Confessing Christ

I have your Bibles with you.

Turn with me to Mark chapter 8. We're going to be looking this morning at verses 27 through 33. And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed.

And after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, Get behind me Satan, for you are not set in your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man. Bow with me as we go to our Lord in prayer. Heavenly Father, today we look at this passage of Scripture that teaches us that we need to stand firm, to develop a spiritual backbone, to confess Christ and his truth without wavering. We listen to Peter's confession.

We just want to cheer. Peter stood up and shouted, Jesus, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Some folks were leaning that way. Some folks were hoping it was true. Some folks were considering it, but Peter said it without excuse or equivocation.

Jesus, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. I want to pat Peter on the back. I want to give Peter an attaboy. He stood firm.

It didn't take long before he puffed up with pride. He rebuked Jesus Christ for speaking of his soon coming crucifixion. And a few months later, this same Peter cursed and swore to a little girl that he didn't even know Jesus. May Peter's confession motivate us to stand strong, but may Peter's failures help us to realize that if we do anything right, it's the grace of God. Anoint me with your spirit that I would preach truth. May Jesus Christ be exalted. May this congregation be edified. For it is in the holy and precious name of Jesus that we pray. Amen.