Well, if you still have your Bibles open to Matthew 16, I want us to look this morning in this passage of Scripture at two questions. Two questions our Lord asked his disciples. Look again at verse 13. It says, when Jesus came into the coast of Caesaree Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, whom do men say that I, the son of man, am? Here's the first question. Whom do men say? He's going to draw a distinction here, but the first question is, whom do men say that I, the son of man, am? Look at verse 14. It says, and they said, well, Some say you're John the Baptist, some Elias, others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. Now you'll notice something here and it's no different in our day. Men as a rule have varying opinions of who Jesus Christ is. Just about everyone has something to say, an opinion of who he is. And listen, here in our text it says, one said he's John the Baptist. You know, our Lord said of John the Baptist, he said among them that are born of women, there's not one greater than John the Baptist. He had a high regard for John the Baptist. Others said, Elisha. Our Lord spoke of Elisha when he told those men back in Luke 4. You remember that? He said, I'll tell you many truths. He said, I'll tell you truth. Many widows were in Israel in the days of Elisha when the heavens were shut up for three years and six months. Great famine was throughout all the land. But unto none, unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was there. He was pleased to show mercy to one, and Elias was the one who the Lord sent to save her. He saved one. You know, when our Lord said that, When the Lord said that God was pleased to save just one, how did the people react to that? Did they rejoice that He was pleased to save any? What did they do? Remember that? They picked Him up and they were going to cast Him head first over a hillside. In Matthew 17, the disciples, they asked the Lord, they said, Why do the scribes and Pharisees say Elias must first come? And our Lord said this, he said, Elias has come already. And listen, when he was here, they knew him, they knew him not. They didn't know him either, any more than they knew the Lord. Others said he's Jeremiah. Again, Jeremiah the prophet. And another, I just assumed that somebody couldn't think of any names at the time, because they said this. They said, well, he's one of the prophets, right? They just play it safe. Just a wide answer there. A number of answers. And listen, these were all great men. But there's one greater. All these answers, John the Baptist, Elias, Jeremiah, one of the prophets, they might have been considered good answers or good guesses, but they were all the wrong answer. Not only were they the wrong answer, but it was a divided answer. You know when man speaks, there's division. It's our nature. But listen, they gave here a divisive answer and a wrong answer. Not much has changed in our day, has it? I pray the Lord would shield us, that he would protect us from division. that he'd give us the right answer. Men are still given the wrong answer. False religion of this world. Listen, they talk about a frustrated redeemer. You just ask around. Actually, sometimes you don't even have to ask, do you? Men are quick to give their opinions. A frustrated redeemer, a disappointed and a defeated savior. That's who men talk about. They talk about a poor, weak reformer who could not get the job done and is dependent upon man. They point to a, listen, they point to a savior in heaven who's up there crying his eyes out because people won't let him have his way with them. This is a vital question. Who is he? Who is he? Look again at our text, look at Matthew 16 verse 15. He looked at his disciples and he asked them, he asked his disciples, he said, but whom say ye that I am? Whom do you say that I am? That's personal, isn't it? That's not asking, that's not doing a survey, saying, what's everybody here think? He's looking at them and saying, whom do you say? Whom do you say that I am? In verse 16, Simon Peter, he answered. Peter was often the spokesperson for the group, wasn't he? Listen to his answer. He says, thou art the Christ. the Son of the Living God. Turn to John chapter 6. Hold your place there in Matthew, but turn to John 6. John 6 verse 65. And he said, therefore said I unto you that no man can come unto me except it were given unto him by my father. From that time, many of his disciples went back and they walked no more with him. And Jesus said unto the 12, will you also go away? What did Simon Peter say? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom? To whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life, and we believe and are sure, here it is again, that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Whom say ye that I am? Listen to his answer again. Thou art the Christ. Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Just a few points here this morning. And the first is this, there is but one answer to this question. One answer. There is but one gospel. Listen to the question the Lord puts to his disciples. This is a question we should ask ourselves. And how important, how important is the answer to this question. Turn to John 17. John 17, verse 1. Begin with verse 1. These words spake Jesus, and he lifted up his eyes to heaven and he said, Father, the hour has come glorify thy son, that thy son also may glorify thee, as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life, to who? To as many as thou hast given him. And this, this is eternal life, that they might know thee. The only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sinned. What a blessing, truly what a blessing to know him. Whom do you say? Whom do you say that I am? Who is he? You