Confession of Saint Peter (A)
Acts 4:8-13, Mark 8:27-9:1
January 18, 2026
Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The text I have chosen for this morning’s sermon is the Gospel from St. Mark.
From President Trump who has no filter to little kids who make comments at the worst possible moment to the shut in who told me I was bald, there are some who just say what’s on their minds. There are others who know what needs to be said but they try to frame it in a more acceptable way. They don’t want to be offensive or off-putting, so they soften what needs to be said. Then there are others who don’t want to upset anyone, so they don’t say anything. They’re afraid others don’t want to know what they have to say or speaking their mind caused problems in the past, or they’re just afraid to speak. We’ve all been one of these three at one time or another – sometimes for the good, sometimes for the bad. But what about when it comes to talking about Jesus? Are you bold? Are you wimpy? Or are you silent?
When Jesus asked the disciples who do you say I am, He wanted to know what they believed, what had they learned in the last couple of years? Peter quickly answers: “You are the Christ!” What a bold confession! Peter is professing that Jesus is the Savior, the Son of God. What a short, but great, confession! His belief in Jesus’ divinity wasn’t based on logic. Jesus says it was a gift from the Holy Spirit, who alone bestows life and faith.
Is Peter’s confession really though all that impressive? It’s easy to admit that Jesus is Lord when you’re among friends. If someone here says Jesus is Lord, no one will bat an eye. It’s an entirely different situation when Christians are called to confess Jesus in the face of opposition. In the first reading we hear how Peter and John are arrested and dragged before Annas and Caiphas. Do you recognize those names? You should; they sentenced Jesus to death and handed him over to the Romans. Picture the scene. Peter and John are standing before the Lord’s executioners, and their death is a real possibility. Since they were witnesses to Jesus’ passion, it would’ve been tempting to soften the message or maybe wimp out a little bit. That’s not what they did! Peter is honest, bold, and unafraid. “Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, WHOM YOU CRUCIFIED, whom God raised from the dead – by Him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.” Peter doesn’t worry about the consequences. He doesn’t care what people think. He speaks the truth! Jesus had promised the disciples: “But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time, you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” (Mt 10:19, 20). The same Spirit who enabled Peter to confess that Jesus was Lord when surrounded by friends enabled him to make the same statement of faith in the face of his enemies.
The Gospel account takes place near Caesarea Philippi; an area long associated with pagan worship. Early residents viewed the caves of the region as portals to hell. By the time of Jesus, the area was dedicated to the Greek god Pan while in the city Caesar was worshipped at a dedicated temple. They’re surrounded by paganism when Jesus asks His question. Nothing has changed since Peter’s proclamation. We’re also surrounded by paganism. Pagans worship the creation rather than the creator. There are gods of every type who are worshiped in wicked hedonism. People are lost, angry, and hurt, including being hurt by the decisions they won’t stop making. We need to loudly confess Jesus. The Church can’t pussyfoot around Jesus because that doesn’t save anyone. What saves? The Holy Spirit working through the Word of God! We need to teach this world that Jesus is the only way to be saved. He alone is the cornerstone upon which we can build our lives without fear or regret. In an amazing display of love, Jesus wants to save those who reject Him at every turn, and we get to tell them!
It’s been said that faith is a private thing. You can’t assume what anyone believes, and it’s none of your business. Keep your faith and your opinions to yourself. Don’t force your religion on anybody. It’s true that we don’t and can’t force anyone to share our confession of Jesus. But they can’t stop us from shouting what we know. We can’t be silent! Confess, witness, evangelize, share, testify, whatever you want to call it, just boldly announce that you believe Jesus is Lord. Think about this for a second. Is anyone going to believe in Jesus if you don’t tell them? Is anyone going be saved by being Christians politely not enquiring about their faith? Of course not! We need to be bold, and this means even warning people about the hell they’re marching towards. Polycarp was a bishop who was killed around 155 AD. Arrested for his Christian faith he was given two choices: renounce Christ or be burned at the stake. Polycarp responded: “You threaten me with fire which burns for an hour, and is then extinguished, but you know nothing of the fire of the coming judgment and eternal punishment, reserved for the ungodly.” Pretty bold, huh? He’s about to die for Jesus and still takes the time to warn people of God’s wrath and judgment. I’ll bet very few of us have told someone that if they don’t change their ways they’re going to burn in hell. But maybe we should, and then we can tell them about Jesus who will save them from the fires.
