西门彼得遇见了耶稣。我认识一些朋友和教会会友，他们说圣经人物中除了耶稣之外，西门彼得是他们最喜欢的人，因为他们很容易与他认同。
西门努力跟从耶稣，但他往往会犯错或脱口说出他后来后悔的话。西门是那个尝试在水面行走的人，西门是那个坚决表示永远不会不认耶稣的人，他虽然真的这样做了，后来耶稣却挽回他和呼召他再来跟从祂。
然而，西门有时也会有好的表现的。在今天的经文中，他对耶稣作了一个大胆和真确的宣告，他说：“你是基督，是永生神的儿子。”在这个时候，耶稣便给他一个绰号：彼得，在希腊文中，彼得是磐石的意思，耶稣告诉彼得，他那大胆的宣告，是祂建立祂的教会的根基。相信耶稣是基督、是永生神的儿子，最能表达出我们的信心。
我们若像西门彼得那样，时常犯错或脱口说出后来我们后悔的事，我们可以得到保证，我们不是太笨拙或羞于被神使用的；我们也可以作这大胆和真确的宣告，说耶稣是基督，是永生神的儿子。靠赖神的恩典，我们便能够站在这个稳固的磐石根基上了。
主神啊，感谢你，我们纵然失足绊倒，我们仍然可以倚靠你和你拯救的能力。阿们。
马太福音 16:13-20
13耶稣到了恺撒利亚-腓立比的境内，就问门徒说：“人说我人子是谁？”
14他们说：“有人说是施洗的约翰，有人说是以利亚，又有人说是耶利米或是先知里的一位。”
15耶稣说：“你们说我是谁？”
16西门彼得回答说：“你是基督，是永生神的儿子。”
17耶稣对他说：“西门．巴约拿，你是有福的，因为这不是属血肉的指示你的，乃是我在天上的父指示的。
18我还告诉你：你是彼得，我要把我的教会建造在这磐石上，阴间的权柄不能胜过他。
19我要把天国的钥匙给你，凡你在地上所捆绑的，在天上也要捆绑；凡你在地上所释放的，在天上也要释放。”
20当下，耶稣嘱咐门徒，不可对人说他是基督。
“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 16:18
Simon Peter met Jesus. I know several friends and church members who say that besides Jesus, Simon Peter is their favorite person in the Bible because they can easily relate to him.
As he tried to follow Jesus, Simon often made mistakes or blurted out something that he regretted later. Simon was the one who tried to walk on water. Simon was the one who insisted that he would never deny Jesus—and then although Simon did that, he was later restored and called to follow Jesus again.
But sometimes Simon got it right. In our reading for today he made a bold and true confession to Jesus, saying, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And that is when Jesus gave him a nickname: Peter. The Greek word for Peter means “rock,” so Jesus was letting him know that Peter’s bold confession was the foundation on which he would build his church. The most faithful thing a person can do is to trust in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the living God.
When we act like Simon Peter, making mistakes or blurting out things we’ll regret later, we can be assured that we are not too clumsy or shameful to be of service to God. We too can make the bold and true confession that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God, and by God’s grace we can stand on this firm, rocky foundation.
Lord and God, though we stumble, we thank you that we can trust in you and in your power to save. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
