After Simon Peter proclaims Christ as Messiah, “Son of the Living God”, Jesus promises the keys to the Kingdom to him. Even though as we know, he previously questioned Peter’s faith. Christ, though makes it clear that such a revelation could only come directly from God the Father himself.Yet here he says that: Peter is a rock on which his Church on earth will stand and nothing will be able to tear it down. The identity of Christ is crucial...
Archive for September, 2023
Christ’s Mission and Purpose Explained
From this point in Chapter 16, the Gospel of Matthew moves towards Christ’s fate in Jerusalem. No sooner after Peter is called ‘like a stone’ he is now labelled a ‘stumbling block’ by Jesus. Of course, Peter’s thinking still, like most Jewish people of his day was that a Messiah was supposed to be a figure of authority or an all-conquering King – not someone betrayed, beaten, suffering and killed. It is easy for us all to think of the...
Seeking the Kingdom as our Priority
Jesus challenges us to set priorities and adjust our focus towards God in Heaven, and his Kingdom. When he told his followers not to worry about tomorrow, he led them by example. He wasn’t constantly looking ahead anxiously, or making the present moment count – only because of what might happen next. Instead, he seems to have had the gift of living totally in the present, giving complete attention to the present task, celebrating the goodness of God here and...
