Download MP3
SCRIPTURE
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”(Matthew 16:13-16)v.13. “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
Jesus asks His disciples what kind of person the people thought Him to be. The question was not what sort of man He was - rich, poor, handsome, tall, good, bad - but the question is what they (the people) said of Him.Christ surely did not ask them this because He does not know what they thought about Him, but He wants that, from their answers, they would declare their faith.
v.14. “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
The answers they gave were some of the significant people during the Old Testament. They are prophets whom the people believed during those times would be resurrected and would perform the signs and wonders as what has been prophesied.v.15. “Who do you say I am?”
When you and I will be asked at this very moment this question, what would you say?Yes. We could complete the letters of the English alphabet to describe who God is. In fact, if not some, all of us could give the most beautiful words and phrases to describe Jesus; we sing numerous songs that is full of His goodness and glory; even our Bibles are highlighted or colored whenever He is described on a particular verse. But, the truth is most of us describe Jesus based on our circumstances. When the tides are good, then we say God is good; but when we seems to sail against the current we often blame and question Him.
Yesterday, we remembered the very reason why Jesus came - to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17-18). Therefore we are no longer to offer animals for the forgiveness of our sins; we would no longer be required for a high priest to offer our sacrifices; and a tabernacle to offer it. For we have been given the unblemished Lamb, the Lamb of God - a perfect offering that we really don't deserve who according to Isaiah 53:4-5 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
So 'who do you say I am', asked Christ? Lord, You were whom we crucified. It should have been me, it should have been us. Lord, You have been given me new life thus, in You alone do I put my trust and You, Lord, are my living hope for v. 16. You are the Christ, the Son of the living God'
Photo by: Josh Villanueva
Connect With Us