Who Do You Say I Am — Living Our Gifts Together

Aug 23, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: From "Some Say" to "I Say"

When Jesus shifted the disciples’ conversation from popular opinions to personal conviction, he revealed the difference between borrowed faith and firsthand knowing. Truth becomes alive when we move from repeating what others believe to declaring what we’ve discovered through relationship. This journey begins by wrestling with Jesus’ question until it becomes our own confession, not just a recitation of someone else’s creed. [33:09]

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 Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:13-16, NIV)

Reflection: What phrases or beliefs about Jesus do you repeat most often that originated from others’ faith, not your own? How might you intentionally seek to know him beyond borrowed language this week?

Day 2: Renamed by the One Who Sees

Jesus didn’t just know Simon’s history—he saw his future. The renaming of Simon to Peter (“rock”) wasn’t about current stability but potential faithfulness. Like a parent naming a child “Joy” before they’ve ever laughed, Jesus speaks identity over us that outpaces our present reality. Trust grows when we let his vision of us rewrite our self-doubt. [36:55]

Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:17-18, NIV)

Reflection: What name or label from your past makes it hard to embrace Jesus’ vision for you? How might living as “Peter” instead of “Simon” change your choices today?

Day 3: Mirrors in the Messiah’s Eyes

Seeing ourselves through Jesus’ eyes requires leaning into his gaze long enough to notice what he notices. The reflection he offers isn’t a critique of flaws but a celebration of design—a bell in the throat for song, a stylus for stories, wings for worship. Our true identity emerges when we stop flinching from his delight. [42:17]

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27, NIV)

Reflection: If you imagined your reflection in Jesus’ eyes right now, what unexpected gift or purpose might he highlight? What makes it hard to accept this as truth?

Day 4: Odd Parts and Holy Bodies

The church thrives when ankles don’t envy hands and spleens don’t mimic eyes. Our peculiarities aren’t accidents—they’re assignments. Just as goosebumps require tiny muscles most never name, the body of Christ needs quiet gifts that steady others’ flashier callings. Faithfulness, not fame, fuels the kingdom. [48:12]

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. (Romans 12:4-6a, NIV)

Reflection: What “unsexy” gift do you undervalue in yourself or others? How might celebrating it today strengthen the body of Christ?

Day 5: Cheerleaders in the Choir

We honor God most when we clap for others’ solos while singing our own harmonies. The early church didn’t debate whose gift mattered more—they marveled at how the Messiah used fishermen and tax collectors together. Our differences aren’t obstacles to unity but proof of divine creativity. [52:39]

Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. (1 Corinthians 12:14-15,18, NIV)

Reflection: Whose gift or calling feels most foreign to yours? How could you actively encourage them this week instead of comparing?

Sermon Summary

The question of personality tests opens the door to a bigger question: how does a person know where that person fits, what role that person has, and what purpose God has given? Those tools can be like a little cheat code, helpful but not final, because the Bible gives a better guide by showing how Jesus knows people and calls them.

Matthew 16 brings Jesus and his disciples to Caesarea Philippi after religious people had demanded proof from heaven, even though Jesus had just fed thousands with bread and fish. Jesus asks, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” and the disciples answer with the opinions floating around: John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. Jesus then gets real and asks, “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answers, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus receives Peter’s confession as something revealed by the Father, not by flesh and blood. The first step is trust: the more a person knows Jesus through Scripture, prayer, and gathering with God’s people, the more that person can trust what Jesus says. Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life,” and that means his word about identity is safe.

Jesus also knows Simon. Jesus knows his name, his father, his story, and his blessing from God. The confusion that comes from the past, from other people’s words, and from lies about ability does not confuse Jesus. Jesus has always known who a person is.

Jesus then tells Simon who he will be. Simon becomes Peter, the rock, with that beautiful Kefa and Petros wordplay that sounds almost like God enjoying a dad joke: “Your name is rock, and now you are my rock.” The keys of the kingdom show that Jesus knows Peter’s purpose, not just Peter’s past.

The picture of looking into Jesus’ eyes makes that truth personal. Jesus’ eyes become the place where a person sees a true reflection, not the reflection built by lies. The bell in the throat, the stylus, the paintbrush, and the wings show gifts that had been buried under fear but were still seen by Jesus.

