Matt. 16:13-16 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.
	This is the passage of consideration before us on this Easter morning. It is not the traditionalist view of an Easter text, admittedly, but it is a vital view to consider, even as we are celebrating the great work of God in Christ on the cross, and more fully in the power of His resurrection from the dead. This is a question that each one of us must answer before the throne of God. It is fundamental to everything that is part of our lives in Christ Jesus, and part of our Christianity. Without the clarity of a Spirit-led understanding of Who Jesus Christ is, we have no place before God, no place before man, and no place before ourselves. The Cross means nothing apart from knowing Who Christ is. The resurrection story becomes simply that, a story, apart from the full realization of Who Jesus Christ is. 
	This world is filled with all manner of explanations of Who Christ is in terms that are quite acceptable to mankind. We have Him freely acknowledged as a great teacher. He is openly given as a model for a good person. He is freely mentioned in terms of a misunderstood prophet. He is even acclaimed as a world-changer. But, and this is where the controversy foments into revulsion and defamation, He is not freely accepted as the Son of God, God incarnate, given for the sins of the world.
	This world refuses to ratify the true person of Jesus Christ, because to do so is to have to admit that sin abounds, and that we need a Savior from it. Who do men say that I the Son of man am? Notice the responses were the same as we have already mentioned. John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets. The people were willing to think of Jesus in terms of someone from history revisiting the earth. They were willing to greet him in terms of another human being that once lived, maybe even in terms of reincarnation. The focus was upon someone who had previously been part of humanity, who was akin to themselves, who was imperfect, yet striving for something better.
	How many times are we encountering this whole earthly philosophy of becoming better by our own means? We are pushed and prodded and manipulated into doing the things that we can do in order to make a better life for ourselves and for others. While there is certainly never anything wrong with doing those things which are beneficial and proper, there is a distinct difference in the motivation with which they are done. When we try to do it for the sake of ourselves, in earning some kind of glory or making the world better through our human endeavors, we are deluding ourselves in terms of the place that sin has in our beings. The underlying purpose is to make penance for what we have done. We strive to make up for our short-comings, keeping a ledger of sorts. The good is listed in one column and the not-so-good in another column in order to create some measure of a balanced life. If we do enough good, to offset the bad, we hope to come out on the better end of the totals, so to speak.
	In this position, with this motivation, it is very easy to ascribe the good teacher and the good man role to Jesus of Nazareth. We can freely talk about Him in the terms of His historical endeavors to make this world a better place. We can discuss the stories that have been handed down over the centuries, and the philosophical importance of his many teachings. We can even fully discuss the theological implications of living a life similar to that of Jesus. Doctoral dissertations have been written about how the ages since have been dramatically changed as a result of this man who lived over 2000 years ago. Even this past week, we experienced an open discussion of the philosophical aspects of Easter with no true understanding of who Jesus really is. We met with a most learned doctor, one at the cutting edge of human knowledge with regard to genetic medicine. Brilliant in earthly terms, and fully willing to discuss the question of whether one should wish another a “Happy Easter.” He is decidedly Jewish, and quite open to discussions of Christian beliefs, in terms of traditions and philosophies. He felt that one could not really wish a Christian a happy Easter, because of the implication that God somehow allowed Himself to be nailed to a cross and die for the sins of the world. The ultimate result might create happiness, but the idea is shocking and anything but joyful. He was willing to entertain the fact that people could be religious enough to believe that, but no more. The emphasis was clearly on the ideas that people will entertain, not on the truth of the Living Christ. No discussion will be forthcoming in any other manner concerning the Deity of Christ, the perfection of Christ, and the need of Christ’s redemptive work from this world.
	That is saved for the response of Simon Peter, after Jesus asked his disciples But whom do you say that I am? ...Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God. To say this, means that there has been a tremendous change within our beings. The focus of our heart has been set upon the need for something, or someone other than ourselves to save us from the sin that so easily besets us. We begin to see the reality of what this world is, and we are sickened by it. We begin to cry out in despair, much like the Apostle Paul in Romans 7:24, Oh wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? We are shown the totality of the hopelessness of our situation. No matter how much good we may try to do of ourselves, it never is enough, never sufficient, never satisfying our burden of debt. It is never weighty enough against the sin that dwells in us. It is when we see Jesus as the Christ, as the Son of the Living God, that our deliverance is at hand. In Christ Jesus, we have salvation from all the sin that consumes this world. In His death and resurrection, we are covered for eternity in the wealth of the grace of God. To see Jesus as Christ, means that we are enabled to view the whole purpose of God in so giving His only begotten Son to die for the world, because He so loved the world and gave forth His fullness, His Only Begotten Son to redeem the world unto Himself. 
	To answer that probing question with the very words of Simon Peter, our whole being must be changed from the realm of death into the realm of Life in Jesus Christ. Only the effectual working of the Holy Spirit can accomplish so great a salvation. Those who are spiritual dead cannot see Jesus of Nazareth in the terms of His Deity, as we have mentioned. Jesus Christ, the revealed Son of God, is seen and worshipped by those who are born of the Spirit, now made alive unto God in the victory of the resurrection power that we celebrate this day.
	It is time to answer that question in our hearts. The words are easy to say, but the heart knows our true answer. Who do we say that Jesus Christ, the Son of Man is? Eternity will tell the course of our answer! 
	But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God...