Are You Blessed?

Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:16-19  

Simon – One who hears. He was blessed. God revealed to Simon Peter that Jesus was His Son. His only begotten Son, the Christ, the Messiah. Simon Peter listened to God. He heard the truth. Why didn’t the other disciples hear or understand? Why doesn’t everyone today hear and understand? We have a distinct advantage since we have the whole Bible to explain Jesus and His life to us. But still some people just don’t understand. What can we do to help others hear and understand? 

Peter’s name is translated from Greek as “rock.” Jesus built His church, not on Peter, but on the rock of faith that He (Jesus) is the Son of God—the Christ, the Messiah. The rock that Jesus is referring to is a feminine form of the Greek word rock—not the rock of Peter’s name. The rock of faith. 

Jesus gave Peter the keys to the kingdom of Heaven. Maybe that is why so many people joke about meeting Peter at the Pearly Gates. Entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven is no joking matter. There is only one way in…and that is through Jesus—knowing Him personally and developing a relationship with Him. Are you blessed by knowing Jesus?  

RSVP: Jesus was revealed to Peter as the Son of God. Can you believe in Jesus as the Son of God? How will you respond to Him today? 

Prayer ~ Jesus, knowing You blesses me. You are the rock on which my faith is built.

© 2014 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.