Jesus was teaching in the region of Caesarea Philippi (ses uh REE uh, fih LIP eye). On this particular
day, as he frequently did, he had gone off by himself to pray.

His disciples found him and he asked them, "Who do men say that I am?"

There were many different ideas about Jesus. Some people thought that John the Baptist or
Elijah had come back from the dead in the person of Jesus. Some thought that maybe Jeremiah
or another one of the prophets had come back to earth.

But Jesus wanted his disciples to say what they thought about him.
Simon Peter said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." How could Peter be so sure
about this?

Jesus gives us the answer.  He called Peter's name, Simon Bar-Jonah, or Simon son of Jonah.
Jesus said the fact that Peter knew who he was had come as a divine revelation. God Himself
had told Peter.

Jesus told Peter that He was going to build His church, and no force of Satan would ever be able
to overcome it. His people would be triumphant and win over evil.
Peter was going to have the "keys" of the kingdom. He would tell people the things that pleased
God and the things that were displeasing to God. He was going to be God's spokesman and
people would have to obey the teachings of God that Peter preached. Jesus told Peter,
"Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will
be loosed in heaven."

Then Jesus told them that they must keep his true identity a secret for a while longer.
He would have to suffer and die and be raised again.

Peter didn't want to even think about Jesus dying, and one day he said to him, "Lord,
this shall not happen to You!"

But Jesus knew that Satan was trying to harm Him through the words of Peter,
and He said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan."

About a week later Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain. He was transformed
(transfigured) or changed in front of their eyes. He was shining as bright as the sun. This was
further proof to them that Jesus really was the Son of God!

Memory Verse
Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
                                                                                Matthew 16:16 (NKJV)
 
 
 
 
  Listen to this story about The Transfiguration at:  http://gardenofpraise.com/bibl44s.htm