Sunday, August 27th, 2023 (The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost)
Isaiah 51:1-6; Psalm 138; Romans 11:25-36; Matthew 16:13-20

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour
The most expensive, expansive, extravagant musical tour ever.

SO FAR: 52 dates

Between ticket sales, merchandise, album purchases - the Taylor Swift franchise has grossed over $5 billion.

According to Dan Fleetwood, President of QuestionPro Research and Insights. “If Taylor Swift were an economy, she’d be bigger than 50 countries; if she was a corporation, her Net Promoter Score would make her the fourth most admired brand, and her loyalty numbers mimic those of subjects to a royal crown.”

I want to ask you a basic question: Who is Taylor Swift?

I. Who am I?
This is THE question!
When Jesus walked onto the scene there were a lot of people who had already come to conclusions about who Jesus was. Many of the religious types rejected Jesus. Nathanial in the book of John goes so far as to say, “can anything good come out of Nazareth? And by the time of Jesus’ third year of ministry - people had all sorts of questions about Jesus. But more importantly, their questions were drawn from their preconceptions.

II. Who do you say I am?
Caesarea Philippi
Jesus places this question of who he is against the backdrop of Caesarea Philippi.
Greco-Roman: Temples, Courts, and Grottos to the recently divinized Caesar Augustus, the god Pan, and the nymphs.
Canaanites: Bashan (the mountain) the Rephaim and the Anakim (the giants) dwelled in this land. And in the mythology of the 1st century Jew - this was the location where the Nephelim in Genesis chapter 6 descended down to earth to have inappropriate relationships with the daughters of men.

Jesus wants us to go past knowing him. We are commanded to tell others … the work is in the SAYING.
In every way this points to the reality of Jesus’ calling. The work of Jesus has so far only led the disciples to the corners of Galilee, the northern portion of Israel.
But the ministry of the Church is going to expand past the borders of Israel. They are going to travel across many of the countries that would later make up Europe, western Asia, northern Africa - and into the ends of the earth.
Every location is a place that Jesus seeks to redeem.
But Jesus takes the claim even further. His ministry will reach past all the places where the living travel - and even break down the gates between the living and the dead. Jesus himself will break the bonds of death forever.

Why does this matter?
the claim: You are the Rock, and against this rock …
The who of Jesus changes the who of us.
Somewhere built into the claim of Jesus’ assembly is one that confronts the fame of the competing cults of Caesar, Pan, and the Nymphs.

You are the Christ …
You are the son of the LIVING GOD.

III. You are …!
Simon, Peter: the Rock.
The word rock - as Mountain - the new location of Jesus transfiguration.
The foundation of the Church.

When you answer the question, who is Jesus, the question, who am I suddenly shifts. Jesus as the King - has the authority to alter every aspect of your role in his Kingdom - but as the Son of God - he has the power to change your very being itself.

Notice that Jesus never asks Peter who Peter thinks Peter is - Jesus is in the business of giving Peter his own identity.

Thank you for listening!
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