Who Do You Say That I Am – Mark 8:29

“He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered and said to Him, ‘You are the Christ.’”

Jesus was on the road with His disciples and had just asked them who other men said that Jesus was.  They responded that some thought He was John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others thought He was one of the prophets.  Then Jesus made it very personal.  ‘Who do YOU say that I am?’

Have you ever met anyone in the world that does not know the name of Jesus?  Everybody knows about Him.  Amazing, is it not?  But most people in the world know of Jesus as something other than the Christ.  We hear so often that Jesus was a great teacher.  I have heard my Hindu and Buddhist friends say as much.  The Muslim community says Jesus was a prophet.  These groups hold Jesus in an elevated but limited status.  It is like a high opinion, but short of the truth.

Jesus is still the most controversial person to have ever walked the earth.  Just ask anyone you know and even some folks you do not know.  They may say something complimentary about Him, but most of the time it is inaccurate.  You cannot be right with Jesus until you are right with who He is.  Further, you also need to know what He did.  “Now the time has come when Jesus is going to reveal to the disciples His true identity. Up to now, He has not declared Himself to His disciples His true mission.”  (Chuck Smith)

The miracles and words of Jesus, as well as the testimony of the demons and the blundering arguments of the Pharisees, correspond with Old Testament scripture that Jesus was the Messiah (Hebrew word for ‘anointed one’).  Still, Jesus had not yet clearly confessed this to His disciples.  Before He confessed, He first asked them this key question.  He sought their confession of who they thought He was.  Peter confessed that Jesus was the Christ (Greek word for ‘anointed one’).  “To be a Christian indeed, is, sincerely to believe that Jesus is the Christ, and to act accordingly; and that he is so, plainly appears by his wondrous works.   Is the record of those things designed only for an amusement, or to furnish us with matter for discourse? No, certainly these things are written, “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”  (John 20:31); and this discourse which Christ had with his disciples, will assist us in making the necessary reflections upon the miracles of Christ, and a right use of them.”  (Matthew Henry)

I cannot think of a more important question in this lifetime.  The answer to this question will determine whether you have eternal life with God, or eternity in hell.  The answer must be acted upon in this lifetime.  When we die, we will know without a doubt who Jesus is.  I speculate that once we pass through this life, Jesus will ask this question in the past tense.  ‘Who did you say that I am?’  Jesus said “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.  But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33)

It is prudent to point out that the demons believed and confessed Jesus as ‘the son of the most high God.’ (See Mark 5:7)  James points out for us: “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe – and tremble!”  (James 2:19)  So what is the difference?  The demons knew who Jesus was, but they did not call Him their Messiah, their anointed one, their King. 

Once we know who Jesus is, once we realize His claims, we must do something with that realization.  We either choose Him as our Savior, or we reject His gift of eternal salvation.  Friend, it is as simple as that. 

Is Jesus a good teacher, a prophet, or the Christ your King?  Do not wait until it is too late.  There is nothing more important in this life than your response to this question:  Who do you say that Jesus is?

May you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

The Widow Meets Elijah – 1 Kings 17:12

“So she said, ‘As the LORD your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.’”

As a summary background, the prophet Elijah had just declared to the wicked King Ahab that he had prayed for a drought for the northern kingdom, a drought that would not cease except at the word of Elijah.  Then God removed Elijah to the wilderness and supplied food by a raven and water by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan.  After that brook dried up, God sent Elijah to Sidon (the home country of Jezebel) to this Gentile widow to supply his needs.

Why send Elijah to a Gentile nation?  Jesus answers that for us.  When Jesus was in Nazareth, He read from the book of Isaiah in the synagogue, and then told those in attendance who He was – those in attendance marveled and said ‘is this Joseph’s son?’  “Then He said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.’” (Luke 4:24-26)  When the people heard this rebuke from Jesus, they were full of wrath and sought to throw Him over a cliff outside the city, effectively confirming Jesus’ point.

God told Elijah that He had commanded the widow to provide for him.  Does her response appear to be of one that has just been commanded by God?  She plainly states ‘the LORD your God.’  But God knows her circumstances are desperate and that the words of Elijah would ring as the only hope of salvation for her and her son.  “And Elijah said to her, ‘Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth.’’” (1 Kings 17:13-14)

What a promise.  But first the widow must step out in faith and not fear.  Fear can be paralyzing.  Worse of all, it represses or replaces faith.  As our faith increases, our fears no longer control us.  Sometimes we need to be encouraged by others to trust God and not to fear.  Secondly, the widow must, in faith, make a cake first for Elijah, then for herself and her son.  Jesus told us not to worry.  “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)  Even though she knew she had only enough for herself and her son, the widow makes Elijah a cake first, and is blessed with flour and oil throughout the drought.  She was also blessed to be reminded of this miracle on a daily basis.  God did not fill up her flour and oil all at once, but on an as used, daily basis.  Such a daily supply from God shows us how real He is, how good He is, and how powerful He is. 

When we study our Bible daily and daily communicate with God in prayer, we will more readily see the Hand of God at work, and see how He is real, good and powerful.  We will also more likely be obedient and get to participate in God’s work.  As a result, our faith will be strengthened and God will be glorified.

May you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.