Who Do You Say That He Is? 

   “But who do you say that I am?” (Matt 16: 15) 

   The question Jesus asked His disciples is just as relevant today as it was when He first asked it.  If I am to follow Him, I must answer that question.

   Many who refuse to accept Christ as the Messiah say He was a good teacher, an honorable person, or some other watered down version of who He truly was.  They will even accept Him as a great moral teacher, but still refuse to acknowledge Him as God.

   Apostles would not have gone to all parts of the known world preaching the coming of a great moral teacher, a nice guy.  Martyrs would not have willingly given up their life because they liked Him; it took great love and faith to accept death rather than refuse their faith in Jesus and Him resurrected.

   We hear much talk about a “personal” Jesus these days.  And there is some truth there, Jesus wants to be our personal savior.  He wants a very deep personal relationship with us.  However, I think many do not want that personal connection with Christ; rather they want to define His person for themselves.  They want to make Him into who they want Him to be.

   John clearly defined Jesus for all time, “In the beginning there was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  (John 1: 1 – 2).  Jesus is the Word of God, He is God, no other definition will suffice.

   If I am to follow Jesus, I must answer as Peter did, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matt 16: 16). 

You are God,

You are beyond human definition.

You are the Messiah.

You are the Savior of the world. 

Amen