHRASE SON OF GOD ALL THE TIME BUT WE PROBABLY DON'T UNPACK WHAT IT MEANS WHEN SIMON PETER CALLS JESUS THE MESSIAH HE'S CALLING HIM HIS KING YOU GUYS MIGHT KNOW THIS THAT JESUS IS NOT THE FIRST PERSON IN THE BIBLE TO BE CALLED MESSIAH BY A KING THE FIRST PERSON IN THE SCRIPTURES TO BE CALLED KING IS KING SAUL FROM FIRST SAMUEL AND DAVID WHEN HE IS ANOINTED AS KING HE IS ALSO GIVEN THIS LABEL THIS TITLE AND SO JESUS FOLLOWS UNDER THE LINE OF DAVID HE'S A DESCENDANT OF DAVID HIMSELF AND WHEN HE DOES THE THINGS THAT HE DOES WHEN HE SAYS THINGS LIKE THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS HERE WHEN HE PRESENTS HIMSELF AS RIDING INTO JERUSALEM ON A DONKEY HE'S MAKING A CLAIM TO BEING THE TRUE KING OF GOD'S KINGDOM BUT EVEN MORE INTERESTING THAN THAT IS THE SECOND PHRASE THAT SIMON PETER USES TO DESCRIBE JESUS BECAUSE WHEN JESUS INITIALLY ASKS THE QUESTION IN VERSE 13 HE REFERS TO HIMSELF AS THE SON OF MAN BUT WHEN PETER ANSWERS THE QUESTION HE DOESN'T CALL HIM SON OF MAN HE CALLS HIM SON OF GOD NOW THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS THAT PEOPLE HAVE UNPACKED WITH THE PHRASE SON OF GOD MEANS BUT I HAVE A BUT I THINK IS A REALLY GOOD PEDAGOGICAL WAY OF DESCRIBING WHAT THE WORD SON OF GOD MEANS WHAT DO YOU CALL THE SON OF AN ARMADILLO AN ARMADILLO WHAT DO YOU CALL THE SON OF AN ALLIGATOR AN ALLIGATOR WHAT DO YOU CALL THE SON OF GOD GOD PETER'S MAKING A CLAIM BEFORE EVERYONE AND IT'S THE FIRST TIME SOMEONE WILL MAKE THIS CLAIM ASIDE FROM THE DEMONS THAT JESUS HAS CAST OUT THAT JESUS IS HIMSELF GOD AND THIS IS WHY JESUS'S RESPONSE TO HIM IS THIS STATEMENT OF AN INCREDIBLE REVELATION HE SAYS TO HIM YOU DID NOT HEAR THIS FROM ANY HUMAN PERSON YOU HAVE BEEN YOU HAVE COME TO THIS REVELATION BY GOD THE FATHER IN HEAVEN AND IT COMES DOWN I THINK FULL FORCE TO US IN THIS QUESTION WHO DO YOU THINK THAT JESUS IS AND I HAVE THROUGHOUT MY YEARS IN SEMINARY IN UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES AND AS MY WORK IN MY WORK AS A PRIEST I'M ALWAYS SHOCKED TO DISCOVER WHAT PEOPLE'S ANSWERS TO THAT QUESTION IS SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT JESUS IS A REALLY AMAZING PROPHET YOU GUYS MIGHT KNOW THIS IS THE CENTRAL CLAIM OF ISLAM RIGHT THAT JESUS IS A SECOND ONLY TO MUHAMMAD IN TERMS OF HIS HONOR AS A PROPHET IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT MUSLIMS WHENEVER THEY SAY JESUS'S NAME THEY ALWAYS FOLLOW IT UP WITH THIS HONORARIUM PEACE BE UPON HIM RIGHT BUT OUR CLAIM AS CHRISTIANS IS SO MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT YES WE THINK THAT JESUS IS A PROPHET BUT WHAT ELSE I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE WHO WHEN I ASKED THEM THE QUESTION WHO IS JESUS THEY SAY SOMETHING LIKE A REALLY MORAL TEACHER IF YOU FOLLOW JESUS'S TEACHINGS MAN HE CAN'T LEAD YOU ASTRAY AND HE'S ONE OF MANY MANY GOOD TEACHERS WHO HAVE WALKED OF CAUGHT UPON THE EARTH THIS DAY AND WE DO AFFIRM THAT JESUS INDEED WAS RABBI TEACHER OUR INSTRUCTOR WHEN WE CALL OURSELVES DISCIPLES IT COMES WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE LEARNING TO DO FROM JESUS BUT WE DON'T CLAIM THAT HE WAS ONLY A TEACHER THINK ABOUT IT IF IT'S TRUE WHAT PETER SAYS ABOUT JESUS THAT JESUS IS GOD THIS COMPLETELY CHANGES THE WAY WE APPROACH JESUS'S ADVICE HIS STATEMENTS HIS SELF AFFIRMATIONS BECAUSE IF JESUS IS SIMPLY A PROPHET WE CAN HOLD THE WORDS OF THIS PROPHET UP NEXT TO ANY OTHER PROPHET AND SEE IF THEY BEAR WEIGHT IF JESUS IS ONLY A TEACHER WE CAN TAKE AND RECEIVE OR REJECT ANY TEACHING OF ANY TEACHER AS WE WANT TO BUT LET'S JUST PRETEND FOR A MOMENT THAT IT'S TRUE THAT JESUS IS GOD THIS MEANS THAT EVERY WORD THAT COMES OUT OF HIS MOUTH IS NO LONGER A SUGGESTION BUT A COMMAND HIS VERY WORDS THEMSELVES IF WE TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY ARE NOT ONLY GOOD IDEAS BUT LIFE ITSELF AND PURPOSE AND TRUTH AND THIS IS WHY I ULTIMATELY COME TO THIS LAST QUESTION JESUS STARTS TO MAKE A CLAIM TO PETER ABOUT WHO PETER IS LET ME JUST READ IT AGAIN BRIEFLY HE SAYS 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 IF I WAS JESUS I WOULD ENGAGE IN A LITTLE MORE PEDAGOGICAL CONVERSATION I WOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING TO PETER LIKE WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE BUT JESUS STRANGELY DOESN'T REALLY CARE WHAT PETER THINKS PETER IS INSTEAD ONCE PETER HAS UNDERSTOOD AND NAMED CLEARLY WHO JESUS IS WHAT HAPPENS JESUS THEN TELLS PETER WHO PETER IS AND I THINK THIS HAS GOT TO BE A COMPLETE SHIFT IN THE WAY THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF IDENTITY AND THE WAY THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF HUMAN AND CHRISTIAN ANTHROPOLOGY WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN IS THAT OUR IDENTITY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN FIND IN OURSELVES YOU CAN'T FIND IT BY EXAMINING THE WAY THAT YOU FEEL YOU WILL NEVER FIND IT IN ANY BOOK AND YOU WILL NEVER FIND IT THROUGH SEARCHING THROUGH THE WORLD THE ONLY PLACE THAT YOU CAN EVER REALLY DISCOVER WHO YOU WERE CREATED TO BE IS BY HEARING IT FROM THE CREATOR NOTICE HERE THAT JESUS SAYS TO PETER YOU ARE THE ROCK THIS IS THE FIRST TIME PETERS RECEIVED THIS TITLE THE FIRST TIME SOMEONE'S CALLED HIM ANYTHING OTHER THAN SIMON SON OF JONAH AND I WANT TO JUST POINT OUT FOR JUST A MOMENT THE JESUS IN CALLING HIM PETER ALSO NAMES WHO HE USED TO BE HE USED TO BE THE SIMON THE SON OF JONAH BUT NOW HE HAS A NEW FATHER NOW HE HAS A NEW UNDERSTANDING OF WHO HE IS AND NOW BECAUSE OF THIS HE HAS A NEW NAME AND A NEW IDENTITY THAT JESUS HAS GIVEN HIM ONE THING I'VE DISCOVERED IN MY PASTORAL WORK THROUGH THE PAST EIGHT YEARS OF SERVING AS AN ORDAINED PERSON WITHIN THE CHURCH IS A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE I AM STATEMENTS THAT ARE SELF CURSES HAVE YOU GUYS NOTICED THIS PEOPLE WILL SAY THINGS LIKE I CAN'T DO THAT I'M NOT A BLANK I MET SOMEONE ONE DAY WHO SAID THEY WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO RUN 5 