Revelation Grows the Kingdom

When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. (Matthew 16:13-16)

Jesus started this conversation with a simple question, “Who do people say I am?” His followers listed many options. This is similar to what many people do today when discussing Jesus. They might say He was a prophet, a political leader, a moral guide, or a religious figure. Then Jesus made it personal by asking, “Who do you say I am?” You can’t enter the Kingdom until you see the King. You can’t recognize Him until the veil is lifted. The Kingdom of God isn't based on popularity or platforms; it depends on your revelation of who Jesus is.

Peter didn’t follow any of the concepts given by the others; he said, “You are the Christ.” The Greek word for Christ is Christos, meaning “The Anointed One, The Messiah” or, more accurately, the one we’ve been waiting for.

Jesus responded to the revelation by saying that Peter was “blessed.” The Greek word for blessed is "makarios" and it means fortunate, favored, and well-off. Peter was blessed because he didn’t figure this out through cunning or street smarts; he understood it by receiving a revelation from the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that it was “revealed” to Peter. The word revealed is the Greek word apokaluptō, which means "to take the cover off." Some things in the Kingdom aren’t hidden from you; they are hidden for you. The Kingdom is built on revealed truth, guided by the Holy Spirit. You will never gain more access to the Kingdom just by insight and information; but rather it will only be when you’re willing to receive revelation from the Holy Spirit.

Practical Application

Don’t rely solely on second-hand opinions about God and His Word. Hearing teachings from Pastors and teachers is valuable, but until you spend time in God’s Word yourself and listen to the Holy Spirit’s guidance, you won’t experience the full power of the Kingdom in your life.

Matthew 11:25; Matthew 13:16