(Read Matthew 16:13-16 and 2 Cor 5:14-17)
This morning continue our overarching series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing with our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”. We have been studying the life of the Apostle Peter and our study brought us to Matthew chapter 16. We’ve looked at this passage for weeks. Let’s go back to it today:
The Bible says, “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 answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” God used Simon the son of Jonah to properly identify Jesus. God used a fisherman to point out the fact that while Jesus had been known as the Son of His parents, His true identity was connected to Him being a Son of God. Jesus, in turn, did the same for Simon. Simon had been known as the son of Jonah. But Jesus let Simon know that he too was a son of God. As a son of God, Simon too had a divine identity. Simon’s identity was “Peter”. Jesus said, “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah. No one taught you that. My Father in heaven showed you who I am. So I tell you, you are Peter.” God’s plans for Simon involved him taking on a new name and a new role. Simon the fisherman was called to be Peter the Apostle, and God had already destined him to lead the New Testament church.
This leads me to something I shared with you yesterday. The Apostle Paul — another man who lived his life before Christ with a different name and a different identity — said this: “When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new!”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
- Jesus looked at Simon, the son of Jonah, and called him Peter, a son of God. The new reality hit Peter in an instant. However, it took some time for Peter to learn how to live in his new reality. It will take you some time as well.
- Peter made more mistakes than any of the other Apostles. He had the greatest call of the 12, but the call was not based on his performance. Peter was called by grace before the world began. The same can be said of you.
- The day Jesus looked at Simon and told him that he was actually Peter, I can only imagine what was going through his mind. He had lived his entire life with one identity and now Jesus was revealing to him the identity planned for him to have, by God, from the foundations of the world. For you the names may not be Simon and Peter. Actually, for you the names may not change at all. But the point remains the same. You lived your life, all your life, with a certain identity before you came to Christ. After being Born-Again the Lord revealed to you the person He called you to be. That is your Divine ID. God’s grace is connected to that ID. Your success is connected to that ID. The impact you were born to make it connected to that ID. The question is: will you accept your divine ID and walk in grace-based success, or you will choose to continue to live as the person you were before coming to Christ? If you choose the latter, you will live in the flesh and miss out on God’s best.
- You will never find true success in life, which is success based in Christ, until you start living as the person God destined you to be.
- Success in Christ cannot be measured in money, cars, or homes. Success in Christ is measured in purpose.
- The only way to be a success in God’s eyes is to find, follow and finish the plans He made for you before the world began, before you die.
- You don’t have to be perfect to accept or walk in your calling. Peter made lots of mistakes both before and after coming to Jesus. Peter’s mistakes did not disqualify him. Why? Because God called you by grace, not your performance. You cannot disqualify yourself from something you never qualified for in the first place.
- Accept your divine ID, embrace the grace to be the person God called you to be, and God will use you to change the world!
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace and my requirement to live by faith. You made plans for me before the world began. I did not work for Your plans, nor could I ever deserve them. Your plans were based solely on Your grace. I am IN Christ and Christ is IN me. The old has gone, the new has come. All things are new for me. You now reveal to me what You planned for me before the world began. Everything I need is already inside of me. The mistakes of my past did not disqualify me. The mistakes of my future cannot disqualify me. I never qualified. Jesus qualified for me. So I accept my divine ID. I embrace the grace to fulfill my assignment. I may not understand it all, but I live by faith. My faith accesses Your grace and as it does, You live through me, and You and I together CHANGE THE WORLD! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
