Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Matt 16:15 (NLT)
Jesus asked the disciples who people were saying He, the son of man, is. They replied “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
Then Jesus asked them a very potent question “Who do YOU say I am?” Jesus wasn’t having an identity crisis. He wasn’t being insecure asking “what are people saying about me? Is it good? Is it bad? Oh my!” Not at all.
He first asked, “what are people around saying about me?.” There will always be ideas and suggestions and conclusions made about Jesus – who He is and what He does – coming from all different sorts of people and beliefs all around us. Making up our minds about who Jesus is, based on the gossip of others, is like saying you know Michael Jackson because you read a few articles about him in a tabloid magazine.
Jesus was asking the disciples if they had made up their own minds about Him according to the time they spent with Him, not according to the whispers and rumours of the crowd.
Peter replied to Jesus “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” This was a revealed truth to Peter… Not a line he was fed, but a conclusion and a conviction he had come to in his own heart.
Who do you say Jesus is? Who is He in your joyful moments? Who is He in the midst of tragedy? Who is He when you are surrounded by trouble? Who is He when you’ve sinned? Who is He when you repent? Who is He when you are sick? Who is He when you win? Who do you say Jesus is?
Don’t answer based on what others gossip and whisper about Him. Find out for yourself. Worship, prayer, devotion, trust, hope, more prayer… These are some of the ways we engage God on a personal level. Get to know Him personally, not through second hand information. And then let Him be who He is in your life. He is your healer, protector, restorer, saviour, friend, redeemer, leader, guide, wisdom, truth, peace, provider… And so much more.
Lean into Him today, not the crowd, and allow Him to be your personal saviour and friend. Much love…