MILES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT A RUNNER AND I HEAR PEOPLE ALL THE TIME MAKE STATEMENTS LIKE I'M TOO FAT I'M TOO OLD I'M NOT A GOOD SINGER I'M NOT A GOOD MUSICIAN I CAN'T I WON'T WHAT I SEE US DOING IS TAKING ON IDENTITIES THAT WE CREATE FOR OURSELVES AND I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT TO YOU THAT AT LEAST IN THIS CONVERSATION JESUS DOESN'T REALLY CARE WHO YOU THINK YOU ARE ISN'T THAT INTERESTING JESUS DOESN'T TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY TO PETER HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT BEING THE ROCK WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT ME BUILDING MY CHURCH THROUGH YOU NOTICE HE SAYS YOU ARE PETER AND THERE'S A REASON WHY HE DOES THIS BECAUSE HE IS GOD AND YOU ARE NOT YOU ARE NOT A CREATOR AND SO WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING SIMPLE LIKE JUDGE YOURSELF AND LABEL YOURSELF AND NAME YOURSELF AGAINST WHO GOD'S CREATED YOU TO BE WHAT YOU DO IS YOU CREATE A BOUNDARY A BLOCKADE A PRISON A GATE WILL YOU SAY TO GOD I KNOW THAT YOU ARE GOD MAYBE WHAT THE WORDS YOU HAVE TO SAY ARE TRUE BUT FOR NOW I AM GOING TO BE GOD OVER ME INSTEAD AND JESUS AS A RESULT HAS THIS STATEMENT THAT HE MAKES TO PETER HE SAYS THE GATES OF HADES WILL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AGAINST THE CHURCH LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION WHO DO YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE WHO TOLD YOU TO CALL YOURSELF THAT I KNOW MANY PEOPLE IN MY LIFE WHO HAVE WORN LABELS AND IDENTITIES THAT ARE LIES EITHER LIES FROM THEIR FAMILY LIES FROM THEMSELVES OR LIES FROM THE VERY PLACE THAT JESUS IS TRYING TO CONQUER THE KINGDOM OF THIS WORLD LET ME ASK YOU JUST FOR A MOMENT TO WONDER WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE IF INSTEAD OF YOU UNDERSTANDING YOURSELF BASED ON YOUR LABELS YOUR NAMES YOUR IDENTITIES IF YOU INSTEAD BECAME THE SORT OF PERSON WHO SAID I AM WHOEVER JESUS SAYS THAT I AM I'M NO LONGER GOING TO BE IDENTIFIED BY MY FAILURES BY MY FAMILY BY MY FEARS I AM NOW GOING TO BE IDENTIFIED BY THE SON OF GOD HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL DISCOVER IS WHEN YOU OPEN UP YOUR HEART TO JESUS WHEN YOU START TO SEE YOUR VERY IDENTITY AS SOMETHING THAT IS CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST AND NOW MADE ALIVE IN HIM YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIVE ON ALL OF THOSE SILLY LABELS THAT YOU'VE PLACED ON YOURSELF BEFORE INSTEAD YOU CAN LIVE FOR CHRIST I WAS THIS WEEK I WAS TRYING TO FIND PHOTOGRAPHS OF TAYLOR SWIFT TO PUT ON THE SLIDESHOW AND I KEPT HAVING THIS EXPERIENCE I ACTUALLY TALKED TO DOT ABOUT IT THIS WEEK IS UM WHEN I FIRST ENCOUNTERED TAYLOR SWIFT UM I WAS I THINK I WAS 22 YEARS OLD AND SHE WAS JUST A YOU KNOW LIKE A PUNK KID YOU KNOW AND NOW SHE NOW THAT SHE'S GOTTEN INTO THE THE MUSIC THING SHE'S JUST A COUPLE MONTHS YOUNGER THAN ME I HAD THIS EXPERIENCE EVERY SINGLE TIME I SAW A PHOTOGRAPH OF HER WHICH WAS