Researcher George Barna recently did a study about what people of all ages think about Jesus – through the study, he noted 5 popular beliefs:

1. The vast majority of people believe Jesus was a real person. 92% who were polled believe that Jesus is an actual historical figure. In my mind, it would take a lot more faith to believe he didn’t exist, because there is plenty of historical proof that Jesus existed. But it really goes downhill from here.

2. Younger generations are increasingly less likely to believe Jesus was God. The percentages descended among age groups – 62% elderly, 58% Boomers, 55% Gen Xers, 48% Millennials.

3. Americans are divided on whether or not Jesus was sinless. 52% believe that while Jesus was on earth, he sinned just like everyone else.

4. A majority of Americans say they have made a commitment to Jesus. The overall percentage is 62%, but factoring in age, race, gender and income, the percentages change. Most telling, income was huge factor – less than 50K, 65%, but more than 100K, 53%.

5. People are conflicted between “good deeds” and “Jesus” as the way to Heaven. 63% believe Jesus is the only way, which means that 37% believed there were other options, including following 10 commandments, being a good person, or God, in the end, will just include everyone.

This data shows that while people believe in some form of Jesus, there is a huge misunderstanding in our culture about what it means to follow Jesus. And while this is concerning, it is not a new thing – Jesus has been misunderstood since he came on the scene 2000 years ago, even by those closest to him – I want us to look at a passage in Matthew 16 that proves this – and, as we walk through this passage, ask yourself the question, “Who do you say Jesus is?” – Matthew 16:13-20

V13-14 - So far in Matthew’s narrative, Jesus has cast out demons, healed a paralyzed man, fed 5000 with a couple of loaves and fishes, invited Peter to walk with him on the water – now, arriving in Philippi, Jesus as the question, “Who do people say I am?” The result ranged from John the Baptist, who had already been beheaded, to Elijah, to Jeremiah or another prophet – They definitely believed that he was a powerful figure in Jewish culture, curious that they believed mostly that Jesus was someone from the past.

Today, if asked the same question, according to Barna, many believe he was a good historical man, but probably not God, not sinless, and not the only way to heaven – Here is the truth: the reason people are all over the map as it pertains to Jesus is because the church has done a horrible job both teaching the way of Jesus according to scripture – if you were with us during our study of Hebrews, the writer made a compelling case that Jesus was GOD (Hebrews 1:3), and the perfect sacrifice for all sin for all time (Hebrews 9:14) – If Jesus is not God in the flesh, and if he did not live a sinless existence in order to die for all sin, then the whole thing really falls apart.

V15 – “But what about you? Who do you say I am?” Jesus gets personal with those closest to him – They have lived in close proximity and seen him perform miracles, and now are asked to answer not from the culture’s view, but from personal experience – How do you answer that question? Who do you say Jesus is?

I started following Jesus when I was 12 – I learned that drinking, cussing and premarital sex was bad, and that I shouldn’t do those things, and unfortunately, I learned through the church that when I did those things, I should hide them – Jesus was not a way of life, but a list of dos and don’ts, so I developed a very religious view of Jesus – trust him for salvation when I die, and try to be a good-ish person – But pain activated my faith in a transformational way – my mom died in 2009, and a year later my self-destructive lifestyle of hiding led me to the brink of divorce – Jesus saved me from myself – Since 2010, I have witnessed first-hand the power of Jesus to transform my life, my inner-life (no more hiding), my response to hard things, like losing my father two weeks ago – I tried to navigate life with the list-making, rule-following version of Jesus, but I have been set free by the compassionate, relational, life-giving, power-packed version of Jesus – He has changed my life!

V16 - Peter responds: “You are Messiah, the son of the living God.” Interesting that Peter is the one who responds – remember in Matthew 14 when Jesus came walking on the water in the storm? Of the 12 disciples, only one asked to walk on water with him: Peter – His experience drove his answer – but his answer is two-part – “Messiah” - this referred to the prophesied anointed one of Israel who would be the next great king and restore glory to Israel, a great king like David – but Peter took it to another level – again, designation of Messiah would set him apart from other prophets, but “Son of the Living God” denoted divinity – He recognized him not just as the next great Kings, but the King over all Kings.

V17 – “You didn’t come to this decision on your own, but God revealed it to you” – It is God that reveals who Jesus is – Flies in the face of “I found Jesus” – be clear: You didn’t find Jesus, Jesus found you in your brokenness, and God through the Holy Spirit, revealed him to you – maybe today, God is revealing Jesus to you, and you will have that aha moment.

V18 – Jesus changes Simon’s name to Peter, which means “rock” – Jesus changes his name based on his confession – “This is a Peter I can get behind” – Even says, “I will build my church on you” – Jesus is speaking identity over Peter – calls him rock, unwavering, and says I am going to use you to grow my movement – of course, this is a future version of Peter – just three verses later, he will call him Satan, and of course, the denial will take place before the crucifixion – but here is what I love: Jesus speaks Peter’s identity over him long before it comes to pass – Jesus sees you in a way you don’t see yourself – In fact, the desire of Jesus is to lead you into your Ephesians 2:10 calling – if you are bored in what you call being a Christian, just know that Jesus wants to speak your future over you.

V19 – “Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven…” – what does this mean? What are the keys that open the door to the Kingdom? Two things: the message that Jesus is the Divine KING empowered by the Holy Spirit – We see it come to fruition in Acts 2 – Holy Spirit falls on 120 in Upper room, and Peter, in the streets of Jerusalem preaches the message of Jesus as both Lord and Messiah (Acts 2:36), 3000 come into the Kingdom as a result and the church of Jesus is born – in Acts 8:14-17, Peter brings the Holy Spirit to Samaria, coupled with the message of Jesus, their lives are changed – Acts 10, Peter goes to house of Roman centurion Cornelius and gives message of Jesus to he and whole household and in Acts 10:44-48, Spirit falls, thus fulfilling Acts 1:8 – Peter opened a door that can never be shut – the message of Jesus couples with the power of the Spirit.

Challenge in American church today: Churches preaching from same Bible, maybe even preaching same general message of Jesus, but without power of the Spirit – 2 Timothy 3:5

“Binding and Loosing…” – terminology used with Rabbis – Rabbis interpreted law of God, and determined what was bound, or forbidden, and what was loosed, or permitted – Jesus practiced this in SOM – “You have heard it said…but I say” – Jesus said that Peter, with the message of Jesus and power of the Spirit would be given authority to bind and loose not only for his generation but for all future generations – Peter would share the scripture through the lens of the resurrected Jesus – Peter, the unschooled, uneducated fisherman would be the conduit for the initiation of the spread of the way of Jesus in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth – again, Jesus gave him a snapshot of his future, but it would be a while before it came to fruition.

V20 – Ordered the disciples not to tell anyone he was Messiah – why? People had huge expectations of Messiah, the culture as a whole had their own agenda – RESTORE OUR LAND, DEFEAT OUR ENEMIES – Both things that Jesus came to do, but in a completely different way – not an earthly Kingdom, but a heavenly, eternal kingdom – didn’t understand spiritual implications, as evidenced by crucifixion – palm leaves one day, and crucifixion the next when he didn’t meet their expectations.

How about you? What agenda do you have for Jesus? Is he still eternal king when you get the health diagnosis? When your stock portfolio tanks, when your spouse files for divorce, when you feel depressed, when a loved one dies? Is Jesus only good when you get your way?

Next week, we will explore more in-depth the mission of Jesus, and how we can join him – but today, who do you say Jesus is? Is he a part of your religious life? Or is he life itself? And, what is it that Jesus is calling out in you? Have you ever sat quietly with Jesus and asked him to show you why you were created? Ephesians 2:10

Mark Twain: Two most important days of your life: when you were born and when you discover why.