Aug 26, 2026 · 12 min · 4 segments
Listen in to the Rev. Steve Smith's sermon for the 13th Sunday after Pentecost, preached at the Cathedral Church of St. Mark on August 23, 2026. To follow along with the lectionary readings that…
Steve SmithGuest
And so it is in this setting that Jesus has traveled with his disciples, and where he asks them, Who do people say the Son of Man is? The disciples respond, well, some think you're John the Baptist.
And then Jesus turns it personal and says to his disciples, but who do you say I am? Who do you say I am? And Peter, in his usually hearty and straightforward fashion, says, you are the Messiah, the Son of God.
Now, take in mind that Jesus doesn't mean church as we think of it, a building, a place.
So Jesus says, upon this foundation i will build my community my congregation my people at any rate jesus says i will build this on confession of faith and peter is given the name cephas by jesus cephas means in greek or in aramaic it means rock and is translated in greek petros hence in english peter and the church will be built on this rock of confession of faith that jesus is the messiah the son of god Now I've always wondered, why does Jesus instruct his disciples not to tell anyone that he is the Messiah? And I found a comment by Richard Rohr, you might know him, the Roman Catholic monk and theologian and popular writer.
And he says, Jesus says do not tell anyone because he wants us to uncover the truth for ourselves.
Jesus asks each of us, who do you say I am? What have you experienced of me? What have you discovered and learned of me? And one thing I want to be very clear here, brothers and sisters, we are not required to proclaim a faith that is fully formed, tightly wrapped up, and doubt-free.
We are only asked to keep telling the truth about who Jesus is for us, and to keep showing up with our particular gifts to be living rocks, living stones in a church that is always under construction.
And so it is in this setting that Jesus has traveled with his disciples, and where he asks them, Who do people say the Son of Man is? The disciples respond, well, some think you're John the Baptist.
And then Jesus turns it personal and says to his disciples, but who do you say I am? Who do you say I am? And Peter, in his usually hearty and straightforward fashion, says, you are the Messiah, the Son of God.
Now, take in mind that Jesus doesn't mean church as we think of it, a building, a place.
So Jesus says, upon this foundation i will build my community my congregation my people at any rate jesus says i will build this on confession of faith and peter is given the name cephas by jesus cephas means in greek or in aramaic it means rock and is translated in greek petros hence in english peter and the church will be built on this rock of confession of faith that jesus is the messiah the son of god Now I've always wondered, why does Jesus instruct his disciples not to tell anyone that he is the Messiah? And I found a comment by Richard Rohr, you might know him, the Roman Catholic monk and theologian and popular writer.
And he says, Jesus says do not tell anyone because he wants us to uncover the truth for ourselves.
Jesus asks each of us, who do you say I am? What have you experienced of me? What have you discovered and learned of me? And one thing I want to be very clear here, brothers and sisters, we are not required to proclaim a faith that is fully formed, tightly wrapped up, and doubt-free.
We are only asked to keep telling the truth about who Jesus is for us, and to keep showing up with our particular gifts to be living rocks, living stones in a church that is always under construction.
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