JUST SORRY NICOLETTE SHE LOOKS PERFECT SHE LOOKS PERFECT EVERY PICTURE I SEE OF HER SHE JUST LOOKS PERFECTLY WELL DONE THERE'S NEVER A HAIR OUT OF THE WAY YOU KNOW SHE'S YOU KNOW SHE ALWAYS WEARS THESE VERY NICE EXTRAVAGANT OUTFITS AND I HAD THIS REALIZATION THAT EVERY PICTURE THAT I FOUND TO PUT UP THERE JUST DIDN'T SEEM APPROPRIATE TO ME BECAUSE IT BECAME ABOUT THE PERFECT SPECIMEN OF A HUMAN BEING AND I THINK ULTIMATELY THIS IS WHY WE'VE MADE HER A GOD RIGHT BECAUSE SHE'S PAID TO BE PERFECT AND I THINK THAT FOR SO LONG WE HAVE TOLD PEOPLE THAT THAT'S WHAT THE CHURCH WANTS FOR US RIGHT YOU GOTTA ALL BE MINI TAILORS RIGHT YOU GOTTA SING GREAT YOU GOTTA WRITE LOTS OF GOOD MUSIC BE VERY ENTREPRENEURIAL IN YOUR WORK AND YOU GOTTA BE BEAUTIFUL AND JUST HEAR ME SAY THE THING THAT'S SO INCREDIBLE ABOUT THE STORY OF OUR LORD IS THAT THE IMAGE THAT HE WEARS FOR US IS NOT THE PICTURE OF A PERFECT FLAWLESS HUMAN BEING THAT THE PINNACLE OF OUR HOPE THE PINNACLE OF OUR WORSHIP THE CENTER OF OUR LIVES IS A MAN WHO IS BROKEN ON THE CROSS AND INVITES US TO BE BROKEN AND HERE'S WHAT I FIND SO INCREDIBLE ABOUT THIS IS BECAUSE THE WORK OF THE CHURCH THE WORK THAT JESUS IS DOING THROUGH PETER AND THEN ALSO THROUGH US IS NOT ONE IN WHICH HE SAYS LET'S DISREGARD ALL OF THE BAD THINGS ABOUT US AND JUST FOCUS ON THE GOOD THINGS GOD WILL USE THE GOOD THINGS HERE'S WHAT HE SAYS IT'S YOUR BROKENNESS THAT I WILL USE TO CHANGE THE WORLD SAINT PETER WAS THE MOST UNSTABLE GUY OF THE 12 DISCIPLES ONE COULD ARGUE JUDAS MIGHT BE ABOVE THE LIST THIS IS THE GUY WHO DENIED JESUS 3 TIMES WHILE JESUS WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A COURT INVESTIGATE OR A SHAM TRIAL THIS IS THE GUY THAT EVERY SINGLE TIME JESUS ASKED A QUESTION HE JUST START TALKING AND EVERYBODY BE LIKE JUST SHUT UP JUST SHUT UP THAT GUY MR UNSTABLE JESUS CALLS THE STABILITY AND FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH I TOLD YOU GUYS MY STORY I'M A MAN WHO COMES FROM BROKEN FAMILIES AND IN MY ENTIRE LIFE MY ONE HUGE SHAME THAT I WEAR AS A BIG CHIP ON MY SHOULDER IS THE FACT THAT FAMILY BROKENNESS CONTINUES TO COME INTO MY LIFE OOH OUCH AND IT BECAME A REALIZATION TO ME A FEW MONTHS AGO THROUGH TALKING TO A FRIEND GOD'S USING THAT IN ME THAT THE GREATEST THING THAT GOD HAS EVER CALLED ME TO BE IS WHAT I THINK WE'RE DOING TOGETHER HE'S NOT CALLED ME TO BE AN EXCELLENT PREACHER OR AN INCREDIBLE PRIEST HE'S CALLED ME TO BUILD FAMILY WITH OTHERS AND I'VE HAD THIS REALIZATION I REALLY DON'T HAVE FRIENDS I DON'T I HAVE FAMILY AND I BUILD FAMILY WITH YOU I BUILD FAMILY WITH PEOPLE ALL AROUND ME IT'S BECAUSE IT'S IN MY DEEP WOUND THAT GOD BUILDS HIS KINGDOM NOT IN MY SKILLS WHAT IS THE WOUND THAT YOU HAVE THAT GOD IS USING TO RENAME YOU TO HELP YOU RE UNDERSTAND THE IDENTITY THAT YOU HAVE BECAUSE OF HIM CAUSE IF YOU WILL ACCEPT THAT BROKENNESS AND LET THOSE SCARS SHOW WE'LL DISCOVER AS GOD WILL ALLOW THEM TO SHINE WITH HIS GLORY WHO DO YOU SAY JESUS IS WHO DOES HE TELL YOU YOU ARE AMEN