Matthew 16:13-20 - The Great Confession

The King Has Come

"The Great Confession" (Matthew 16:13-20)

The world is full of people who think well of Jesus. Every major religion has something generous to say about him. Most people in your neighborhood, given the chance, would call him a great teacher or a profound moral leader. But in Matthew 16, Jesus makes clear that a high opinion is not the same as the right answer.

In this sermon, Pastor Russell Howard works through Matthew 16:13-20 from Caesarea Philippi, a city built for idolatry at the northern edge of Jesus's earthly ministry. There, surrounded by temples to false gods, Jesus asks his disciples the one question that cuts through every polite comparison: "Who do you say that I am?" Peter's answer, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," is not something he reasoned his way to. Jesus is clear: the Father revealed it. That distinction matters for every believer. Faith in Christ is not a conclusion you earned. It is a grace you received.

Pastor Howard also addresses one of the most misread verses in the Gospels: "on this rock I will build my church." He traces the difference between petros (the name given to Peter, a small stone) and petra (the bedrock of the confession itself), showing that the church stands on the truth that Jesus is the Christ, not on any man. From there, the sermon moves to the certainty Jesus gives his church: that she belongs to him, that the organized forces of darkness will not prevail against her, and that she carries the responsibility of faithfully reflecting the Kingdom in how she receives and releases members.

Sermon Notes June 28, 2026 Pastor Russell Howard • Lead Pastor

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