Sermon Title: Do You Know Him?
Scripture: Jeremiah 31:31–33 & Matthew 16:13–17
1. The Public Opinion vs. Personal Revelation
In Matthew 16, Jesus asks, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” The disciples list the trends: some say John the Baptist, others Elijah or Jeremiah.
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Today’s Equivalent: If you ask the internet who Jesus is, you’ll get a thousand different answers—a good teacher, a social activist, a myth, or a historical figure.
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The Shift: Jesus stops the “poll” and looks them in the eye: “But what about you? Who do you say I am?” Faith isn’t about what your parents believe or what your feed says; it’s about your personal response to that question.
2. The “Download” from Heaven
When Peter answers, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” Jesus tells him that “flesh and blood” didn’t reveal this to him.
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This is exactly what Jeremiah 31:33 was talking about. God said, “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.” * Peter didn’t “figure it out” through a Google search or a philosophy class. It was a spiritual download—a direct connection between God and his heart. This is the New Covenant in action.
3. Living Under a New Identity
Jeremiah promised a day when we wouldn’t need to be told to “know the Lord” because we would all know Him intimately. Matthew 16 shows us the moment that day began.
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The Old Way: Trying to follow a set of rules (the Law) to get to God.
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The New Way: Receiving the revelation of Jesus (the Christ) so God can live in you.
Summary for Today’s Generation
We live in a world of “profiles”—curated versions of who we are. We spend our lives trying to “know” influencers and celebrities we will never meet.
The Message: God isn’t interested in being an “influencer” in your life; He wants to be your Identity. Jeremiah 31 tells us that the “Old Covenant” (the rules) was broken because it was external. Matthew 16 shows us that the “New Covenant” is found in the person of Jesus.
The Challenge: Stop living on “second-hand” faith. Don’t settle for knowing about Jesus through the lens of culture or tradition. Seek the “revelation” Peter had. When you truly know Him, you don’t just change your behavior—you change your nature.
The Bottom Line: You are not defined by your mistakes or your “stats.” You are defined by the One who wrote His name on your heart. Do you know Him?