Sometimes We Are Simon, Sometimes We Are Peter

In Matthew 16, Jesus asks His disciples a pivotal question: “Who do you say that I am?” The world has many opinions about Jesus, but what truly matters is the revelation we receive and confess about Him ourselves. While others may be divided or confused, God calls us to clarity and conviction. Peter boldly declares, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” not because of human reasoning, but by divine revelation. This moment is a reminder that our identity and stability are rooted not in what others say, but in what God reveals to us and in our willingness to stand out and speak up for truth.

We often find ourselves in the shoes of Simon—unstable, unsure, and sometimes even a mouthpiece for negativity or doubt. At other times, we are Peter—the rock, full of faith and revelation. And sometimes, if we’re honest, we even echo the voice of the enemy, speaking fear, discouragement, or resistance to God’s plan. The Christian journey is not a straight line of constant victory; it’s a series of “sometimes.” Sometimes we feel strong, sometimes weak. Sometimes we’re moving forward, sometimes we feel stuck or even regressing. Yet, in all these seasons, God’s love remains constant.

The enemy often tries to intimidate us, throwing everything he has our way. But this is not a sign of his strength—it’s a sign of his fear. The devil is threatened by the potential and authority God has placed within us. When we recognize that, we stop running from intimidation and start standing in the authority Christ has given us. Jesus calls us by name, knowing our instability and our strength, and still entrusts us with His kingdom work.

No matter if today feels like a Simon day, a Peter day, or even a day when we’re struggling with doubt or failure, God’s love does not waver. He stirs us, calls us forward, and refuses to let us stay stuck in our “sometimes.” The key is not to deny our struggles, but to refuse to remain in them. God’s grace is sufficient, His love is unchanging, and He is always calling us to rise, to move forward, and to become who He has declared us to be.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Identity Is Rooted in Revelation, Not Opinion The world will always have conflicting views about who Jesus is, and likewise, about who we are. True identity comes from the revelation God gives us, not from the shifting opinions of others. When we receive and confess who Christ is, we step into the stability and authority He intends for us. [03:24]
• 2. God Uses Both Our Weakness and Our Strength Like Simon Peter, we are sometimes unstable and sometimes strong. God is not surprised by our fluctuations; He calls us by both names and uses us in both states. Our moments of weakness do not disqualify us, and our moments of strength are not of our own making—they are both places where God’s grace is at work. [21:06]
• 3. The Enemy’s Intimidation Reveals His Fear When the enemy throws everything at us—fear, depression, anger—it’s not because he is powerful, but because he is afraid of what God has placed inside us. Recognizing this shifts our perspective from being intimidated to standing firm, knowing that “greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.” [19:03]
• 4. Honesty About Our “Sometimes” Is Liberating The Christian life is full of ups and downs, and pretending otherwise only leads to frustration. Being honest about our struggles—our “sometimes”—frees us to receive God’s help and to experience His love in every season. God is not looking for perfection, but for authenticity and a willingness to keep moving forward. [24:22]
• 5. God’s Love Is Unchanging Through Every Season Whether we are having a Simon day, a Peter day, or even a day when we’re echoing the enemy’s voice, God’s love for us never changes. He continues to stir us, call us, and lead us forward. Our job is not to stay stuck in our “sometimes,” but to respond to His love and keep pressing on.
  
  ** [31:18]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:18] - Introduction to Matthew 16
• [01:04] - The Power of “Some Say”
• [02:29] - Focusing on God’s Opinion
• [03:24] - Who Do You Say Jesus Is?
• [05:16] - The Nature of Sin and Grace
• [07:17] - Jesus: The Anointed One
• [09:27] - Simon: The Unstable One
• [10:35] - Peter: The Rock
• [11:26] - The Courage to Be Different
• [13:27] - Receiving and Responding to Revelation
• [15:13] - Lessons from Childhood Football
• [18:24] - The Enemy’s Intimidation Tactics
• [21:06] - The Reality of Suffering and Struggle
• [24:22] - The Honest “Sometimes” of Faith
• [29:25] - The Stirring to Move Forward
• [31:18] - God’s Unchanging Love
• [34:28] - Closing Prayer and Encouragement

Bible Reading

Matthew 16:13-23 (ESV) —
> 13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
> 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
> 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
> 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
> 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
> 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
> 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
> 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
> 21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
> 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”
> 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Observation Questions

1. What were some of the different opinions people had about Jesus according to the disciples? (Matthew 16:14)
2. How did Peter answer Jesus’ question, “Who do you say that I am?” and what did Jesus say about how Peter knew this? (Matthew 16:16-17)
3. What do the names “Simon” and “Peter” mean, and why does Jesus use both names when talking to him? [09:27]
4. After Peter’s confession, what did Jesus say he would build his church on, and what promise did he give? (Matthew 16:18-19)

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does Jesus make a distinction between what “some say” and what his disciples say about him? What does this reveal about the importance of personal revelation? [03:24]
2. The sermon points out that Peter was sometimes called “Simon” (unstable) and sometimes “Peter” (the rock). What does this say about how God sees and uses both our weaknesses and strengths? [21:06]
3. When Peter rebukes Jesus and Jesus says, “Get behind me, Satan,” what does this teach us about how even believers can sometimes speak or act in ways that oppose God’s plan? [22:42]
4. The pastor said the enemy’s intimidation is actually a sign of his fear, not his strength. How does this change the way we might view spiritual attacks or struggles? [19:03]

Application Questions

1. The world has many opinions about Jesus, but Jesus asks, “Who do you say that I am?” How would you answer that question honestly today? Is your answer shaped more by what others say or by what God has revealed to you personally? [03:24]
2. The sermon talked about “sometimes” days—sometimes we feel strong like Peter, sometimes unstable like Simon, and sometimes even negative or doubtful. Which of these do you relate to most right now? How does knowing God’s love is constant help you in that place? [24:22]
3. When have you felt intimidated or discouraged by the enemy’s attacks (fear, depression, anger, etc.)? How might it help to remember that the enemy is actually afraid of what God has put inside you? [19:03]
4. The pastor said God uses both our weakness and our strength. Can you think of a time when God used you even when you felt weak or unqualified? What did you learn from that experience? [21:06]
5. Are there areas in your life where you are pretending to be “okay” instead of being honest about your struggles? What would it look like to be more real with God and others about your “sometimes”? [24:22]
6. Jesus called Peter by name, knowing both his instability and his potential. What name or identity do you feel God is speaking over you right now? How can you respond to that? [30:57]
7. The sermon encouraged us not to stay stuck in our “sometimes.” What is one practical step you can take this week to move forward, even if you don’t feel strong or confident? [29:25]