Romans 12 adds the fourth step: nobody does this alone. Paul calls the church to live as a living sacrifice and then describes one body with many parts. The body image says that hands, fingers, hidden muscles, mercy, leadership, serving, teaching, creativity, encouragement, and giving all matter. Jesus is building his church, and each person has a unique place. The call is not to be everything, but to faithfully be who God has called each person to be, while honoring and encouraging the gifts in others.

Key Takeaways

1. Trust grows by knowing Jesus Trust in Jesus does not come from guessing harder about identity. Trust grows as Jesus is known through Scripture, prayer, and life with God’s people. Peter could answer because he had walked with Jesus, eaten with Jesus, and seen his works up close. [35:11]
2. Jesus names the real person Jesus does not only know the version shaped by fear, old wounds, or other people’s careless words. Jesus knows the person beneath the lies and speaks from deeper truth than those lies can reach. His naming of Simon as Peter shows that identity is received before it is fully lived out. [36:21]
3. Buried gifts still belong to God The bell, stylus, paintbrush, and wings give language to gifts that shame had tried to shut down. Jesus’ view of a person is not fragile like human approval, and his pleasure can uncover what fear has buried. Freedom often begins when the soul dares to see its reflection in his eyes. [43:15]
4. Different parts make one body Romans 12 refuses the idea that usefulness means sameness. A hidden muscle and a visible hand both matter because the body needs more than the obvious parts. The church becomes healthier when each gift is honored instead of compared. [49:32]
5. No one carries every gift The limits of one person are not failures, but invitations into the body of Christ. One person’s weakness creates space for another person’s strength to serve with joy. Jesus builds his church through shared faithfulness, not through isolated people trying to be everything.

## [51:23]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[28:03] - Personality Tests and Finding a Role
[31:26] - Nikki’s Guide to Following Jesus
[32:49] - Jesus Asks Who People Say He Is
[34:04] - Peter Confesses Jesus as Messiah
[35:25] - Jesus Knows Simon by Name
[36:37] - Simon Becomes Peter the Rock
[39:18] - Lies That Shut Down Creativity
[41:39] - Seeing a Reflection in Jesus’ Eyes
[45:04] - The Fourth Step: Need Each Other
[47:31] - Romans 12 and Living Sacrifice
[48:53] - One Body, Many Different Parts
[51:38] - Jesus Builds His Church
[53:33] - Prayer for Gifts and Purpose

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 16:13-19
“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 Peter answered, 'You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.' Jesus replied, 'Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.'” [32:49] [34:04] [36:37]

Romans 12:3-8
“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.” [47:31] [48:53]

John 14:6
“Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'” [35:11]

Observation questions

In Matthew 16, what different answers were people giving about who Jesus was, and how was Peter’s answer different from the others? [34:04]
In Jesus’ response to Simon Peter, what things did Jesus say he knew or declared about him? Notice the blessing, his family name, his new name, and his role. [35:25]
In Romans 12, what are some of the different gifts or functions Paul lists, and what repeated pattern shows how each gift is meant to be used? [48:53]
What were the images seen in Jesus’ eyes—the bell, stylus, paintbrush, and wings—and what gift or purpose did each one point to? [43:15]

Interpretation questions

Jesus moved the conversation from “Who do people say I am?” to “Who do you say I am?” Why does that shift matter so much for a person’s identity and purpose? [34:18]
Jesus gave Simon a new name before Peter had fully lived into all that name would mean. What does that show about how Jesus speaks identity over a person? [36:37]
Jesus is called “the way, the truth, and the life.” How does trusting that truth help a person sort through old labels, mixed messages, or lies about who that person is? [35:11]
Paul says the members of the body do not all have the same function. How does that challenge the pressure to be good at everything or to compare one gift with another? [49:32]