In the Gospel, we’re told we must pick up a cross to be a disciple. A cross is the burden, or burdens, laid on our backs because of our faith. A cross could be denying yourself a sin you enjoy. Crosses might be, as Christians in Africa are discovering, torture, kidnapping, destruction of homes, forced Muslim marriages, and violent death. It can make us real glad we’re in America, right? No one is being arrested or killed for their faith. Some businesses have been forced to close or dragged through years of litigation by those who hate Christians. Overall, we’ve got it pretty easy.
This raises the question then why are you silent? Why are you keeping your faith in Jesus, the Son of God, to yourself? Is it because you don’t know what to say? What were Peter and John? Simple and uneducated men, right? What made them bold? Jesus! They had been taught by Jesus, they had received the Holy Spirit, they were sent by Jesus who gave them confidence and courage!
You’re different though because didn’t get to learn from Jesus, right? So, what makes you bold? The same thing! You have the Scriptures through which God Himself teaches you. You have the Holy Spirit. You’ve been sent by Jesus who gives your confidence and courage! You know the story of Jesus! That’s all you need! Make a good confession! Speak up! Don’t hide what you know. Boldly tell everyone that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
Think about it this way. You believe, or should believe, that the only way to eternal life is faith in Jesus. Only Jesus saves, right? You know the joy that come from being a Christian. You know the comfort of the promises of Jesus and the Psalms. If someone comes to faith, and they find out you know all this, but never told them! If you don’t tell people what you believe, are they going to take your faith seriously? We should want everyone to be saved, God does. And how are people saved? By hearing the Word, and how can they hear it if you don’t speak it? Peter and John didn’t give an in-depth lecture on the two natures of Jesus or the doctrine of the Trinity. They just told the story. You have the greatest news in all of history, and you know the story! Don’t be cowardly or mushy. Tell them about Jesus, offer to pray for them, invite them to service. If they reject you, they’re not rejecting you, they’re rejecting Jesus. You’ve done your duty, that’s all you can do. Peter and John are ordered to stop preaching about Jesus to which they answer: “We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”
A great response by Peter, if only he had always done that! You remember Peter on Good Friday, right? He not only denies knowing Jesus personally, he denies even knowing anything about Him! That’s pretty cowardly. But what happened next is significant. He ran away and wept. I don’t think he was just feeling guilty, he was also repenting. He let Jesus down when Jesus needed him the most. And with Jesus’ prophecy that Peter would deny Him three times, he confessed his sins with a broken heart.
Like Peter, satan tempts us to keep our confession to ourselves. Be honest with yourself and God, have you failed in making the great confession of Jesus? How many people have heard you talk about Jesus this week? This month? Have you remained silent when you should’ve been shouting from the rooftops? Satan tries to convince you that your confession will be unwelcome, that you’re wasting your time because it won’t do any good, or even worse, telling you that you’re not good enough to tell others about Jesus, and we all fall for it! We’re all Peter at times, we’re all Doubting Thomas at times, nobody is the perfect disciple. When we fail, it’s good that we listen to Peter again. What’s his confession? You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God! And what does the Christ do? He brings forgiveness! That Jesus lived, died, and rose is the heart of Peter’s confession, and it’s the heart of ours! Confess your sins to Jesus who is Lord and Savior. Confess your failure to speak about Jesus. Confess your half-hearted testimonies of Jesus. And you are forgiven! Forgiveness is for everyone who calls on Jesus! There is no other name under Heaven by which you are saved! Every time you tell someone they’re forgiven, don’t forget you’re forgiven too.
Everyone confesses and believes in something. The pagans of this world have no qualms about telling us what they believe or think. They have no problem telling us what to believe or think. Let’s take a page from their book and boldly proclaim what we believe, even if we must take up our crosses and follow Jesus. It’s not easy, but Jesus makes you one more promise: “The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before His angels” (Revelation 3:5). Jesus, the Son of God, will tell His Father all about you!
Amen
Now the peace which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen