Solid as a rock!

Word from the Center
Written By Dr. Gregory Seltz

Welcome to “Word from The Center” MONDAY, a devotional word from the Center of our faith, Jesus Christ, with reflections on His Word. I’m Gregory Seltz. Today’s verses are Matthew 16:13-17, where the Bible says,

[13] When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” [14] They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” [15] “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” [16] Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” [17] Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.

Being cooped up at home has had its advantages. Though it has put tremendous pressure on my work in D.C., and added stress to an already stressful time, it has also given me more time with my wife and family (yay!). Of course that also means more time to address the many items on my “honey do” list. ☹ One of the big fixes needed before the sale of our house was the backyard deck. It runs all the way around the back of the house. Boards needed replacing, posts needed fixing, and, of course, it needed to be painted. Whew, that was a lot to do! But one product made it a lot easier than it otherwise would have been. For those “fixes” that didn’t require new boards or posts, an epoxy product easily molded to the wood, hardened like rock, and stuck to the wood like glue. You might say that it was a real savior for me. In fact, when faced with the challenges of the deck, it worked like a miracle. All I had to do was add this compound and now it’s solid as a rock.

So if you asked me, “Do you have an answer for real difficult issues with aging decks?” I can say confidently, even boldly, “Yes!” But questions like that, though important at the moment, are superfluous in the long run. Proud as I am about my work on the deck, the next owner of the house might come in, tear it down, and start from scratch. That’s the way of temporal things. That’s why our lesson for today is so important. It asks the question that matters in our lives most of all. This question, and this one alone, really needs your answer. This question has eternal consequences at stake, as well as endless opportunities. This question concerns what is “solid as a rock” for what really matters in life. The key question is posed by Jesus Himself in today’s reading, “Who do you say I am?” Who is Jesus? Is He God? Is He the Messiah/Christ? Is He the one for all? Is He the one for me?

People were waiting thousands of years for a Messiah who could reconcile a sinful world to its creator. For those disciples who walked with Jesus, there was no one in the world like Him. In today’s reading, Peter, acting as their spokesman, boldly answered, “You are the Messiah, the son of the living God.” This confession about Jesus endured to the very end of their lives; in fact, most of these disciples died for their faith in Jesus. Their mouths and lives openly proclaimed that THIS Jesus was indeed the sinless Son of God, the long awaited Messiah. He lived, died, and rose again so that we all might live eternally by grace through faith in Him alone.

This question about Jesus is so vital because the right answer changes everything. He is the world’s Savior; that’s true. But for you and for me, He is our Savior. That response is more than mere human philosophy. It is not simply about making some temporal lifestyle changes that only impact you for a moment. It’s not merely about some secret wisdom that puts you at the head of the line in life. The question concerns who Jesus is and what he has done for you most powerfully through His life, death, and resurrection. Your answer changes everything.

That’s one reason why Jesus presses Peter for a response. This isn’t merely about getting the right answer on a test. This isn’t some trivia that is here today and gone tomorrow. Peter’s answer not only “gets things right.” His life-changing answer calls for faith and trust in Jesus as one’s Lord and Savior. That’s why Jesus affirms Peter’s bold confession. In the verse after our reading, Jesus announces, “On this rock, I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). He thereby confirms that such a confession is solid as a rock for life now and forever.

So, what’s your answer today? Stay with us on these Mondays as we learn to know and trust in Jesus as our Savior. And know this, for the challenges that we face in this chaotic world, we need a relationship with God that is enduring, solid as a rock. With faith in Christ, that’s exactly what we have.

PRAYER: – Dear Lord Jesus, Son of the Living God, thank You for being our Savior. Give us knowledge of all that You have done for us as our Lord and Messiah. Then also give us faith to trust in You in all things. AMEN.

See Also
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Jack Phillips
Jack Phillips

This morning I sip coffee from one of his mugs: "Masterpiece Cakeshop: Yeah . . . that cakeshop." What cakeshop? If you don't know, you're not informed, and you're watching the wrong news. Jack has been embroiled in legal battles since 2012, when the baker declined to use his talents to create a custom cake celebrating a so-called gay marriage. Phillips, mind you, served all people, no matter what. But he did not wish to use his time and talents to commemorate that which he believed was wrong. This is what the First Amendment is all about, freedom of speech, which means the freedom from compelled speech, along with the free exercise of religion.

November Prayer Partner Thursday
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Prayer Partner Thursday provides a month-long prayer emphasis in one of the four Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty areas of emphasis: Religious Liberty, Sanctity of Life, Educational Freedom, and Marriage as an Institution (family).

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There are two kinds of freedom in the world. One is the earthly freedom that humans can achieve on our own. There are times when it seems like that freedom is secure in our hands. There are other times when it seems like it is always slipping through our fingers or beyond our reach. The other freedom is the kind of freedom that only God can make happen by His work on your behalf. Can you guess which one lasts? Can you guess which one is absolutely indispensable? Right, it’s the one where “the Son makes you free” by His life, death, and resurrection for you.

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Is it alright for Christians to be involved with politics?

The Bible contains no specific command that either requires or forbids Christian involvement with politics. However, through the prophet Jeremiah, God teaches His people that they should, “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf” (Jer. 29:57). In other places, God teaches that Christians should obey and pray for those in positions of civil authority (Matt. 22:21; Rom. 13:17; Titus 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:13).

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The Bulletin Insert is designed to be printed and cut in half to fit conveniently inside a Sunday worship bulletin. Each month an insert will offer insight, encouragement, and information from the LCRL on the topics of Religious Liberty, Life, Marriage, or Education.

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The dates identifying the LCRL bulletin blurbs are only suggestions. Please feel free to use any and all of the bulletin blurbs as your ministry needs allow.

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Have you ever been so overwhelmed by something that you finally gave in? In a moment of exasperation, you concluded, “There’s nothing else that I can do; I can’t handle this.” I think we’ve all faced that to some degree. There are issues in life that so overwhelm us it seems as though life itself has become impossible to face. Jesus often shakes us up by pointing out “the impossible” in our lives, while at the same time offering God’s possibilities even then. Amazing! Unclean lepers are healed instantly. People blind from birth suddenly see clearly, both physically and spiritually. Who is this Savior who shows us the depth of our depravity just so that He can demonstrate even more clearly God’s gracious salvation? He’s the Savior who, when it comes to eternal life and salvation, reminds that “with man this is impossible, but not with God; with God all things are possible.”  

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Every year on October 31, Christians from around the world are reminded of a “reforming” movement that brought back to light the central message of the Bible, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Freedom, life, and salvation were again heard as God’s gifts offered to sinners by grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone. Martin Luther’s rediscovery of the uniqueness of the freedom of the Gospel as God’s saving work in the world for all shook the foundations of the medieval world. It ushered in many of the precious freedoms that we enjoy in this world today. It clearly identified and distinguished the uniqueness of the eternal freedom that comes from knowing and trusting in God’s gracious work in Jesus from the cultural/political freedoms that come from public policy, citizenship, and good government. Distinguishing, cherishing, and engaging both freedoms is part of what it means to be a Christian citizen in the world for the sake of the culture and the mission of the Church.

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One of the cherished notions that typically guides the lives of Americans is that politics and religion do not mix. Of course, there are some areas of overlap that Americans accept and even expect, like a prayer at a presidential inauguration or candidates ending speeches with “God bless America.” But, on the whole, it is taken for granted that there needs to be a clear distinction or even a wall of separation between church and state. People do not want the government telling them what to believe about God, and they do not want the church telling them how to vote. Actually, they do not want anyone telling them how to vote.

October Prayer Partner Thursday
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Prayer Partner Thursday provides a month-long prayer emphasis in one of the four Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty areas of emphasis: Religious Liberty, Sanctity of Life, Educational Freedom, and Marriage as an Institution (family).

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October Bulletin Blurbs
October Bulletin Blurbs

The dates identifying the LCRL bulletin blurbs are only suggestions. Please feel free to use any and all of the bulletin blurbs as your ministry needs allow.

October Bulletin Insert
October Bulletin Insert

The Bulletin Insert is designed to be printed and cut in half to fit conveniently inside a Sunday worship bulletin. Each month an insert will offer insight, encouragement, and information from the LCRL on the topics of Religious Liberty, Life, Marriage, or Education.

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“I’d like to have great faith, but I know that I’m inadequate, especially now when I need it most. In fact, I’m overcome by circumstances and doubt. Lord Jesus, while I believe, help my unbelief.”

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There’s a question that many are asking today. Actually, people have been asking questions like that for almost 2000 years. Here’s another one: “How can you believe that Jesus is the only Savior, the one that is the Savior for all people?” You can believe it because there is no one like Jesus. You could try to give me another name or show me another savior, but there isn’t one.

Dr. Gregory Seltz
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