Who Do You Say I Am

Anonymity can have its perks. Even celebrities get tired of cameras in their faces and fans asking for autographs. The only autographs I ever signed were at the bottom of checks … and those were to pay the bills.

As Jesus’ ministry gained momentum, anonymity became impossible. Crowds started to follow. Word about him spread quickly. But the real question was: did people actually understand who he was?

In Matthew 16, Jesus asked his disciples two questions.

Question One: Who Do People Say I Am?

“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’” (Matthew 16:13)

They answered with what they had heard: John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or another prophet.

People admired Jesus. They respected him. But admiration is not the same as understanding. It’s possible to be sincere and still miss the truth about him.

Which leads to the second, more important question.

Question Two: Who Do You Say I Am?

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’” (Matthew 16:15-16)

Peter nailed it. And Jesus made it clear that this wasn’t just Peter being clever—it was a revelation from God.

This confession, that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God, is the foundation of the church. It’s also the foundation of a life well built.

Jesus used this same “rock” image at the end of the Sermon on the Mount:

“Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24)

Strong foundations matter whether you’re building a house or building your life.

Jesus Builds His Church

Jesus told Peter: “On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:18)

Notice who does the building. Not Peter. Not us. Jesus. For years I thought it was my job to build the church—to measure success by attendance, giving, or baptisms. Then I realized Jesus promised to build his church.

Our role is faithfulness. His role is fruitfulness.

And his promise is powerful. Even hell itself cannot stop his church.

Faith That is Personal and Concrete

Over the years, I’ve had many conversations with people about faith. This passage reminds us of two things:

Faith is concrete. It has real implications. It’s not sentimental fluff—it’s a foundation we can build on.

Faith is personal. It’s not enough to know what others think about Jesus. At some point, you have to answer the question yourself: “Who do you say I am?”

Final Word

Let me leave you with this: Jesus is not asking for second-hand opinions. He’s asking for your answer.

Not “Who do your parents say I am?” Not “Who does your church say I am?” But “Who do you say I am?”

Your answer to that question is the rock your life will either stand or fall on.