And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18  WEB

In this verse, Jesus famously changes the name of his disciple Simon to Peter. Peter comes from the Greek word “Petros” which means “rock” or “stone.” The Lord changed Simon’s name in response to his declaration that Jesus is the Messiah. As Jesus asked his disciples who the people said he was, they answered in Matthew 16:14 saying, “Some say John the Baptizer, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. WEB”

Following this, Jesus asked the disciples, “But who do you say I am?” To this, Simon Peter answered in Matthew 16:16, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. WEB” Because of his miracles, healings, and the authority of his teaching, many men and women in Israel perceived the spiritual nature of Christ. But Simon, the son of Jonah, was the first to recognize Jesus as the Christ, our Savior. 

With You Always

Unlike our plans, God’s will always come to fruition. When Jesus said to Simon, “thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church,” the Lord revealed two distinct things. First, salvation comes by way of recognizing Jesus as the Christ. Second, Jesus identified Simon Peter as the foundational member of the modern Christian church, the first disciple to recognize Jesus as the Messiah.

After the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, Peter gave the first sermon to the new church. Peter’s recognition of Christ as the Messiah began the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophetic words to build his church “upon this rock.” To this day, the Lord upholds his promise of victory against the gates of hell. The church lives on through the life giving Word of God. As Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, “Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. WEB”

Yesterday’s Devotional: Born of the Spirit