Introduction
Who do you say I am? This is a popular question from Jesus Christ to His disciples after being with Him for sometime. Knowing someone correctly is always fundamental to how you relate with the person. Learn from Nathaniel in my message: "Prejudice".
Who do you say I am?
How do you respond when someone ask you 'who you are.' People's answer to this question goes to what they do for a living. Others give their relation to prominent personalities in the society. Is that who you are? The PCG Catechism give this question, "Who are you?"
Jesus is asking you, 'Who do you say I am?' In my encounter with you today, I want us to consider three (3) WHO questions.
1. WHO DO PEOPLE SAY I AM?
In Mark 8:27, Jesus asked the disciples "who do people say I am?", what is the rumour around me?, how do people see me? The reply in vs. 28 was, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, one of the prophets.”
In fact, the people had already perceive who He is but could not come to bear with it. For instance; Jesus was asked "Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself," John 4:12 (NIV). He was asked again, "Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” John 8:53 (NIV) The Pharisees and the Sadducees believed that no one is greater than Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, the Prophets etc. They sometimes even required signs and wonders to believe in Jesus as the Messiah (John 6:30)
According to Mahatma Ghandi, Jesus was a great teacher of mankind. Muslims say, He was a prophet but not the Son of God. Some others even do not believe He ever lived to do all that is said about Him. Let us not believe that all religions are worshiping the same God. Even when the Chief Iman donates to the building of National Cathedral, our experience and knowledge of Christ is dichotomy.
Jesus knows that people cannot know Him at a distance. He does not want you know Him by what others say of Him. So He takes us to the second 'who'.
2. WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?
In the vs. 29 “But what about you?” He asked. “Who do you say I am?”..."
Jesus might be saying enough of what others say, who do you say I am? This is more specific and so personal. Now its not about what your parents believe Jesus is, or your Pastor, Friends etc. Jesus wants to hear what you say He is.
We know Jesus based on how we have encountered Him. Some see Him as healer - because He healed them, others as provider - because He provided them food, visa, admission, partner etc. and still others as miracle worker - they have seen signs and wonders. This is not the answer Jesus is expecting from us meaning He expects us to encounter Him in a particular way.
"Peter answered, "You are the Messiah." Someone has said, if we say Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, then we must move from the throne of our own life and let Him rule. Knowing Jesus as the Messiah, you would not only come to Him only when you need help - sick, marriage, travel, children etc. Your life is what He says.
Note this, "If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God." 1 John 4:15 (NIV)
3. WHO DO YOU SAY I AM IN YOUR DEEDS?
Someone has said, the only Jesus one may ever see is you. The only Bible one may encounter is you. What does your deeds/actions say about Jesus to others?
Are you living a life that tell exactly who Jesus is? or you have left people confused and uncertain about who Jesus is?
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation." 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 (NIV)
The Isaiah 50:4-9 discusses the renew tongue God gives to His children. "well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary." Are your words showing who Jesus is?
The prophet further talks about the challenges of walking the path of God. "I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting. Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced." Isaiah 50:6-7 (NIV)
If you know who Jesus is, you do not focus on the hardship you may be facing as Christian, and we keep "...our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne." Hebrews 12:2 (HCSB)
James takes us through the need to tame the tongue and says, "We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check." James 3:2 (NIV) Your deeds speaks a lot about who Jesus is. I say, it is unchristian to be frowning at people. They may assume Jesus is frowning.
Ephesian 5:8-17 Sums this act together
"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. Ephesians 5:8-13 (NIV)
Conclusion
Our knowledge of Jesus must never be at second hand. A man might know every verdict ever passed on Jesus; he might know every Christology that scholars had ever thought and written on Him, one might be able to give a competent summary of the teaching about Jesus, be a great thinker and theologian – and still not be a Christian. Christianity never consists in knowing about Jesus; it always consists in knowing Jesus. Jesus Christ demands a personal verdict. He is asking you [personally]: “You – what do you say I am?” –Who do you think and say that I am?
God help you to know Christ and make Him better known.
Shalom Aleichem
Great piece
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