A Daily Devotion for Friday, December 19
- ontrakk
- 17 hours ago
- 2 min read
Matthew 16:13-20
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
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. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
After reading some thoughts on this passage, two themes seemed to come forward for me. One was that Jesus did not choose his initial followers (disciples) because they were the most highly educated or accomplished. In fact, he chose very ordinary folks. The second part of the message is in Jesus’ words to Peter, “…this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.” Jesus is reminding us that knowledge of God comes from God to us. We can’t just figure it all out on our own. We pray, and listen and seek God. We try to hear and feel the Holy Spirit as it guides us to the truth. We read scripture, but God locks it in our hearts and minds. This is not a solitary process.
Holy Lord, bring me closer to you and to your truth. I cannot do it on my own. Amen
Becky, transforming
Matthew 16:13-20. Spiritual Stonework
Here in New England we are known for our stonewalls. The best thing to learn from them is that no stone is rejected. Some fit perfectly and others need to be chipped away at in order to fit the spot. The same is true for us. God does not reject us because WE think we can't do or be what he wants. All we have to do is ask him and the path will open up. As I said yesterday, we only need to ask for help. He is listening.
Prayer: Gracious God, The most imperfect stone will complete the wall, just as the more imperfect person has a place in the world. AMEN
Friday, December 19th, 2025
Spiritual stonework
(Focus: Stonemasons
Matthew 16:18
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
I think it’s important to understand the kind of person Peter was. While dedicated, he was very flawed. He continued to make mistakes even after the resurrection, but that Jesus founded a church full of flawed people who were trying to love and build the kingdom of God on earth. Peter’s name means rock. basically what Jesus is saying, “I tell you, you are rock and on this rock I will build my church”. Which certainly indicates the fact that Jesus is acknowledging som…
Matthew 16:13-20
The story of Jesus asking His disciples who they think He is serves as a reminder that this is a question we all must answer. If our answer is anything but, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” the Lord’s prevenient grace has not yet captured their heart and mind. Humans can be very stubborn, but the Spirit is persistent and faithful. As people of faith, we who follow Jesus have a duty to guide those who do not yet know the true answer to that crucial question toward the embrace of the Holy Spirit who will teach them what they need to know.
Prayer - Lord, may I reach my full potential as an…