Upon reading Jesus’s question to the disciples in Matthew 16:15, “But who do you say I am?”, the response seems obvious. Peter declares in verse 16, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” and Jesus is pleased. For us, over 2,000 years later this declaration feels anticlimactic since we hold the whole story in our hands. However, the importance of who Jesus is and how that impacts our daily life can be easy to miss. This is true for Peter just a few verses further in the text and can be for us today as well. Until we understand who He is, we cannot truly understand what his death and resurrection mean for us.
Paul tells us in Romans 10 that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved. Saved. Eternity (Hebrews 5:9). Freedom (Galatians 2:4). Salvation (Hebrews 9:28). Forgiveness (Ephesians 1:7). By inviting the disciples into an intimate moment and being eager to hear what they have to say, Jesus demonstrates that our answer to “who do you say I am?”, our declaration is important to him. He’s not asking who do your parents, your pastor, your friends, or your spouse say that I am. Who do YOU say that I am? This is the most important question we can ask ourselves as children of God; our eternal destiny rests upon our response.
It is one thing for us to confess our belief in Jesus as Lord, but how do we truly know that we believe it? How do we live out the words of our faith? How do we make our declaration be more than just words? Andrea Lucado answers these questions for us stating, “Jesus proceeds to very clearly explain what it means to believe He is the Messiah, saying, ‘If anyone wants to follow me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me’ (Matthew 16:24). Three things: deny yourself, take up your cross, follow Jesus.” Three very simply stated but extremely hard to execute tasks. However, the reward is great. We live out our faith and point others to Jesus when we show up willing to deny ourselves, making choices that glorify God and surrendering control of our lives to Jesus.
While Jesus seems most concerned with who the disciples believe he is, he does also ask about what others are saying about him (Matthew 16:13). While our heart’s response is most important, being aware of the potential influences and distractions around us is vital. As we go out into the world and engage in our culture, we can so easily slip into a proclamation of faith that tells us who we think Jesus is based on what we see and hear, or in comparison to what we experience. Understanding how the world might impact us helps us navigate our participation in it and ensures our choices glorify God.
We should be asking ourselves this question constantly. Who is Jesus to me? Is He the Lord of my heart? Am I following Him? Knowing where our heart stands at any given moment, on any given day, should be a priority to us all. Not because our salvation is in jeopardy, but so we can experience a deep, genuine relationship with Jesus on this side of heaven. If you are not sure who you say Jesus is and have questions about what that means, I encourage you to seek wise counsel from a pastor or someone you trust. This journey is not one that you need to take alone.
ABOUT OUR BLOGGER
An eternal optimist, Melanie Wilson is on board for anything that involves books, sunflowers, coffee, the WVU Mountaineers, Bible Study and laughter. She is a Marriage and Family Therapist and pinches herself every day that her passion is her profession. Melanie and her husband, Jim, love their front row seats cheering on their daughter Maya, spending time with family and friends and binge-watching football on crisp fall weekends.
Girls’ Night Out: Zumba, Games and Grub
August 26, 2021, 6:30 - 8:30pm, Kennett Campus
Join us for an evening of Zumba, games and refreshments. All skill levels are welcome. If you’ve never heard of Zumba -- come and learn! If you don’t want to Zumba -- come and watch (we guarantee it will be entertaining)! If you’re a Zumba expert -- come and show off your skills! Register here to join the fun!