In Matthew 16:13-20, Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” The disciples responded, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” This answer is not much different from what we hear today. Some say He was a great teacher. Muslims say He was a prophet. Some say He was one of many gods. Jesus wasn’t interested in hearing what others thought at that moment. He wanted His disciples to answer the question, “Who do you say I am?” When it comes right down to it, this is what Christianity is all about. We can disagree about a lot of things, but on the answer to this question we must agree. It is a personal question aimed at “you”. It doesn’t matter what my parents or my pastor or my friends say. It matters what I say. And more importantly does my life back up what I say?
In January 1995, Jesus revealed to me the answer to that all important question. After a childhood in church, some wayward teenage years, and college years of drinking and partying, I naively believed Jesus was simply a great teacher and all religions led to the same god. In 1994, I returned to church after five years away, met some followers of Jesus and saw in them something that I wanted. I began to read the Bible to know more about this Jesus and, over several months, He opened my eyes to the truth. I realized the answer to that question was, as Peter stated, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
From that point on, I pursued Jesus with all my heart. I was drinking in His Word like it was water. The beliefs I established through high school and college no longer had any foundation, so I began asking the question, “Why do I believe what I believe?” This quest for truth is why I write this blog. God has taught me many things in many ways and I believe this is worth sharing. The more I get to know Jesus, the more I realize I don’t know. He is so beyond anything we can ever fully comprehend.
I hope this blesses you like it blesses me, and in the end I pray that we’ll agree on at least one question … Who do you say He is?