know the whole Old Testament declares of that one who's coming. His birth foretold, everything about Him foretold. That someone, that someone that the Old Testament speaks of, He speaks in the four Gospels, along with those four Gospels, saying He has come. That Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. And if we read on through the Word of God, the epistles say this, He's coming again. He's going to return. He's declared as prophet, priest, and king. He is, he is the Christ. Who is, who is this man? Jesus of Nazareth. I want to know. I need to know him. We sing that, sometimes we sing that everybody ought to know. What ought they know? Who Jesus is. Who the Lord Jesus Christ is. He's God Almighty and yet He's God in human flesh. He's the Christ. He's the Redeemer. He's our righteousness. Scripture says He's that righteous branch. He's declared the Lord our banner. The Lord, He's that Lamb, the Lamb provided. He's Jehovah. He is God, my Savior. Our Lord asked, who do you say that I, the Son of Man am? What was Peter's answer? Thou art the Christ. That woman at the well, Remember when the Lord crossed her path and she left her water pot? She came there to draw water, but he found her, she found him. She left her water pot, went out into the village, and she said this, she said, come see a man that has told me everything I've done. Is not this thee, Christ? The scripture says this, listen, in 1 John 2 verse 22, it says, who's a liar? Have you ever called someone a liar? We've done that from time to time, haven't we? That person's a liar. You can't believe a word they say. I hear kids, you work at the school, you hear kids say that, right? He's lying or she's lying. I didn't say that. Do you know who a liar is? Who truly a liar is? It's defined in the Word of God. Listen. A liar is he that denieth this one thing, that Jesus is the Christ. The same as both a liar and an anti-Christ, just listen to God's word. Turn there with me, turn to 1 John 2. 1 John 2, look at verse 22. Who is a liar? but he that denieth that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ. And it doesn't stop there, it's just he's both a liar, and listen, he is an antichrist. You know, there were many opinions concerning Christ at that time, and listen, there always will be, as long as we're on this earth. Many opinions, but there's only one answer. One answer, and Peter answered, and he said this, and he said this of his fellow disciples, thou art the Christ, the son of the living God. We believe that thou art the Christ. Promised, prophesied, pictured, throughout the Old Testament, we believe that thou art, that he's God in human flesh. Second point. This was a unanimous answer. This wasn't a raise your hand if you think this or that, right? It was a unanimous answer. In Amos 3, it says this, can two walk together except they be in agreement? Listen, there's just one gospel, there's just one answer here. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. We're sinful. And as a result of that, listen, we all have the right answer, don't we? We all have a different opinion. But the gospel is not up for debate. There's just one. Back there in 1 Kings 18, remember when Ahab came to Elijah? And he said, art thou he that troubleth Israel. Remember that? Just turn back there, turn to 1 Kings 18. Art thou he that troubleth Israel. Look at verse 21 of 1 Kings 18. Elijah came unto all the people and he said, how long? How long halt you between two opinions? Either, listen, if the Lord be God, follow him, but if Baal, then follow him. People didn't know how to respond to that, did they? They answered him, not a word. There's no room. There's no room for multiple opinions. There's no room for debate. Not when it concerns the gospel. We got plenty of things we can debate and argue about, but not the gospel, not the truth of God's word. And listen, you go back this afternoon and you read 1 Kings 18. But listen, it was Elijah, imagine this now, Elijah and 450 prophets of Baal. And there was a sacrifice that's gonna be offered. And after a bunch of foolishness by those false prophets, Remember they danced around on the altar and they cut themselves and they yelled and they screamed, but there was no answer. But Elijah prayed. He prayed to the God of heaven and he said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day, what? That thou art God in Israel and that I'm thy servant and that I've done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know." What do you want them to know, Elijah? I want them to know one thing. I want them to know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. And you know when he finished that prayer, and again, you go back and read it, He made sure there was no accusations of trickery there, right? They set that altar in order and he poured a bunch of water on it and he said, pour some more water on it and do it again. What happened? Fire fell from heaven and consumed the sacrifice and the wood and the stones and the dust and licked up all the water that was in that trench. And listen, when the people saw that, what did they do? They fell on their faces and they said, the Lord, He is the God. He is the God. The Lord, He is the God. It was a unanimous answer, wasn't it? Well, back to our text. Back to our text, back to Matthew. Whom do you say that I am? The answer, again, thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And no one objected, did they? We're all in agreement. Paul writing to the Philippians, he said this, he said, if there be, therefore, any consolation, any comfort of love, any fellowship of the spirit, any bows and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, being of one mind, a unity. a unity among God's people. Isn't that our desire? Unity? Love? A mutual concern, one for another? Same purpose? But listen, the Lord, he granted to you and me that we be of one mind. concerning the gospel of his grace, the glory, the glory of Christ, the work of the church. Third, there is but one savior. Again, back to Peter's answer, thou art the Christ, the son of the living God. This answer, it declares One Savior. One Savior. He is the Christ. Again, that one prophesied. In Isaiah 43, 11, I, even I, am the Lord. And beside me, he says there is, there's no Savior. There is but one. that one the angel declared. Remember that? Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. There is but one, one Savior, Christ the Lord. Turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 8. We turn to these scriptures. I want you to believe these things, not because I say them, but because it's what God's Word says. That's what, that's what the Word of God says. 1 Corinthians 8, verse 6. But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom all things And we in Him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things. And we by Him. There's one God and one Father. He's the fountain and source of all things. There's one Redeemer. It's the Lord Jesus Christ. It's by Him that God created all things and by Him that all things consist. It's by Him God redeemed His elect. And it's by Him that He reconciled us to Himself. That one whom God declared, He said this, God spoke from heaven. And he said, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him. John wrote this. He said, these things are written that you might believe. Believe what, John? Believe that Jesus is the Christ, that he's the son of God, and that believing you might have life through His name." Is that your confession? Jesus is the Christ? Is that our confession? You know, before that eunuch was baptized, that was his confession, wasn't it? It was his after he was baptized too, but listen, he said this, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God our Father, which loved us and hath given us an everlasting consolation and good hope through grace. Fourth point, there's but one revelation. One revelation. Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Flesh and blood didn't reveal that to Peter, did it? When Peter answered for himself and his fellow disciples, when he declared that Jesus was the Christ, God's Christ, our Lord answered him. He said, flesh and blood didn't reveal this glorious truth to you, none but the Father. None but the Father could do so. Look at that and turn back to our text, Matthew 16. Look at verse 17. Jesus answered and said unto him, blessed art thou, blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah, The flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." The only way to arrive at that answer, that man must be taught of God. It's by divine revelation. Turn to Romans 1. Just a few more scripture here. Turn to Romans chapter one. Verse 16. Romans 1, 16. I'm not ashamed. I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth. to the Jew first and also to the Greek, for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith. It is written, as it is written, the just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in him. And God hath showed it. God hath showed it unto them. He revealed it. How often, how thankful we are that the Lord would be merciful to us, but how often are we frustrated when those around us, those near to us and dear to us, they don't They won't believe, they won't hear. It must be revealed, just like it was to us. We're quick to forget that, aren't we? There was a time we rejected this gospel, a time when we refused to believe it. God in mercy is pleased to reveal it, reveal it to His people. He revealed it. He showed it to me. He showed me my sin. He showed me my need of Him, my need of the Savior. One revelation. And then last, turn back to our text. Listen, there's one rock. There is but one rock. And you already know this, but I'll tell you anyhow. It's not Peter. I don't care what his name is. Look at verse 18 of Matthew 16. I say also unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. This rock. Confession. Know the name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. False religion would try to make Peter to be something that he is not. Peter's no different than any of us. Peter's a man. That's clearly revealed in God's word three times. Three times, and I'm glad nobody keeps track of us, but three times, Peter, he denied the Lord. And if you look down just a few verses here in our text of Matthew 16, look at verse 21, it says, it says, from that time forth began Jesus to show his disciples how that he must go into Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed. He showed that to them and he's gonna be raised again the third day and Peter, listen, Peter took him and he began to rebuke him. Be it far from thee, Lord, this shall not be unto thee. But he turned and said unto Peter, get thee behind me, Satan, thou art an offense to me. Thou savest not the things that be of God, but those things that be of men. Peter rebuked. The Lord rebuked him, but Peter rebuked the Lord. Christ is, he's the rock. There's only, listen, there's only one. Only one. He's the foundation on which the church is built. He's the cornerstone which knits it all together. The cornerstone that knits all believers together. Jew, Gentile, old and young, Old Testament saints, New Testament saints, saints on this earth, saints that have gone on to glory in all ages. He's the chief cornerstone. Just one. Just one. We'll look back at verse 15. I'll close with this question. What did our Lord ask? Whom say ye? Not this world, not this town. Whom say ye that I am? All right. Isaac, come lead us in closing.