Application questions

Many people use tools to figure out strengths and weaknesses, but those tools are not the final word. What voices have most shaped how you see yourself lately—friends, family, work, fear, past experiences, or Jesus? Which voice has been the loudest? [30:28]
Trust grows by knowing Jesus through Scripture, prayer, and life with God’s people. What is one simple way this week to make more room to know Jesus personally, not just know about him? [34:51]
Old lies can bury real gifts for a long time. Is there a gift, desire, or part of your personality that has been pushed down by fear or by something someone once said to you? What might it look like to bring that honestly before Jesus? [39:33]
Seeing a reflection in Jesus’ eyes means receiving his view instead of living under false ones. When you imagine Jesus looking at you with truth and pleasure, what feels easy to believe, and what feels hard to believe? [41:39]
The church is one body with many parts, and no one carries every gift. Where do you tend to feel frustrated that you are not more like someone else? How might that frustration be eased by receiving your own part in the body? [51:23]
One person’s weakness creates room for another person’s strength. Where do you need support right now, and where might God be inviting you to offer support to someone else? [50:53]
Honoring the gifts in others helps the whole body grow. Is there someone in this church, group, or family whose gift you can clearly see but who may not fully see it yet? What encouragement could you give that would be honest, specific, and life-giving? [52:19]

Sermon Clips

44s

#TrustInJesus

“We can trust in Jesus. He knows each one of us, and he reveals to each of us where we are in the body of Christ. we need to understand is that we can't do this alone. We need each other. Where one person is weak, another person is strong. Our responsibility is to live our own lives as a living sacrifice, one that is holy and pleasing to God, but we also need to let others live out their purpose as well.”

60s

#FaithfulToCalling

“You see, Jesus is building his church. He has given each of us a unique place and purpose within this church. We don't have to be everything. We simply need to faithfully who God has called us to be. So let's do that. Let's be who God has called us to be. But let's take it that step further. Let's support each other. Let's honor each other in our different talents and our different abilities. If you see someone who has a gift, but they just can't they just don't understand it themselves, encourage them. Talk to them. Encourage them to use it faithfully and joyfully.”

48s

#KnowJesusShareHope

“If you see someone who's struggling with somewhat something, use your strength and support them. Let's encourage each other. Let's encourage each other to know Jesus more because the more we know who Jesus is, the more we can trust him. When we trust him, we can believe we are who he says we are. When we are and when we know who we are and we know our purpose, we can work together as a whole to live and share the hope we have in Jesus.”

58s

#JesusKnowsYou

“Let's go back to that section we were reading in Matthew. Verses seventeen and eighteen, Jesus lets us know that he knows who Simon is. He knows that Simon is the son of Jonah and that Simon is blessed by god. Life can get really confusing when it comes to knowing who we are and where we fit. Things that happened in our past can confuse us. It can make us forget what our purpose is. Things people say about us or to us might make it hard for us to know who we are and how we fit in that bigger picture. The amazing thing is Jesus known. He has always known just like who knew who Simon was. He knows who we are, and we can trust him in this.”

40s

#JesusRevealsPurpose

“So Jesus knew Simon Peter, and he knew his potential and what he would become. He knew everything about him. And Jesus knows everything about us too. He knows us, our purpose. He knows our gifts. He knows our talents. He knows our abilities. And when we get confused and forget who we are and what our purpose is, Jesus reminds us and uses others to remind us, and we can trust him.”

38s

#TrustedIdentityEveryday

“how is this supposed to help us get along? How do we use it when we're trying to follow our purpose? How does it help us when we're at work or at the grocery store or when we're at church and we wanna do something, we we just can't do it like that person over there can. We know who Jesus is. We know that Jesus knows us, and we know that we can trust him when he tells us who we are and what we can do.”

44s

#KnowJesusTrustJesus

“What does this mean for us? What's this first step? The more we get to know Jesus through learning about him through the bible, gathering together as a community, and spending time in prayer, the more we understand that we can trust him too. Jesus himself says in the book of John, I am the way, the truth, and the life. And he has proven this to me over and over again. We can trust in what he says. We can trust in Jesus. Step two, Jesus knows who we are.”

49s

#WeNeedEachOther

“But what does that have to do with living a life with people who are different from us? Surprise. There's a fourth step, but it is not found in that section of Matthew. Step four is the fact that we can't do this alone. We need each other. Throughout this summer, we have been learning that we all have a purpose in building the church of Christ. Last week, pastor Charles was teaching us that we are all to love god and love people, that we're to go into the world and share the love of Jesus, and that we can do all of this because Jesus is there and we'll be okay because he's in control.”

Ask a question about this sermon

CT Brandon This sermon · AI assistant

How do we recognize Jesus' identity for ourselves?

In what ways does Jesus reveal our purpose?

How should the church honor diverse spiritual gifts?