11-7-2024

Good Morning All,

    Mark 8:27-29; “And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ!” 

    Who is that?  That is a question that we often ask.  We see someone and we remember them, but we are unsure of who they are; is it Bob or Bill, I don’t remember.  Sometimes we ask that question when we see something amazing.  If you watch a sporting event and you see someone who is faster than anyone else, you may wonder who that is.  We might even ask,” who was that masked man?”    We wonder who people are and how they fit into our life.

    What is the reason that Jesus asked this question?  First, he didn’t really care how the people saw him; he already knew.  Second, this question isn’t really about others; it is about the disciples.  Jesus uses this question to begin the conversation with his disciples and to get them thinking along the lines he wanted them to think.  “Who do the people say that I am?”  The disciples would have been out and about in the villages and the countryside; they would have heard the people’s comments and known what they were saying.  “Some say you are Elijah; some say you are John the Baptist; some say you are Jeremiah.”

    The point of this question leads to the next question, “who do you say that I am?”  That was the real question.  Peter answered for the whole of the disciples,” you are the Christ” The disciples were kind of getting it.  Jesus is the promised Messiah.  It didn’t matter what others thought; it mattered what the disciples thought.

    In the other Gospels, Jesus tells Peter that this is not of man but of the Holy Spirit.  Peter didn’t figure it out; the Holy Spirit revealed it to him, but Peter responded out of faith. Peter confessed that Jesus was the messiah, the Son of God.

    The crucial part of this is that Jesus asks each of us that exact same question,” who do you say that I am?”  Each of us must belief, and confess, on our own, what we believe.  We might think we can dodge it or hide from it, but our lives show it, and our lives confess it.  When you say Jesus is Lord, you live your life in His Presence, in worship and praise to him and in service to your neighbor.  Who do you say that Jesus is?  Is he a wise teacher, a noted prophet, the leader of a doomed religious sect?  Or do you answer with Peter, “You are the Christ” “You are the Savior of the world” “You are my Lord;” how do you answer that question,” Who do you say that I am?”  May God give you the faith to answer,” You are the Christ!”

Dear heavenly Father, by your grace we are given the power to proclaim Jesus is our Lord, but we often fail to do so.  Forgive us our slowness to speak and our unwillingness to live our lives in your Presence and service.  Lead us back to you through your Spirit and give us the courage to love others as you have loved us.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret