Church
In this chapter Jesus asks His followers whom they understand Him to be. Peter says He is Christ, Aramaic for the Hebrew Messiah. Jesus tells Peter Jesus will build His church. In Acts, Peter plays a huge role in founding the church being the first to preach to the Jews after the coming of the Holy Spirit and the first to introduce Gentiles to Jesus as well.
Jesus picked an odd place to tell His followers He would build His church. Jerusalem would be the logical place, but He chose Caesarea Philippi, a Roman city filled idol worship. Jesus didn’t intend for His church to thrive in safe, religious places; He meant for it to be in the places where the church could shine the brightest. We all need to be open to reaching people from all kinds of backgrounds. The person who seems farthest from God needs Jesus too.