From far-off Australia comes this sermon by Rev. R. Ditterich. What
more fitting climax in honor of Christ, whose worshipers belt the
globe? "Christ is All," a pean of praise, which has been sung both
sides the sea, and published in three Hymnals and over sixty song
books, will close this volume, dedicated to the glory of God.
_Text: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living
God."--Matt. 16.16._
Jesus asked a great question, and Peter made a great reply. No
prophet, no priest, no king, no patriarch of Israel had ever been
greeted in such fashion. Of nobody else in the world are these words
spoken today. How pure must have been the life, how majestic the
personality, how wise the utterances, how divine the deeds, that
compelled this thrilling answer from the apostle's lips. Surely
something really wonderful beyond all previous Hebrew experience was
necessary before Jews could bring themselves to acknowledge any man,
however exalted, as divine. The miracle of winning such a confession
is testimony to the sovereign greatness of Jesus.
We, too, have to answer the same question, and there are facts which
lead us to the same great confession of faith.